Beyond The Title: Humans of Softjourn

What initially sparked your interest in running?

One day, I decided to run a lap at the stadium. I was discouraged by how tough it felt, so I started training. Two laps became three, then a kilometer. Now, 12 years later, I’m still running!

 

Was it hard to stay consistent? What helped you to keep going?

Staying consistent was hard. What helped were competitions, both small and big. When the first half-marathon was held in Ivano-Frankivsk, Serhii Karavanets, its founder, invited me to join. Since then, I haven’t missed a single one. I also started joining marathons in other cities and countries.

After each half-marathon, I swear I'll never do it again. The exhaustion, the muscle aches, the sheer mental and physical drain – it all feels overwhelming. Yet, a week or two later, I find myself recovering and already scouting the race calendar for the next challenge. And you must train for it, so the running continues.

Pro Tip:

Try running a few km away from home (I ran 5). That way, you have to run (or walk) back. It’s a trick to make progress and challenge yourself! Avoid loops so there’s no option to quit and head home early. Just be sure to choose a safe route and only take on this challenge if you feel comfortable doing so.

 

Can you share a particularly challenging run and how you overcame mental barriers to push through?

Every marathon is a mental battle. After 20 kilometers, your mind starts asking: ‘Why are you doing this?’ and you just gotta push through. My first marathon in Wroclaw was over 30°C. It was grueling, the asphalt was around 50°C, and some runners were even taken off the course by ambulance. 

Despite the intense heat, people came out to cheer us on and offer water. Their support was invaluable. Feeling understood and encouraged in my struggle pushed me to keep going and take the next step.

Another tough one was the Athens Marathon, with its steep uphills and hot weather. It was especially memorable because we ran through areas devastated by a recent fire. Many towns had been destroyed, and when runners entered that area, they switched to walking to show respect.

It really makes you put things into perspective. You see people who have lost everything, and yet they came out to support, to stand up, and to show that they are strong in spite of everything. And you think, “Why am I complaining about this run?” It feels so small compared to what they've been through. It doesn't necessarily give you strength, but it pushes you to keep going.

And as a rule, I am accompanied by some friends or family, so I simply can't get off the course because there are people waiting for me at the finish line.

 

 

What do you find most rewarding about running, both physically and mentally?

When you run a long distance, you’re alone with yourself and your thoughts, sometimes for hours. There are also types of training when your heart rate goes through the roof, and then your brain just shuts down. All you're focused on is surviving, not quitting. Everything else disappears. 

With all the constant noise and problems we face, running helps clear out the mental clutter. After pushing through barriers, you’re left with what’s truly important. All the stress fades, and you realize that the true task in life is simply to keep going and do what you can.

 

Some people run while listening to music or podcasts in their headphones. Do you listen to anything during runs?

At first, I tried listening to audiobooks or podcasts, but it didn't work for me. When your heart rate is up, you can’t process information that well, so I usually listen to them during my hour-long walk to work.

As for music, I experimented with different options, but I realized that running without music is much more enjoyable. When you run without it, you achieve a certain mental focus, and you don’t get distracted. It’s not that you’re distracted by music, but you’re fully immersed in the environment you’re running in, and music doesn’t distort that.

 

How do you find time for running? Is it a matter of priority, or is it some incredible time management skills?

There are different types of running: sprinting - where you run 100 meters as fast as you can and burn all your energy; middle distances; and long distances. To run long distances, you must learn to run at a slower pace. Once you master that, you can run longer, faster, and better.

 

This lesson is just as important in business. We often feel like we need to push ourselves as hard as possible, but the truth is, we need to learn to work at a slower, steadier pace. When you give yourself time to pause, reflect, and analyze, you stop spending energy on unnecessary moves.

If you don’t plan to do quick projects that need to be done in a day, and you want your business to last for many years after you leave, you need to learn to work slowly and efficiently. Your workload should be about 60-75% of your capacity. You need time to think, recover, and even do nothing. I don’t know if it’s a priority or just a habit, but there must be space for it — and there is. 

When you load your schedule, everything seems important, but in fact,  there are a lot of unnecessary moves. Some things just need to be let go.

 

What's the one thing you wish you'd known when you first started running?

Every morning, your body will protest, and you'll find a million excuses. But post-run, you'll be glad you didn't give in. The energy boost and improved mood are worth it.

Perfect conditions never exist. You must realize this isn't a test; it's just life. You have a choice: find excuses or choose to run. Just start. Walk if you can't run, alternate between the two. Set small goals and accept that you won't achieve impressive results in a month. It takes time. There are no shortcuts.

 

What were your hobbies as a child, and have they evolved?

I’ve always been drawn to sports. Basketball, in particular, was a big influence on me because it’s a team game that teaches you to see the bigger picture. No matter where you look, you have to understand the positions of everyone on the court and what’s expected of you. This skill has been incredibly useful in my work.

When I was a kid, my mom enrolled me in folk dancing. I wasn’t thrilled about it at first. I thought, “I’m a boy, why should I be dancing?” But my mother insisted, and now I’m really grateful for that. Dance, I’ve come to realize, is a completely different form of art that’s necessary for everyone. In Ancient Greece, it was a core part of children’s education along with music and drawing. They make you think and feel differently, and they engage the body in ways you might not expect.

When I run, I can feel the muscles I’m using, but with dancing, especially tango, I’ve discovered muscle groups I didn’t even know I had. These muscles need to be engaged. And if they aren’t, then they are degrading. And if they degrade, then my body is not in harmony, because I have something within me that doesn't work.

 

Do you have any hobbies or interests besides running? 

Well, besides running, I enjoy hiking and walking a lot. And Ivano-Frankivsk is a great place for it. I often walk 15 kilometers a day.

Recently, I've also been exploring Argentine tango. I wouldn't call it a hobby yet, but it's quite intriguing. It is interesting to me because of how you can communicate and interact with another person without words. It's the most difficult dance I've encountered.

 

In tango, there’s the one who leads and the one who follows. It’s a dance rooted in leadership; the leader creates the dance, but it’s the follower who draws the eyes of the audience.

I’ve taken away a lot in terms of management philosophy from this — specifically, what I’d call "non-violent management." It’s when we work together, not in opposition, without force. It’s a kind of subtle leadership. Tango reflects that dynamic perfectly. I’ve even given a lecture to the business community on "Tango-Style Management".

 

Is there any other hobby you'd like to try?

I don't have a specific hobby in mind, but I do have an idea I’d like to explore. I’d love to go on a journey where I could walk for about a month with just a backpack, a tent, and enough freedom to continue working along the way. It wouldn’t be a vacation; the goal is to keep my activity going while being on the move.

I’ve considered the Camino de Santiago, but it’s become too popular for my taste. I’d prefer to explore some of the lesser-known, wilder routes. It’s more of an experiment, really, to see how it feels to not be tied to one place, while still staying productive. It’s just something I’m curious about.

 

Do you have any role models or inspirations in sports or dancing? 

No, not really. I use a sports watch that tracks my goals, like running a marathon. It sets tasks based on my parameters — such as hours, target heart rate, and pace — and I follow that.

I don’t necessarily have idols, because I understand that no one is perfect. But I do listen to advice from others and analyze it deeply. I consider why something might work in a specific situation and whether it'll work for me or others. There are so many factors that can influence the outcome. If you believe that the same actions will lead to the same result for everyone, it often leads to disappointment.

I’m the same way in business. When people ask me how to succeed, I can’t tell them. What I did worked for me, but I can’t guarantee it’ll work for someone else. Everyone has to figure out for themselves what’s relevant and what will actually work for them.