Beyond the Brief | Running for Purpose, Building Discipline and Showing Up

On 25 October 2026, Nairobi hosted the Standard Chartered Nairobi Marathon, bringing together a record 30,700 registered participants representing 102 nationalities. For me, it was more than a race. It was another chapter in a running journey that began in 2015, shaped by discipline, family, fatherhood, purpose and the simple decision to keep showing up.

The road teaches you
There is something about the road that strips life down to its essentials. You, your breathing, your legs and the distance ahead. No job title, professional reputation or carefully prepared presentation can run those kilometres for you.

I have participated in the Standard Chartered Nairobi Marathon consistently since 2015. Eleven years of returning to the starting line have taught me that showing up is often the hardest and most important part. Some mornings, motivation comes easily. On others, the bed makes a far more compelling argument. You lace up anyway.

Running teaches you to respect the process. Endurance cannot be manufactured on race day. It is built during early mornings, training sessions nobody applauds and the decision to keep going when progress feels painfully slow. It also demands humility: knowing when to adjust your pace, learning from difficult sessions and accepting that progress is not always linear.

That lesson follows me into my work at CMS Kenya. Business development, like running, is rarely about one spectacular sprint. It is about setting a direction, preparing deliberately, building relationships and following through. Trust is earned over time, one conversation and one commitment at a time.

A Kenyan soundtrack to the journey
Kenyan music has a way of capturing ambition, resilience and the urgency of living purposefully. Nyashinski's Marathon Runner, released in March 2019, uses the language of the marathon to explore ambition and the pursuit of more. Its refrain celebrates Kenyan identity and references Eliud Kipchoge, connecting the song to the country's celebrated running culture.

One line captures the tension between playing safe and daring to pursue something bigger:

“Unaishi aje vibasic, ni kaa kesho iko promised?” 

“How can you live so basically (frugally, minimally), as if tomorrow is promised?”

There is a distinctly YOLO spirit to the question. Why hold back, settle for the bare minimum or postpone the things that matter as though the future were guaranteed?

For me, that message is not an invitation to recklessness. It is a challenge to live intentionally.
Train while you can. Pursue the goal. Make the call. Invest in the relationship. Be present for your family. Do the work today rather than assume there will always be another opportunity.

Ambition without discipline is merely a wish. You need the courage to start, the patience to endure and the judgement to adjust your pace without losing sight of your destination.

Kipchoge captured a similar spirit after his historic 1:59:40 run in Vienna in 2019, declaring, “No human is limited.” His performance was not an official record-eligible marathon, but its message resonated far beyond athletics. Extraordinary achievements often begin with an ordinary decision: believing the effort is worth making, then putting in the work.

Running for something bigger
The Standard Chartered Nairobi Marathon brings that principle into public view. The 2026 edition attracted 30,700 registered participants and, according to post-race reporting, raised KES 76 million for community programmes. The reported cumulative fundraising total since the event began reached KES 596 million.

Participants arrived with different goals: a personal best, a first finish, a corporate challenge or simply the determination to cross the line. Yet individual effort became part of something larger.

The event supports community initiatives focused on education, employability and entrepreneurship through the Standard Chartered Foundation. It also placed emphasis on participant welfare and environmental sustainability. Organisers introduced 19 hydration stations, roaming bicycle medics and dedicated muscle-relief facilities. Each finisher also received a tree seedling as part of a reported target to plant 40,000 trees in partnership with Nairobi County.

Running for a cause changes the meaning of the kilometres. The effort remains personal, but its impact can extend far beyond the individual.

The same principle applies professionally. Success should not be measured only by deals closed, meetings secured or recognition received. It should also be measured by opportunities created, people supported and lasting value delivered. The best professional relationships, like long-distance running, require preparation, consistency and the commitment to keep moving forward.

Family, fatherhood and the marathon
Two defining aspects of my life beyond the office are fatherhood and marathon running. Both keep me grounded. Both demand consistency. Neither allows me to rely on good intentions alone.

Fatherhood has taught me that presence matters. Children notice whether you show up, keep your word and live by the principles you teach. The lessons rarely come through grand speeches. They emerge through everyday acts of patience, care and responsibility.

Running reinforces the same truth. You cannot outsource the training, and nobody can take the final steps for you. You learn to manage discomfort, remain accountable and keep moving towards a goal that may still feel far away.

Together, these experiences shape my approach to leadership and business development. I believe in building relationships that endure, investing in people and doing the less visible work that makes meaningful outcomes possible.

This year's marathon was another reminder that individual discipline and collective purpose can reinforce each other. Its record participation and reported fundraising demonstrated what becomes possible when people bring their efforts together. Personally, another year of running has reinforced the discipline I strive to practise both at home and at work.

The finish line is never the whole story
Every marathon has a finish line, but the real story begins long before the starting gun and continues long after the medals are put away.

For me, the reward is not simply crossing the line. It is becoming more disciplined, learning to persevere when things get difficult and remembering that the journey is bigger than any single race.

Running has also deepened my appreciation of Kenyan identity. Our country is globally recognised for producing exceptional distance runners, and taking that spirit with me when I run abroad fills me with particular pride. I carry that pride into every race, every kilometre and every starting line.

“I’m Kenyan so you know I’m a Marathon Runner”. 'Marathon Runner' by Nyashinski, 29 March 2019.

About the author: Oliver Manyasi is Head of Business Development, Relationships, and Marketing at CMS Kenya | Daly Inamdar Advocates. He focuses on business development strategy, client relationships, marketing, communications and strategic partnerships. He is also an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya, a ​​Certified Public Secretary​,​​ a Commissioner for Oaths, a Notary Public, and a Patent Agent. 

#BeyondTheBrief #CMSKenya #CMSAfrica #LifeAtCMS #Leadership #StandardCharteredNairobiMarathon #KenyaLaw #ProfessionalExcellence #RunningForACause #TogetherWeRunFurther