Futurist, TCS · Creator of the TCS Future Athlete Project · Marathon runner

By Phil Dumontet, CEO, Laurel Innovations

I recently sat down with Bill Quinn — Futurist at TCS, creator of the Future Athlete Project, and a marathon runner himself on The Future of Running on Head Start. Bill ran his first marathon at TCS New York City in 2023, has since run London, Chicago, and Sydney, setting a PR at Sydney just weeks before our conversation. His view of the future isn't theoretical. He lives it. 

Here are the 10 lessons that stayed with me most.

 

01 — Futurism

A futurist doesn't predict the future — they help you prepare for a range of possibilities

A futurist doesn't have a crystal ball. They look out toward the horizon across multiple domains — science and technology, economics, geopolitics, philosophy, environment, history — and identify the possibilities the future represents.

"I like to describe it as being a running coach. I can't predict how you're gonna do on race day, but I can help you identify and prepare for a range of possibilities — a hill you weren't expecting, bad weather, a cramp along the way — and help you think through how you're going to be ready for them."

Winston Churchill: "The further backward you look, the further forward you can see."

Takeaway: Stop trying to predict exactly what technology will change your race. Start asking "what if" questions and build plans that handle multiple futures, not one.

 

02 — Digital Twins

A digital twin is a living simulation — and it can run millions of what-if scenarios on your race

Bill's entry into marathon technology started with building a digital twin of Des Linden's heart. He then asked: could an average athlete cobble together commercial wearables to create their own version? He got a smartwatch, a recovery monitor, and a glucose monitor — and used them to run his first marathon.

"A digital twin gives you real time and historical data — but when you layer on AI, you can run millions of simulations. Not tens or hundreds. Millions. And start to reimagine how things could work in ways you've never even considered."

For race organizers, city-scale digital twins would let you know where every resource is in real time and run what-if scenarios ahead of race day. Tokyo Marathon ran low on water because faster runners poured it over their heads — a city digital twin could have seen that coming.

Takeaway: Start modeling scenarios now. What if your weather is 10 degrees hotter? What if your medical crew is short-staffed? Run those simulations before race day.

 

03 — AI & Race Operations

Ask "what if" questions today so you never have to ask "what now" questions tomorrow

Bill's team phrase: if you ask "what if" questions today, you can avoid asking "what now" questions in the future.

He used the example of AlphaGo's famous Move 32 — a move so surprising that no human had ever considered it, and it won the game. The question for race directors: what is the Move 32 of start corral management? Of medical deployment? What haven't we thought of because we've only optimized from within the constraints of how things have always been done?

Takeaway: Pick one operational element of your race and ask: if AI could completely reimagine this from scratch — what might it look like? That question is worth a team meeting.

 

04 — AI Adoption

Don't wait until it's "ready" — dip your toe in now so the big leaps don't feel impossible later

Bill's practical advice: you don't need your own large language model. Start using what's commercially available. Use AI as a thought partner. A collaborator. A way to learn faster.

"It's hard to make big leaps if you haven't been making small steps. Start small. Learn what this technology means. Then you can start asking the bigger questions."

He described his transformation since November 2022 when ChatGPT launched: he can no longer imagine a workday without it. The force multiplication is real — but only for people who actually start.

Takeaway: Spend 30 minutes this week using an AI tool to solve one real problem in your race planning. Build the habit first, then scale it.

 

05 — Technology Equity

The biggest risk of AI in running isn't that it won't work — it's that only the biggest races get it

As AI tools become more powerful, organizations with the most resources will get the best capabilities. If that gap compounds, the Majors will operate in a completely different technological universe from every other race.

"How can we ensure the technology doesn't become the technology of the haves and have-nots? Because the more races people can be involved in, the closer to home, the more likely they are to get interested in running — and all boats rise with that tide."

Takeaway: Advocate for technology platforms that price for accessibility, not just enterprise. The rising tide only lifts all boats if the tools reach all boats.

 

06 — Sustainability

Edible hydration pods — the innovation that could eliminate cups at every aid station

50,000 runners. Each one throwing a cup at every aid station. Circular hydration pods made from biodegradable materials that you bite, drink, and either discard (they biodegrade) or ingest entirely. Companies like Ooho are already testing this — edible water bubbles made from seaweed, piloting at select marathons.

Bill's twist: what if they weren't just water, but perfectly formulated nutrition? Electrolytes, carbohydrates, and hydration all in one bite.

"As I was running Sydney, I thought: what if that thing that holds the water was actually your energy gel? Perfectly formulated nutrition — all in one go."

Takeaway: Track the edible hydration space closely. The technology is proven and economics are improving. Your sustainability program may be defined by this in five years.

 

07 — Spectator Experience

Augmented reality could make every spectator feel like they're watching a personalized broadcast

Bill described his wife trying to spot him in the Sydney Marathon — knowing roughly where he'd be, watching the app, and still nearly missing him in a sea of thousands. That two-second glimpse is the spectator reality at every major marathon. AR changes it completely.

"What if you could tag an individual runner — so as they're running towards you, they're highlighted? You can see their pace, their heart rate, where they are in their age group. And send them a message they can hear through an earbud: 'I know it's hard right now. You trained so hard. Keep going.'"

Takeaway: What one technology — even something as simple as a better tracking app notification — would make a family member feel more connected to their runner on course?

 

08 — Inclusivity

Exoskeleton divisions could allow anyone to experience the marathon

The technology already exists in manufacturing — workers use exoskeletons to lift more efficiently. Applied to running: lightweight robotic support allowing aging or disabled runners to participate who otherwise couldn't.

Bill's framing: it's not about breaking records. It's about being part of the experience. Wheelchair divisions already exist as a recognition that participation matters more than method. Exoskeleton divisions would extend that same principle.

Takeaway: How is your race thinking about adaptive and assisted divisions today? The runners who need these pathways are already in your community. They just don't have a division yet.

 

09 — The Human Element

No matter how much technology we pour in — it will always be a human running 26.2 miles

People always ask Bill: did your digital twin run the race for you? And the answer is always no. That's the point.

"When that human element starts to be removed — the challenges of training, the injury, the illness, the perseverance — that's always going to be the gating factor. The technology should make the marathon more accessible to more people while keeping that grit, determination, and human spirit at the center."

Technology at its best in this sport is a force multiplier for human potential — not a replacement for it.

Takeaway: As you evaluate any new technology for your race, ask one question: does this amplify the human experience, or does it substitute for it? That answer should guide every technology decision you make.

 

10 — Vision

The goal isn't a bigger slice of the pie — it's a bigger pie for everyone

In the US, roughly 50 million people run or jog. About 20 million participate in a timed race. That's 30 million runners who haven't crossed a start line yet. The opportunity isn't to steal runners from other races. It's to close that gap.

"This industry is really about how do we raise all boats. The big races help the smaller races succeed — and everybody recognizes that if we can make the pie bigger, we're all going to benefit. If more people are running, society is healthier and we all win."

And that's ultimately what the technology is for. Not faster times. A safer, smarter, more sustainable, more inclusive sport that reaches more people and keeps the human spirit at the center of every mile.

Takeaway: Identify one runner currently on the sidelines — not yet racing, not yet convinced — and ask: what would it take to get them to a start line? Build toward that answer.

 

"The future of marathons is for everyone."

Bill's closing words — four seconds, no hesitation. Not faster. Not more technological. Not more efficient. For everyone. That's the North Star worth building toward