You’ve probably heard people say “a PhD is a marathon, not a sprint.” While I get what they’re trying to say, I actually disagree with comparing something fixed like a marathon to something as flexible as a PhD journey. Instead, I’d suggest thinking about it more like preparing for a marathon – one with a moveable finish line, an ever-changing route, and some rather confusing signposts along the way!

As someone who works with PhD researchers, I’ve noticed quite a few parallels between marathon training and research. Here’s what we can learn from marathon preparation to help your PhD journey:

You Need a Proper Plan (But Keep it Flexible!)

Just like training for a marathon, you’ll want a plan with key milestones – your annual reviews, regular supervisor catch-ups, transfer event, submission deadline, and viva date. These milestones help you decide what to focus on. The brilliant thing is, loads of people have done this before you, so you don’t need to start completely from scratch. Steal their ideas and learn from their mistakes!

But here’s the thing – just like marathon training, some weeks will be brilliant and others will be absolutely rubbish. Your original timeline might need tweaking, and that’s completely normal. Build in some wiggle room.

Your Supervisory Team is Your Coaching Squad

Think of your supervisors as your coaching team – they’re there to guide you, keep you motivated, and help you navigate your plan. Just like a good coach-runner relationship, how you work with your supervisors can make or break your PhD experience.

Here’s how to get the best out of your coaching squad:

Be Proactive with Meetings Take charge of scheduling and set the agenda. I always recommend sending a brief summary afterwards – it helps make sure everyone’s on the same page and gives you a record of what was discussed. Focus on just one or two key things per meeting rather than trying to cover everything.

Here’s a simple meeting structure that works well:

  • What you’ve done since last time
  • Key challenges or questions
  • What you’re planning next
  • Specific feedback needed

Be Clear About Feedback Ask for feedback with realistic deadlines (remember, your supervisors are juggling loads of other things too!). Be specific about what you need – do you want them to look at your structure? Check if you’ve explained an experiment clearly? Are you after big picture comments or detailed line edits? This helps them plan their time and give you more useful feedback.

Be Open About Challenges Look, it’s not always easy to talk about when you’re struggling. Perfectionism and imposter syndrome can really mess with your head. But remember – your supervisors have been through this themselves. Being honest about challenges means you’ll get support faster, and it stops small problems from becoming massive ones.

Managing Your Finish Line

Unlike a real marathon, your PhD finish line might shift around a bit. Having a real deadline with consequences can be motivating, but it can also be stressful. Think about what flexibility you have – are you running out of funding? Got a job lined up? Family commitments? Having a Plan B (and maybe a Plan C) for different scenarios can help manage the stress.

Ask yourself:

  • What would happen if I needed an extra few months?
  • What support is available if things get tough?
  • What are my absolute must-finish-by dates?

Here’s a little story – when I was finishing my own PhD, I had a job offer but negotiated the start date to be after my submission. Once I had my submission date sorted with my supervisor, I booked a flight to Italy for the next day to visit my partner. Nothing like a holiday to motivate you to get that thesis finished! Those last few weeks were intense, but knowing I had something lovely waiting gave me the push I needed.

Remember: Progress Over Perfection

Just like marathon training, there will be days when everything feels difficult. Your writing might feel rubbish, your experiments won’t work, or you’ll read a paper that makes you question everything. That’s normal! Marathon runners have bad training days too – the key is showing up consistently, not being perfect every time.

Remember this: the perfect thesis doesn’t exist – but submitted theses do. Just like a marathon, crossing the finish line is what counts. Yes, you might have a ‘time’ in mind, but getting there is the real achievement.

Further Resources

If you’re interested in more practical tips for managing your PhD journey, you might find these helpful:

What strategies are you using to manage your PhD journey? Have you found any parallels with other long-term projects that have helped you? I’d love to hear your thoughts!