The things you think about during the hours on the trail: How #ultrarunning (and, by extension, @thwillow) has helped me learn how to survive/thrive(?!) in #academia. A

1) Remember to run your own race. It is tempting to “keep up” with the pack, especially at the beginning of the race, but be patient and disciplined. You might end up passing those over-eager starters later on. (build the career you want, not the one you think you should want)

2) Research and gear are important, but so is putting in the mileage. It’s fun to plan out course strategy and proper nutrition, but there’s no substitute for a disciplined training regimen. (put in the work)

3) To avoid injury, remember to cross-train, have off-days, and to get adequate sleep. (have a life outside of academia and practice self-care)

4)Its ok to engage in a little healthy competition, but remember you don't know others' goals. For some, this is their peak race of the season. For others, it’s a training run for a longer race. (People have heterogenous goals, so comparison is often not useful.)

5) Make friends with other race participants – the companionship on the trail is invaluable & meeting new people who share this bizarre interest is fun. Talk to people and be kind to them. (build a friendly professional & co-author network)

6) Some people are not good running partners. It’s not them, it’s not you. It’s just that your pace doesn’t line up. It’s okay. Just accept and move on. (look for co-authors, but be ready to end co-author relationships when they don’t work)

7)You don’t need to run with your new trail buddy for the whole race. Sometimes, it makes sense to cross the finish line together. But, sometimes running 10 miles together at a race low spot is sufficient. (co-authors for life or co-authors for a bit. Both are okay.)

8) Thank your crew and be good to them (Remember all the other people in your life who support what you do and sacrifice for you. Find ways to pay them back.)

9) Don’t sign up for a race on your partner/child/etc. birthday/wedding/etc. (be there for your people when they need you)

10)Be prepared for funny looks and dumb jokes (don’t expect people to understand what you do or why you do it. Derive your validation internally)

11)It’s not always fun, but it IS always worthwhile (if you find yourself disagreeing with this statement, assess whether you should be doing something else). Fin.

oh, a bonus 12) shit talking other race participants doesn't make you run faster.