Today, thousands of runners will lace up their sneakers and put months—or even years—worth of training to the test as they tackle the 26.2 mile challenge that is the Boston marathon.
Each day in the research labs and centers across Mass General Brigham, thousands of scientists are putting their training and experience to the test as they work to solve some of the toughest problems in healthcare.
While a lab at Mass General Brigham may seem like a long way from the starting line in Hopkinton, it turns out that running a marathon and conducting research have more in common than you might think.
Last year, as part of our Running the Distance series, we asked MGB researchers training for the 2025 Boston Marathon how their training helped them in the work.
We loved the thoughtful answers that they gave us then, and to celebrate this year's race, we rounded them up here to share with you.
Good luck to all the runners on the course today!
Q: What lessons from marathon training apply to your work in research?
Eline Laurent | Clinical Research Coordinator, Department of Psychiatry
Both marathon training and research are long-term endeavors that require patience, discipline and focus.
As the saying goes, it is a marathon, not a sprint. Success in both fields comes from consistently putting in the work and trusting that over time, everything will fall into place—whether that’s publishing a paper or crossing the marathon finish line.
Both pursuits require a clear goal, dedication, and the understanding that progress is often gradual and not at all linear.
Both also rely heavily on having a supportive team to lean on during challenging moments.
Personally, I believe my work in research has made me a better runner, and marathon training has enhanced my focus and resilience in the lab.
The skills of perseverance and discipline I’ve gained from each help fuel my success in the other.
Hope Taft
Hope Taft, Executive Director of the A.A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging
There is a lot of ambiguity and uncertainty in research right now.
Training has helped reinforce the importance of perseverance and balance.
There are ups and downs in training but jumping back into training [after a setback] is so important—there is no time to do anything other than keep going.
The same is true at work. There are setbacks, losses and difficult times, but it is important to keep moving forward.
Training also reinforces the importance of balance—working very hard but taking time for rest and recovery.
This is an important reminder for me with work, as there is a seemingly endless list of things to be working on, but to be most effective and efficient it’s vital to take breaks and find time to recover.
Ipsit Vahia, MD
Ipsit Vahia, MD | Chief of Geriatric Psychiatry, McLean Hospital
For one, balancing training with work for over five months has made me more efficient at work.
Second, prolonged runs mean time to really contemplate ideas and organize my thoughts. We rarely get that kind of uninterrupted time to contemplate research questions.
Also, in research, as in marathon training, being methodical pays dividends.
Finally, as a researcher on geriatrics, I appreciate the many parallels between the aging process and running a marathon.
The distance is long, and each mile has unique characteristics that impact how one does in the miles that follow.
Gabriel Alberts
Gabriel Alberts, Graduate Research Student, Mass Eye and Ear
I have truly been surprised by how many lessons carry over from marathon training, but the most important to me has been that small gains add up.
A training program may total hundreds of miles over months, but it is built on many three and four-mile runs.
The same applies to research. After you formulate an idea and plan an experiment, it takes time to collect and analyze data before you see results.
The key to success in both training and research is to make a well-thought-out plan and to execute that plan with consistency.
Ashley Panzone
Ashley Panzone, Research Coordinator, Department of Anesthesia, Brigham and Women’s Hospital
Training for the Boston Marathon and fundraising for The Gillian Reny Stepping Strong Center have influenced my work in more ways than I ever anticipated.
With my science background, I had never managed invoices for studies or kept track of budgets, but these skills were directly strengthened through my fundraising experience.
When my team faced a strict deadline for a multimillion-dollar, multisite, seven-year grant application, the mental stamina I developed through marathon training became invaluable.
The process required discipline, adaptability and the ability to navigate complex challenges under pressure—skills I honed both in research and on the road.
While running may seem like a solo sport, it is truly a team effort, just like research.
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