6 Ways to Run a Marathon Like a Project Management Boss

I started running just before I turned 30. After realizing I had never completed a consecutive mile, I wanted to see if I could reduce the amount I sweat (my cooling system is a slick thing to be admired), and if I would ever be transformed into a long-legged, running gazelle (nope).

Still, what I have discovered after years of trotting is there are numerous similarities between running a race (like a half marathon, 13.1 miles) and the project management work I do at Reach Partners (everyday, baby). For both, success starts by committing to do what I say I’ll do. 

1. I clarify goals. Like project management work, training for a race starts with the personal need. Maybe I want to expend more energy or better my health. Or maybe I want to complete 13.1 miles under two-and-a-half hours by mid-May. Whatever my goal, these objectives help me shape my plan going forward. Likewise, projects start with business needs, which shape the project objectives.
   
   
2. I establish a plan. Whether I’m running a race or managing a project, I can’t expect something to happen overnight without any effort. I select a training plan based on where I’m at physically and the amount of time that I have before race day. Likewise a project plan requires thinking about what is needed (time, financial and resources) to meet the expected outcomes. Plans require flexibility and the willingness to adjust when needed. I have to rest (not run) if I get sick or sustain an injury. But without a plan, I might accidentally eat a half-pound burger, fries and a shake before a run. Urp.
   
   
3. I get buy-in from stakeholders. As a runner, I may have to get up at 5 a.m. for an eight-mile run. I need to communicate this plan with family and friends so they will support my obsession to run early Saturday mornings and sleep Saturday afternoons. As a project manager, I need to communicate the plan to those whose support is necessary to complete the project. Without their buy-in, I can’t successfully shepherd a project to success.
   
   
4. I identify needed resources. As a runner, I need certain resources to get to race day: food, sleep, proper shoes, workout clothing, Body Glide, water. As a project manager, one of my jobs is to make sure the resources are allocated and available to successfully complete a project: materials, time, expertise.
   
   
5. I identify (and mitigate) risk. My running plan identifies ways to prevent or mitigate risks: chafing, soreness, torn muscles and how to handle snowfall on race day (hoping for 38 degrees, no wind). Likewise, my project management plan always identifies potential obstacles and challenges. Not every training run or project is going to go as planned under ideal circumstances. But by identifying (and trying to avoid) potential hang-ups, I’m already ahead.
   
   
6. I trust the plan. On race day, I have to trust the plan. Whatever it took to get to the starting line is the same method that propels me to put one foot in front of other and gets me to the finish. It’s the same with a project. A solid, well-thought-out process will guide the way to completion.
   

 
And, of course, I never forget that the race isn’t over when I step over the finish line. Likewise, the project isn’t done at the deadline. I celebrate the success. I close with stories, a great beverage, and a yummy treat. And then, I start planning for the next race.

Trot on, my friends. See you on race day!

—Rachel