BROWNIAN MOTION
The random musings of a Fluid Dynamicist
Running and engineering, is it all about experience?
Your writer this time is not an engineer, and arguably not much of a runner either, but I am better at the latter than the former. But both running and engineers are a big part of my daily life, and whilst plodding last weekend I was reflecting on the similarities. The runners reading this will understand that zone where the mind takes off on its own to mask the pain of trainers on trail.
After a couple of miles (I didn’t say I was a long-distance runner) mulling this over I concluded that whilst running and engineering may seem like two vastly different activities, there are in fact several similarities between them.
Discipline
First and foremost, both running and engineering require discipline and dedication. Just as a runner must consistently train and push themselves to improve their performance, an engineer must continually develop their skills and knowledge to stay at the forefront of their field. We run on data, cadence, splits, distance, time… there is a measure for all of these. Optimizing these gives the best possible outcome, sound familiar?
Goals
Another similarity is the importance of setting and achieving goals. Whether a runner is striving to set a personal best (a PB we like to call it) or an engineer is working to solve a complex problem, both require a clear understanding of what they want to achieve and a plan for how to get there.
Resilience
Both running and engineering can be both physically and mentally demanding. Whether pushing through the final miles of a marathon or working long hours to complete a project, both activities require a combination of mental toughness and physical endurance.
Kit
I know both runners and engineers love kit and gadgets, keen to see if the latest watch or trainers will give those extra few seconds, or that finer insight into performance. Sometimes they do and sometimes they don’t. Engineers too have a vast choice of software and hardware to provide insight, speed or answers that were not otherwise available but just like with running you only achieve your goals if you know where you are going and put the effort in to getting there.
So, I will leave you with one final thought from Randy Pausch, experience is what you get when you didn’t get what you wanted. And for both runners and engineers experience is everything.
"So, I will leave you with one final thought from Randy Pausch, experience is what you get when you didn’t get what you wanted. And for both runners and engineers experience is everything.”