Marathon runners Natalie Wangler and Jonas Müller have graduated together with doctorates from Edinburgh Napier University, bringing a decade-long association with the institution to a close.
The couple, from south-west Germany, collected their PhDs during the same ceremony at Edinburgh’s Usher Hall. They first studied at the university during a semester abroad in 2016, returned for Masters degrees three years later and went on to complete their doctorates while continuing to compete in distance running.
Jonas, 32, ran his first marathon on his 18th birthday and has since completed 47 marathons in 15 countries. He has recorded eight victories and achieved a personal best of 2:26:21 at the 2026 London Marathon. Natalie, 30, has finished the London Marathon five times and twice won medals at the Scottish Marathon Championships.
Natalie said: “Running a marathon is all about resilience. There are definitely a few parallels with doing a PhD.
“You have to push hard at times, and it has the same feeling at the finish line. It can be difficult to explain marathon running to a partner who doesn’t do it. That was the good thing about our studies – we both knew what we were going through and could support each other all the way.”
Jonas said: “When you run a marathon you can have a bad start, then completely smash it on the second half. It was the same for the PhD. There were times when it was tough and others where it felt amazing.”
The pair also connected their running experience with their research. Jonas interviewed organisers of major marathons to examine the sustainability of large running events, while Natalie researched digital trust in e-government systems.
Jonas added: “I was able to build up connections with organisers of the biggest races. We wanted to research things that could make the world better a little bit. I hope this could help make big running events more sustainable.”
The newly graduated doctors celebrated with both sets of parents, who travelled from Germany to Edinburgh. The university’s autumn graduation ceremonies are being held at the Usher Hall from 27–30 October 2026.
Image credit: Edinburgh Napier University.
