Marathon
One of the main themes you’ll read about in our blogs is that unexpected things happen, no matter how well researched you are or how consistent past performance has been. But keeping your focus on the overall goal is crucial to managing those ups and downs. This is especially true with the very unpredictable stock market, but it can also apply to our lives. I experienced this while completing the Milwaukee Lakefront Marathon on Sunday.
When I first decided to sign up for the marathon in July, it was an exciting idea. I had a couple of friends also doing it and we really enjoyed discussing it and mapping out our training program. It was fun at this time. My body was fresh, the runs were short, and even though I knew the 26.2-mile run would eventually come, it was so far in the future that I was able to not think too much about it.
As the summer turned to fall and the runs started getting longer and longer, life’s unexpected twists started happening. I learned the hard way that injury management is a huge part of marathon training. Little injuries started to add up, whether it’s a sore calf, an overworked foot, or a knee that doesn’t feel quite right. Thinking you’re doing everything right like eating well, getting enough sleep and sticking to your training schedule, only to have your body tell you to pause everything to heal seems unfair. But this is when you learn that running a marathon isn’t only physically taxing, it’s incredibly mentally taxing as well. Staying focused on the overall goal and not letting the disappointment of falling behind for a few days can be really challenging.
In addition to managing injuries, life seemed to enjoy throwing other curveballs my way. I got sick twice in the last month leading up to the race, family things popped up, and I also wanted to do normal “life things” like vacation with my wife, see friends on the weekends and other activities that would take me away from running. However, I tried my best to stay flexible and not get discouraged that my training wasn’t going exactly as planned.
After a long time of it seeming like it was in the distant future, the big day was finally here. I was pretty nervous but excited at the same time. I felt really good the morning of and had a great first half of the race. But just like with life, unexpected things happened. The wind started really blowing, my legs were cramping, and I was questioning whether I was going to finish. But I was able to dig deep, keep going and when I finally made it across the Hoan Bridge to the finish line, I felt an incredible sense of accomplishment and relief. It was great having family and friends at the finish line to celebrate with. As sore as my entire body still feels as I write this blog, finishing this marathon is something I know I’ll look back on with pride.
I learned a lot about myself through this journey. Just like with the market, you can be as prepared as you want to be, but unexpected variables will come into play, and you’ll have to adjust on the fly. But staying disciplined and keeping your focus on the end goal, whether it’s your financial goals or running a marathon, is the key to success.
Quote of the week: Baylor Barbee: “Whether a mile or a marathon, you get there the same way…one step at a time. Such is life.”
