The Path to 13.1

I’ve been making steady progress towards my goal to finish a half-marathon every year of my 30’s and was running out of time to finish #9. As I scoured the list of half marathons within driving distance and taking place in April or May 2021, I came across the Scenic City Trail Half marathon in Chattanooga. The run would be in the woods, which meant shade!!! The trail was described as non-technical and great for beginning runners (me!) or those seeking a PR (personal record) time.

I looked at the course and knew it would be challenging but attainable. It sounded like fun. The elevation chart of the run/walk below shows a pretty different story. (Quick note: GPS didn’t pick up the first 5 miles, the trail started at ended at the same 1,500 ft. elevation)

The race started fun but quickly became miserable. The sharp inclines and declines had me wishing for the end. And because I was in the middle of the woods, I couldn’t see the finish line. I had no idea how many more hills I had to climb to cross the finish line.

Contrast that with this second chart. This was from another half-marathon in Townsend at the base of the Smoky Mountains. There was a gradual incline for most of the race, and the final 45 minutes were in the full sun, but this race felt completely different. There were some small rolling hills, but nothing I couldn’t handle. The final stretch was running through the main drag of Townsend such that I could see the finish line for a long distance before getting there.

Both run/walks accomplished the same thing; I received my participant’s medals and moved one step closer to my goal. However, the Chattanooga trail was emotionally and physically much more challenging. I wanted to quit on more than one occasion, but I couldn’t because I had to get out of the woods somehow.

Like my two races, the markets can also behave like this, depending on how you invest. Choosing to run the investment race with highly diversified, low-cost funds and an investment allocation suited to help you achieve your goals will likely look and feel more like the Townsend run. There will be peaks and valleys, but with a good plan, you ought to be able to see the finish line and know that you can handle the ups and downs in the middle.

Choosing an investment race with individual stocks runs the risk of looking like the Chattanooga trail run. You may get lucky and do nothing but shoot straight up with a stellar pick (and hit that PR), or you may come across unexpected volatility that makes you want to quit. You may be in the middle of your investment race, wondering if you actually will finish, and worst of all, you may decide to leave the race at precisely the wrong time.

We can’t predict where the markets will go. We can’t tell you for sure if you will have an investment run that looks like Townsend or Chattanooga. However, we can create an investment plan and chart a course structured to look more like the clear paths of Townsend. Then we will run beside you every step of the way and help to navigate the challenging periods in the market that will come throughout your race.