Surprising parallels between financial planning and training for a sporting event

10 July 2026

The first half of 2026 has been a busy time at Depledge, and busier still for Eddy and Andrew, who were each training for separate sporting challenges outside of work.

In April, Eddy ran the Manchester Marathon. Having played competitive rugby since he was a child, Eddy suffered a knee injury that ended his days with the oval ball, and in 2025 he had to have major surgery. So, running the marathon was a milestone moment in his recovery.

Having set a target to complete the 26.2-mile run in 3 hours 15 minutes, he finished in an impressive 3 hours 12 minutes 28 seconds.

As Eddy’s gruelling training schedule came to an end, Andrew signed up to take part in the Coniston Water end-to-end swim – a wild, open-water challenge of 5.25 miles.

After completing his challenge, Eddy told us the last six miles or so were a killer, and that he now knows what hitting the wall feels like! Andrew, meanwhile, said he experienced some issues with the cold. Despite suffering cramps and neck chafing, he managed to complete the swim in under three hours.

Back in the comfort of the office, those of us sensible enough to play the role of enthusiastic cheerleaders couldn’t help but draw parallels with clients’ financial planning journeys – here are a few we noticed.

Starting with a goal is key

Although Eddy and Andrew were both experienced sportsmen, they knew taking on an endurance challenge – such as the Manchester Marathon and a five-mile wild swim – might not provide enough motivation to maintain the commitment needed to reach the finish line.

So, alongside a carefully crafted training plan, Eddy and Andrew each decided to raise money for good causes. Seeing the number of donations steadily increase while they were training provided much-needed motivation – both in the weeks leading up to the event and on the day itself.

Financial planning is often a goals-based endeavour, and there will be milestones that you’d like to hit along the way. Ensuring you can balance your inspiring short-term goals – moving home, supporting your children through education, or enjoying dream holidays – with your important longer-term goals will likely be a key part of your plan.

Whether your financial “finish line” is to retire earlier, support your family, buy a home, or fund world travel, setting a goal that truly matters could help you maintain the motivation needed to succeed.

It’s important to pace yourself with a plan you can stick to

Eddy and Andrew spent weeks in training to ensure they were race-ready.

Following a phased schedule, they each built distance, balanced intensity, and made sure they had planned rest days for recovery.

Just as our sporting duo had well-honed training schedules, when growing your wealth, making regular, smaller investments over time could prove beneficial.

Instead of investing a large lump sum, drip-feeding your money into the market means you could benefit from “pound cost averaging”. By making investments on a monthly basis, you’ll be buying into the market at different stock prices.

Although there’s no guarantee of achieving better returns than investing a lump sum over a fixed, long-term period, you will end up paying the average share price. This can help to reduce risk and provide you with potentially smoother returns.

The value of your investments can go down as well as up, and you may not get back the full amount you invested. Investments should also be considered over the longer term and fit in with your overall attitude to risk and financial circumstances.

That said, investing regularly can help remove the emotional decision-making that often comes with investing. It also allows time to adopt a disciplined approach and may be well-suited if this is your first foray into investment.

Just as Eddy slowly built up the number of miles he’d run while training for his 26.2-mile marathon, investing regularly could provide a firm foundation you can build on.

Surrounding yourself with a strong support team can pay dividends

It may sound self-serving, but both Eddy and Andrew have worked with professional coaches to help them reach their sporting goals.

Likewise, when it comes to managing your finances, having an expert coach could make all the difference to your long-term financial wellbeing.

For your financial journey, it’s crucial to have a support network that acts in your best interests and helps you towards success.

At Depledge, we know it’s about more than managing your money. It’s about rebuilding, resetting, and finding the confidence to make decisions that feel right. So, you can rest assured that we’ll take the time to listen, understand, and support you at every step.

Just as we supported Eddy and Andrew by celebrating key milestones and encouraging them to maintain their training schedules (even when all they wanted to do was head home and relax), we’ll support you too – you’ll never be rushed, judged, or bombarded with jargon. Instead, expect calm, clear advice that helps you move forward at your own pace.

Get in touch

If you’d like to learn more about how we can support you to achieve your financial goals, we’re here to help you every step of the way.

Email [email protected] or call 0161 8080200.

Please note

This article is for general information only and does not constitute advice. The information is aimed at individuals only.

All information is correct at the time of writing and is subject to change in the future.