Motivation Reality Check!

Does anyone else find themselves training for something and part way through losing motivation or focus?  Or you start to wonder why you ever started?  No?  Just me?  Okay, well then I can admit that I have faced all of these issues/thoughts in the last couple of weeks.  Although I can't tell you why.  No pain, no gain, right?

I think part of my struggle started a couple of weeks ago when I switched up my training schedule to better align with my husband's schedule.  I should have left well enough alone, but in an effort for us to see each other more and to possibly train together a couple of days a week, I moved my long run to Saturday.  Sounds like a simple move, but that shifted several other days around too, and now I feel like I'm burning the candle at both ends for a few days a week.  Talk about a motivation killer!

We've also been traveling and attending several social events the last couple of weeks, which has not only left me tired, but I've managed to get sick!  Who gets a cold in August?  In Arizona?? I do.  It's hard to focus on training, and wanting to train, when you're coughing and blowing your nose every 2 minutes!  Ugh!

But, I received an email from the TCS New York City Marathon that pointed out that the marathon is only 64 days away!!! Say what?!  Needless to say, that woke me right up and made me realize that I don't have time to lose focus and slack off!  Hello, reality check. 64 days is not that many, so I need to get my booty in gear!

Time to pound the pavement and push all doubts and negativity aside!  New York City, we're coming for you!

No more being sick and lacking motivation!

~ Courtney

Who Said They'd Never Run Another Marathon?

Oh yeah - me.  Six months ago.  Right after finishing my first full marathon, the Phoenix Marathon, I swore them off forever.  One and done.  Yet, here I am training for the TCS New York City Marathon.  Why?

Well, I suppose partly because much like childbirth, you forget how painful running a marathon truly is and think you can do it again.  Also, in my case, I was disappointed in my outcome.  I know I can do better (time wise, less or no walking, etc.), so I am going to try again. And I figure, go big or go home, so why not the NYC Marathon???

So, to keep me motivated, I not only hired a coach - I signed up to run for a charity.  Which means I have to get to raise money for an awesome cause at the same time as mentally and physically preparing myself for this challenge!  So, which awesome cause and charity did I choose and why?

Well, I am running for Think Pink Rocks - an organization that promotes raising awareness of early detection and genetic testing for breast cancer, and also providing funding for screening, treatment and research.  The why... my Aunt Linda was diagnosed with breast cancer last year, and underwent a round of chemo and radiation treatments after her lumpectomy.  And as luck would have it, her cancer returned as another mutation in the other breast this year.  So she's doing more treatment as I write.  So, in her honor I am running and raising funds to continue the war against breast cancer.  And I know that early detection is critical, as it has been in her case, so I love what this organization does!

I know this subject hits home for many out there.  It seems the more I talk about it, the more people I meet, or already know, who've been affected by this horrible disease.  And of course it's been made more "popular" by celebrities who make drastic decisions about treatments, but I'm glad it's not falling by the way side!

If you'd like to donate to my fundraising efforts (which I would greatly appreciate of course!), please check out my Crowdrise page here:

https://www.crowdrise.com/ThinkPinkRocksNYC2015/fundraiser/courtneybullock

And if you'd like to follow my running and training adventures more closely, follow me on Instagram @courtrunlikeagirl.  I post almost all of my runs there with pictures!

Here's one from this morning's early run:

~ Courtney