Training and Motivation

The physical act of training, of putting one foot in front of the other for mile after mile is an incredibly important aspect of 3-Day preparation. But another important element is staying motivated to keep all of the 3-Day prep pieces moving. We’re all experiencing it, the stress of trying to balance your non-3-Day life such as work, school, kids, friends, community obligations, etc. with the 3-Day life which entails long walks, cross-training, fundraising, fundraising, fundraising.

How do you stay motivated? One thing that has really helped motivate me lately is the book Promise Me by Nancy G. Brinker, founder of Susan G. Komen for the Cure. I’ll admit, the book makes me cry, a lot. And sometimes the stories of the treatment of breast cancer in earlier years horrify me. But those stories also motivate me because I know how far we have come in the treatment and prevention of breast cancer.

This particular quote stood out to me as I was reading a chapter about the 2009 San Diego 3-Day for the Cure. It sums up the experience and brought back hundreds of wonderful memories from that walk.

“We can’t overstate the importance of the millions of dollars generated for cancer research, but the impact of the SGK 3-Day for the Cure is in the lives it changes as well as the lives it saves. It speaks to the tandem goals of survival and survivorship. You fight for your life. Then you live your life, regardless of what others think of your particular mode of self-expression.” Pg 100-101

That quote really sums up the experience of the 3-Day and the reason why we continue to be involved year after year. This quote helps motivate me. What motivates you to keep walking, training, or doing whatever it is in your life that you sometimes feel challenged by?

* I wrote this on Tuesday but fell asleep on my couch before posting. So another day-late Tuesday Training blog.