Happy New Year’s Eve…hope everyone has a great 2014…party responsibly…blah blah blah.
OK, now let’s move on. I have goals – actual, written (typed) goals. Want to know what they are? Well…I’ll tell you!
1. Complete a Tough Mudder – This is the ultimate goal for this year. Period. End of sentence. BOOM. Registration prices go up in 2 weeks, so I will be registering before then. I’m going to be on a team with 2 of my coworkers and some of their friends and family. It’s a bummer that no one I personally know outside of work is into it, but that’s OK. I think there are around 8-10 of us so far and we plan on getting together in a few weeks to all meet each other and get to know our teammates. Makes me anxious, but better than meeting them on race day! Like I mentioned before, I got the discounted classes for that obstacle gym and I may go for the first time this Saturday morning, either just me or with just one of my coworkers. We’ll see how that pans out. I’m excited. I’m so nervous I could throw up, but I’m excited.
Me after my very first obstacle race – Down & Dirty Mud Run
2. Complete a half marathon – If it means crawling across the finish line, this is going to happen. I don’t have a set one in mind as my first, but I’ve officially registered for the Surftown Half in September. I ran the 5K last year while injured and ended up walking most of it in tears. It was an awful experience, but an absolutely stunning course, so I’ve decided I need to conquer it.
Me right before Surftown 5K – September 2013
3. Complete 1 unassisted pull-up – I’m not sure this can ever happen. I have the upper arm strength of an infant, always have. I’m working on it, slowly but surely, but it’s damn tough. I decided it would be a good goal to have to keep me working towards something outside of running. Plus it can only help me in Tough Mudder training, which, let’s face it, I need plenty of!
4. Complete 10 push-ups – I can already bang out 20 on my knees. This goal, though, is for 10 in perfect form, perfectly horizontal, touching my chest to the floor like real push-up. I’ve gotten as high as 7, but not even close to actually hitting the floor (and I have ridiculous boobs, so it should be easier LOL), horizontal push-ups. This one may be a bit more attainable than the pull-up, but no less difficult for me.
5. Complete the #14in2014 that I signed up for – I joined a group committed to running 14 races in 2014. Since I did 15 in 2013, my first year of running, I don’t think this is unattainable. I just need to stick with it like I did this year and not burn out. I think I have them more evenly spread since I’ll be starting earlier in the year so I think it might be better this time around. I’ve already signed up for the half (above) and another 5K in May. I was also going to sign up for my St. Patrick’s day race until I remembered that my company always sponsors that one, so I’m waiting to register for that until they give out the password for free registration. Why spend the money if I don’t have to, right? 😉
There you have it. Courtney’s crazy goals. I like the sound of that.
Don't blink. Just run. 
Good luck on your 2014 goals! I have made a list too, the more I look at it, the more crazy it looks. Please post about the tough mudder, I have been thinking about a race like that but don’t know what to expect.
LOL, I understand about crazy lists! I’ll definitely be posting about Tough Mudder…I probably won’t shut up about it! I have several people I know that have done one (or more) and I’ve been asking them questions left and right and Googling anything else I can think of so I’ll be extra prepared! I’m glad I already have 2 mud runs under my belt, but the Mudder is like 2-3 times as long as those were!
Yeah I’m pretty spoiled running only on paved roads. I had a 5k that was through some gravel and it sucked lol. Maybe I’m not cut out for mud. But I have been looking into spartan races… maybe 5 years from now i’ll be toned enough to try it.
Push ups and pull ups kill me. To me those are harder goals than a marathon.
That blows my mind. I can’t even imagine running 26 miles right now.
I can’t imagine doing a pull up. Such different muscles.
Good luck with tough mudder – I did london South this June and had an absolute blast – looking to do Dublin in October 2014
Awesome…congrats! I can’t wait!
Awesome goals! Aside from the pushups and pullup the others are WAY beyond my reach but I can admire from afar.
And, um, if you ever want to write a guest post for Cranky Fitness about obtaining or not obtaining any of these, would love to feature you!
Ooo, that might be fun! Thanks! 🙂
What lovely goals! I’m so excited to see so many people sign up for the 14 races in ’14! I’m sure not going to do it, but somebody’s got to! 😉 Good luck! Also…I’m excited for your half marathon adventures to come.
Thanks! I’m hoping I can meet that goal. If I’m going off this year I’ll be fine – but you never know what a year can throw at you! And I bet you could do it too!
One of my friends did the tough muddier in Edinburgh last year and had a fab time, she said the electric shocks weren’t too bad. Though that might be enough to keep me from ever doing a TM as I freak out just from static electricity shocks, so I’m super impressed! Great goal!
Thanks!!
I bet you’d be fine. The second mud run that I did had electric wire we had to army crawl under. I was doing really well until almost the end and then my shoulder happened to hit it as I repositioned myself and ZAP! It wasn’t bad at all though – literally felt as if I had just gotten a static shock off my rug or something. There was a guy crawling on his hands and knees and his back was hitting every single wire and he was laughing! I thought they were just ropes (which is what they looked like) and since he was laughing I figured they were kidding…maybe that’s just his reaction to being shocked I guess. LOL
Love all your goals!! I have done a mud race before and my husband had to duck tape my shoes to my ankles! I think a tough mudder would be an awesome experience but the electric shock and ice cold water scares me! lol Happy New Year!
HAHA, I can totally picture you running with duct taped feet. The electric shock isn’t bad (basing my experience off a past mud run with it), depending on how strong it is. I don’t know if it varies from run to run. The ice cold water scares me too. I think I’m going to try it, but you can always opt to go around just that obstacle. I’m 99% sure I’ll at least attempt it. I’m hoping for a 90 degree day, but that’s probably unlikely in late May in Vermont…
Looks like a good list of goals! Good luck with the races! 🙂
Thank you! 😀
Tough Mudder is a great obstacle race. I love the camaraderie of the participants in this series. We did the one in Central Florida last year and I had a blast.
Good luck with all your goals. You’ve got a nice list and I have to admit, I’m still trying to check 10 perfected form pushups off to do list. Maybe I’ll add that to my goals for 2014.
I’m glad to hear that! I’ve heard a lot of things about how great the teamwork is, even if it’s not your team.
And thanks! Anything involving my arms will definitely be a challenge, but I’ve got 365 days to work on them! 😉
Fantastic goals! I know that you will accomplish every single of them! You can do this! (I have the upper arm strength of an infant too)
We can do “baby” pull-ups together! HAHAHAHA
And thanks 😉
[…] it means the same thing, but I’m far more comfortable with this wording. Courtney’s goals are far more ambitious than mine. Mine are also not quite so […]