Expectations

It's funny (well, not really) how you can build expectations up in your head and how the reality of those expectations just never quite pan out. My four day weekend began, in it's planning stages, as a weekend long visit with family built around my participation in a 5K race and ended up as a 3 day weekend with no family, lots of driving, and a lot of unexpected down time. I'll spare you all the renditions of the planning stage, but let's just say, the revisions of my weekend plans could take up a few chapters in my book of life. 

The positive? I set out to do a 5K and did it. I earned an awesome medal, and enjoyed 5k of hugely rolling hills, in an amazingly peaceful nature preserve/park. The drawbacks? Outside of the 5k, I'm disappointed that I feel (so far) that I have not made the most of the rest of my time off. The fact of the matter is, when I return to work tomorrow I'll have hell to pay, meaning, I'll be swamped in catch up work. Knowing myself, when I am at the height of my frustration with the overwhelming workload, I will think back to my weekend and ask myself, "Was it worth it?" and at the moment, I can't say that the answer would be "yes". 

Additionally, my upcoming work schedule for the week is insane, including three 17+ hour days which leaves me with an overwhelming feeling of, if I don't get "it" all done now (laundry, cleaning, errands, etc) I won't have the energy, enthusiasm or time for "it" later. So how do I balance these feelings and nagging responsibilities? Do I feel sorry for myself about the dashed plans? Do I just pick up and carry on like nothing happened? A bit of both, really.

By blogging and thinking things through here (blogging = cheap therapy) I realize that my time off is mine and deserved no matter what I do with it. I have to push through the mental brainwashing that tells me that time off must be filled with non-stop movement and accomplishments. I have to realize that time off, can be just that. Time off. Away. Period.

So this post now finds me mid way through my Monday, and what have I done? I've slept in, burned a disc for a friend, blogged and ran an errand. I've had breakfast and my beloved morning cup of blueberry coffee, and quite frankly don't give a shit what the rest of the day brings (as long as it's not any more snow). There are numerous ideas of pampering and fun along with responsibilities swirling around in my head but one thing that won't be for today, is a check list of all the things I have to accomplish waiting to be marked off. Screw it. The best things in life aren't planned, and neither is this Monday. 

Stairs

I am thankful to have wished February "adieu" as the month brought some stressful changes in the work place, and left me sick for at least 3 of it's 4 weeks... The one great thing about February, however, was that despite being sick I completed my first ever, "Hustle Up the Hancock" event. I am blessed to be able to state that I must have done something really "right" in my training to make the event feel like a breeze. OK, let me clarify, walking up 94 flights of stairs is a hell of a work out that left me huffing and puffing for air most of the way, but it was manageable and easier then I had made my previous Interval Training workouts. Not to mention, climbing real stairs in a building versus staying stationary on the Stair Master = way more fun!

Stair training has taken on a whole new place in my workout, I love seeing how much faster I can go and just how hard I can work by changing up the intensity levels. The program called "Fat Burner Plus" is my favorite! Anyone who knows me, knows I'm a numbers junkie when it comes to time and distance, so my 2014 Hustle goal is to finish in under 20 minutes. That would mean shaving 5:46 off my current time, which I think is pretty manageable given I have a year to train! My personal best to date has been 84 flights in 20 minutes, so I'm improving slowly (versus 71 in 20 minutes previously).

I recently found out that there is a Sears Tower Climb! So, that means that the next stair climb event for me will be (God willing) the Skyrise Chicago event, which tackles the 103 floors of the Sears Tower this fall! I can't wait! The irony of all this really is, that if you've read my 2011 blog, I'm afraid of stairs and falling up (yes up) and down them, so it would have never occurred to me that I might become addicted to them!