Work Hangover Thursday: Zombified

This week my work schedule is off...I get to experience my work hangover a day late. In my running life, it's my so-called rest week. Instead of resting, I'm working four 12 hour shifts in 6 days.

So Work Hangover Wednesday is a day late, but not a dollar short. I'll have extra dollars coming soon, I've picked up a bunch of extra shifts this week and next, and then for part of July, while I'd rather be in Death Valley at Badwater. And I'm not doing it for the money. If I were working for money, I'd be on Wall Street.

We have a bunch of people training on the new computer system and we are short-staffed as a result. I took as many hours on as I felt I could tolerate, without spontaneously combusting. If there was any way I could be in Death Valley, I'd be there. Of course this year I'd have to quit my job to make that happen.

We're in the process of switching over the entire computer system and you'd think the apocalypse was coming. We even get weekly reminder e-mails, as if the end of the world is near.

If that's true, then I don't want to die being a waitress on roller skates. That's how I feel so many days.

My work hangover officially started 19 hours into my work week. The exact moment was 3:30 pm on my second 12 hour shift, 5 hours before it was time to go home. It's that point where you hit the wall and you don't know how you're going to make it through the next 5 hours without screwing something up. It's just a bit scary when you have the responsibility for people's lives...

Like running an ultra, when your blood sugar starts to plummet, you get some calories in and bounce back. That's what I did. I was having a "bad patch". I made it through the next several hours and made my way to the parking garage. Sometimes the view at sunset is quite scenic. Sometimes it's the only daylight you see.

So this morning I stumbled down to the kitchen in my brain fog and swilled down two cups of coffee, then my eyes were open enough to get out and run. A little. My legs felt surprisingly good this morning, not great, but they benefitted from no running for a few days. I took the girls for a couple of miles and then finished up with a few miles on my own and made myself do another Tabata session. That's one thing I can do while brainless, it only requires concentration for 4 solid minutes.

I have a lot of writing to do today and if my brain will work before the nap, I'll get something done. If not it will have to wait until post-nap, and I'll figure out ways to use my time while my brain is zombified.

This month is flying by, and I need to start feeling like my legs are made of something other than lead and jello. I feel heavy and sluggish. Maybe the marathon idea wasn't such a good one at this stage. I think I'll go back to 5Ks as training runs. I also need to get my butt in gear to start weight training again. I have been a terrible slacker since April. I'm turning into a marshmallow. I need to get my metabolism going, to fight the steady accumulation of weight. Between aging, menopause, and being a nurse, which in itself tends to make people old and fat, I need a super boost. I feel like I'm getting shorter and wider by the day.

This week is pretty much written off to my crazy work schedule. Next week I hope to get something resembling a life back, and then I have a few weeks in July to train until the next round of overtime. Maybe I can find a 5K or two or three in between all of this insanity.

Run for me...