Speedwalking Is Not My Idea of a Vacation

So, it's finally come to pass. I quit the sports walk after completing 1.25 miles (5 laps) instead of the 2.25 (9 laps) I was supposed to complete. It was a combination of things - not wanting to totally screw my back again, being super out of shape and not being able to breathe properly, the extra poundage I carry around with me everyday now, and the fact that you have to walk... which I still think is ridiculous. It's so fast! Also, I had to slow down since my back was tweaking, and I knew that at the speed I was going, I wouldn't make it... by maybe half a lap or so. So, I accepted the fact that I couldn't do it without really hurting myself and decided that those two vacation days just weren't worth it to me, especially if my back health was at stake. My muscles are still too tight, which the chiropractor even commented on today.

I get, like, 14 vacation days and two personal days off a year. And when I'm there for 5 years, I'll get 18. Plus, I had a hard time using all my days this year. Probably because I didn't take a real vacation this year. So, with the days I took at Thanksgiving, I still had 7 left. Which means I have 7 days to take at the end of the year near Christmas, or I lose them.

Regardless, the whole point of this is to reward people who are in good shape. And because I'm not really in good shape, I think that's a bad idea. You see, they have this thing at work where you can take an hour to go workout in the middle of the day. Right in the middle of your work day. So, you're exercising instead of working and still getting paid. And by doing that, you're getting in better shape so you can complete this sports walk thing. So, you do the sports walk and get rewarded with more time off. So really, the biggest slackers at work - those who take off for an hour in the middle of the day - those are the ones being rewarded with vacation time.

Now, the hard working folks who stay at their desks, those poor slobs aren't in shape enough to win days off. Which is really a shame because they are the hard workers who deserve a reward. Those are the people there all day, everyday. It hardly seems fair.

I could be one of the people that takes off in the middle of the day to workout, but the free gym we have a membership to had a shooting in front of it. And since that happened, I haven't been back. I mean, what's more important, my health or my life?

I'm nothing if not really good at making up good excuses. Besides, I win at a whole lot of other things in life.


End Blog.