Busy summer

            It has been a while since my last blog post, my last race or since the last time something extraordinary or exciting happened. Why? Simple…the summer came down to Qatar!!

When summer months come to any of the Middle Eastern countries everything slows down. It’s too hot to stay outside of air conditioned space, so almost everybody take their holidays. Then the rest of the people are waiting for the Holy Month of Ramadan when literally everything and everybody stop. Shops and restaurants are closed, bars are closed, offices are closing early, decisions are postponed and the whole country hibernates. Did I say everybody? Of course I meant everybody except me J My summer was busier than normal! I was working, studying and training full time…to spare time left.

Yes…you’ve heard correct…I’m studying! I signed up for Project Management certificate online from University of California. I have to do six courses to complete the certificate. In each of three terms in a year I can choose to take one 12 weeks of two 8 week accelerated courses. For the summer term, because I thought I would have plenty of time I took two fast ones when you have weekly homework, assignments, message board discussions and projects for 8 weeks in a row (actually 16 for me) with 2 day break in between. Lot of work!

Apart from that I had to start training hard for my racing highlight of the year, the Coast to Coast Adidas Terrex race in England at the end of August. It is a four day multi discipline race from the west coast of England to the east, 300k of trail running, biking kayaking and swimming.

So from the beginning of May until the end of August I was working from 7:30 till 5:00, doing homeworks 10-15 hours a week and training the rest of the time. OK…I still had my Thursday Magic night and a few week days when I fell asleep, got drunk or watched movies, but still…I was really busy J

But I have to admit that I couldn’t have chosen a better time to do all this. With little temptation and disturbance from the summer world around I had the peace to concentrate and finish just in time all what I’ve planned!

So on the 23^rd of August I sent the last email to my colleagues with the list of what they should follow, cleared the last item in my TO-DO list, switched off the mobile phone, packed my 20kg hockey bag full of sport gear and when I heard “Please close your laptop we will be landing in Prague”, I hit the SAVE button of my final project for the last time…and then I was ready to enjoy my holidays J I was free!!