I'm Working on a New Dance Move. It's Called "The Melt!"

With the week of Flamenco done and over, I'm back to training for the half-marathon and I have to be honest, I'm a little worried. It's not so much the running/walking that has me worried, it's the temperature outside during our usual run times. I happened to be walking outside yesterday and today during those times and it wasn't pretty. Again, Irish blood courses through this body. Heat is to us what water is to the Wicked Witch. Understandably, I'm a little apprehensive for tomorrow's run-walk and fear I may have to tether myself to THR with a rope and just let her drag my dying carcass along the route.

The sad thing is that it hasn't actually been that hot in Victoria but my apartment is on the top floor of on older building so come summer time, I'm pretty much living in a convection oven. My ceiling fan is on 24/7, I walk around the house in as little as possible (which is why I almost left the apartment today with no shirt on. I put on my shoes, threw my bag over my shoulder, grabbed my keys and walked to the door before realising I was topless!), and I pretty much agree to any movie date offered (Inception was incredible, but don't let people talk to you about it before you see it. Shrek Ever After was forgettable, I'm very glad I didn't pay full price).

In avoiding movement during the high heat times of the day, I've also had a lot of time to think about my life goals. That means not just the goals I talk about on here, but the ones that are part of the overall bigger picture. I've come to two very important decisions which affect these goals (directly and indirectly).

One: I'm cancelling my gym membership. Now, before you get all "no! But why?" let me explain. Since starting to dance again in January and especially this past week of intensive classes, I've realised how much I miss dance in my life and come September, I want to do as many dance classes as I can afford. West African and Flamenco are first and second on my list, but I'd gladly fit in any other ones that I could. Perhaps even a return to an adult ballet class might be in my future. If I'm struggling to get to the gym regularly when I don't have multiple dance classes, how am I going to make it happen when I do? I know enough about the exercises that I need to be doing to start doing workouts at home so that will be my goal in the Fall: sign up for multiple dance classes, get myself a new set of weights (because my old ones are too light now--yay!!) and bands for at home workouts.

If I'm working out at home, I can bust out a few Jane Fonda videos while I'm at it!

Two: a job opportunity has come up at work and I'm going to go after it. Sure, that might seem like a decent move but what does that have to do with these goals? Well, the training schedule is six months with no holidays. That means my intention of doing the Juan de Fuca at the end of September would have to be put on hold until next year. Despite the fact that this would be a nice sizable jump up the pay scale for me, I actually really debated about it because I made a commitment to my three year plan and I wanted to see myself stick to that. In the end, however, this job will make another life goal a reality so it's a short term sacrifice for long term gain. If I get this job, I will still do the Juan de Fuca next year, but I'll have to decide if I'm up for the JdF and the West Coast Trail in one year or if I move everything back a year.

I'm curious about short term sacrifices other people have had to make for long term gain? Did you feel it was worth it in the end?