I got you beat: I work 12 hours a day 7 days a week and have been for the past 2.75 years, with a 2-3 week break every 4 months. During the week of the 2nd stage of this contest, my boss was in town, so I was working close to 14 hours a day, on top of being grilled by my boss everyday and being put in charge of several initiatives that are above my pay grade.

Not really making excuses, but giving reasons why.