Mitch 5.2

After getting through this first 90 days at Microsoft and culminating in the successful WPC and MGX days in New Orleans and Atlanta, it is now time for phase 2.   One of the areas I have had a hard time getting into a rythm is around running and training.  Though I did a half-marathon and a full-marathon in my first month or so here, I have yet to find a consistent time to take care of my body and mind, so I need to do something about it.

Yesterday, Mike and I ran about 5.6 miles from his house to the Sammamish trail and back.  It was so good to run and talk, and we talked about everything from relationships to cloud-based services (it made the time go by quickly!).

Today, I woke up around 5am and was just laying in bed thinking and planning the week ahead.  It was already light and I could see the lake beckoning me to get up.  So I did.  I got up, put on some running clothes and took a short 3 mile fast jaunt with fast music up and back along the lake.

It felt great!

I was able to get my thoughts together, do some slides in my head and generally get re-inspired on the workweek to come and to segregate out all the challenges ahead and focus on what needs to be done in my personal and work-life.

Views along the way:

• A rabbit coming out of the bushes as I was leaving.
• A silouette of a man fishing off a pier
• The sun reflecting pure-gold off of the downtown skyline
• A couple holding hands, walking down to the beach, carrying a 6-pack of 16 ounce beers (wonder what is on their minds
• An older woman standing on the beach doing some zen-like excercises
• And a raccoon – that I thought was a cat first, looking at me and then scurrying away.

When I talked to a friend last night and told her that phase 2 was coming up, she joked that it was 5.2.  Then I thought about it some more, and I can think about my adult life in terms of 5 big times and transitions in-between.  The period of December 2008 to April 2009 was 5.0 and between April and now was 5.1.  This next time until January 2010 is a big time.  I have a number of personal and work goals to meet; the least of which is qualifying for Boston to establishing my personal brand at MS to some deep personal development opportunities.

Mitch 5.2.  Not as catchy as next-Gen or 2.0 but true.

One of these is to find my new voice – and on-line is as good a place as any!