Getting Lost on a Run

This morning I went out for my morning run/walk feeling pretty good. I woke up a little before six, figuring that would give me plenty of time to fit in my scheduled 40 minutes, a stop at Dunkin Donuts on the way home, and even have time for some real stretching. I decided to head towards Brookline instead of my typical Newton runs. At about 18 minutes in, I got bored with the main road and took a right.


Well...one hilly and curvy side street led to another, then a big downhill and all of a sudden I was on a major road that I am familiar with, but couldn't figure out where on said road I had ended up. Since I knew I would have trouble retracing my steps (and was really opposed to re-climbing the hill/mountain I had just come down from), I decided to pick a direction and go. Thankfully, I picked the right one and it was only a 15 minute "diversion".


I have learned my lesson: plan routes ahead of time if you aren't completely sure where you're going. If you are going to break that rule and explore new territory, do it at the beginning of the run, NOT at the end. Otherwise you will end up lost, tired, miserable and late. The only upside is I ran more than I had planned to in an attempt to get out of this mess! Oh, and it also helps to live next door to one of the tallest buildings in the neighborhood!

Free Agent Nation

I am only about a third of the way through this book (author: Daniel Pink), but am so excited about it that I feel compelled to share. It describes the change in the American worker from "The Organization Man" to the "Free Agent". Being a free agent myself, and also being very interested in careers, personal and professional development, it's no surprise how much I like this book. However, one point made in a chapter I read today compelled me to write about the book before I finished it.

The question: Is a job in a major corporation really more stable than being "diversified" with multiple clients and various projects?

First, a little background...

When I decided to go out on my own and consult I put on a brave face but was almost as nervous as my parents ("How will you get health insurance?", "But you aren't going to have a job???", etc.). My parents are big on stability, and you know what, it turns out so am I. The difference is that I feel more stable (and much, much happier) with a portfolio of clients and a range of expertise to offer than I ever did when I had that "real" job. So my answer to the question "is a job in a major corporation really more stable than being 'diversified' with multiple clients and various projects?" I think not, especially for me, especially in today's economy.

As one of my major consulting contracts nears its end, I've been contemplating getting one of those "real jobs" everyone speaks about. It's always an option, but I think for now I'll renew my membership in Free Agent Nation.

More to come as I make my way through this fantastic book! I highly recommend it for anyone who works for themselves or has ever thought about it...

First "Run"

I put "run" in quotation marks because I don't know if it's fair to call what I did today a run. The schedule (the official training starts June 1, but I am doing week 1 for the next couple of weeks to get back into things and to try and prevent injury) calls for 35 minutes of running/walking and that's what I did - 5 minutes running, 2 walking, repeat x5. I felt a little lethargic when I was out, but better than I expected so I consider today a success! A little tight tonight and my knees hurt a little bit, but I think that's to be expected. I should also mention that this little excursion took place basically on the Heartbreak Hill section of the Boston Marathon course. No excuses, just saying...

40 minutes tomorrow so it will be another early morning! I'm looking forward to cross-training on Thursday, most likely a strength session.

Long Time...

Well, it's been awhile since I last wrote. There has been no shortage of adventures, just little time and admittedly, motivation, to write. Hopefully that is changing! I have identified three areas of my life that are the most important right now, and I'm planning on focusing on those in upcoming posts.

1. Career. I am currently working as an organizational development consultant for two clients. My major contract is ending at the end of June, so I am in the process of figuring out what's next. There are many possibilities, probably too many, so I'll tell you more about that as things move along.

2. Erin's Wedding. We are four months and one day away from the big day and there is so much to do! We had a little wedding planning pow wow this weekend and I think she's on track, but there will be plenty to write about in this area!

3. Half Marathon. I am registered for the Baltimore Running Festival Half Marathon, which is exactly 5 months away today. Yikes. I have been pretty bad about running for the last couple of months, so am getting back on track. My 19-week training plan begins on June 1, but to prevent that from being a disaster I am hoping to get back into things over the next couple of weeks. I started off with a brisk 30 minute walk this morning. Again, lots will be happening here so there will be lots to tell!

That's all for now!