Tomorrow, we will run faster.
-The Great Gatsby

It's 8:15 and instead of merging on to I-94, I'm jogging down 31st Ave. The weather is surprisingly warm for an October morning.

This is the first run I've taken post college. The first high intensity aerobic workout I've had since graduating, really. A few walks here and there, but very little that's actually pushed me to any kind of challenge or limit. This feels great.

A couple moms pushing babies in running strollers pass me. The occasional serious runner outstrips me quickly, for the time being I'm content to plod along like a Clydesdale. Slow and steady, right?

While I'm running (plodding, jogging) I mediate on the coming months. Work is winding down a little bit, only to kick it back into gear shortly after Christmas. I've made a lot of mistakes in the past couple months, the past couple weeks in particular. I'm frustrated and ready to cry most of the time. Things just don't seem to be what they were cracked up to be when I first started.

As I watch a man carrying a briefcase balance his coffee and hurry out to his car, I'm suddenly grateful for the fact that it's nearly 9:00 AM and I have the opportunity to go for a run before I head in to work. There's not clock to punch, no supervisor to check in with. As long as I keep the majority of my hours between 8 AM and 5 PM, I'm golden.

Turning back onto my street and breathe deeply and slow into a fast walk. I can tell that I'm already infinitely less tense then I was when I went to bed last night. In fact, I'm feeling pretty awesome. My shower's going to be great.

The day brings about a few more mistakes, but also a great story or four from the woman I share my office with and a slight decrease in the amount of work on my desk. My supervisor, after hearing about my small mistakes and knowing that I'm a perfectionist to the 24th degree stops in to say good night and tell me I'm doing a good job.

On the ride home, I notice that the most irritating part of my days is that MPR is in the middle of its member drive and there's more talk than I would like on the Current. Ahh well. I know how fundraising goes. I'm smiling pleasantly when I get home. Enough to clean the kitchen and keep on whistling.

Sidebar: I've decided that I'm going to train to run 1/2 of Grandma's this year. Today was my first training run. Wish me luck!