I re-entered the software industry today after the Cycling Sabbatical I started in October of 2005. During the last two years I focused most of my energy on my lifetime passion of bicycle road racing. Though I didn’t get the results I had quite hoped for, I did manage to break most of my bests as far as power goes. I also learned a lot about my physiological limits and what training works for me and, just as important, what doesn’t!
The time away from “real” work also gave me a much needed break from the hectic pace of the software industry. While I did some light computer consulting and created cycling-related spreadsheets, I was able to decompress and have a much needed mental break. I now feel reinvigorated and look forward to my return to the tech sector. And what better place to do that than the mother-of-all software companies, Microsoft!
No, I’m not moving to Redmond, Washington, but rather, today I started my first day with Microsoft in the same building that I left two years ago! You see, ProClarity was acquired by Microsoft a few months after I left. Hmmm…were they waiting for me to leave?! Unlike some other Microsoft acquisitions, they didn’t suck ProClarity up to Redmond. They left most of the R&D team here in downtown Boise.
So as of today, I’m a Program Manager on the PerformancePoint Server team. Though this title looks a bit different different than my prior titles, I’ll actually be doing much of the same work I’ve done for over a decade. Of course, it will be a lot different than working for a small privately-held company.
As far as my cycling goes, I still plan to road race next year in the Category 1/2 field, riding for Intermountain Orthopaedics/Lost River Cycling. Like I said, I’ve learned a lot about training these last couple years and I think I can apply what I’ve learned to be even more efficient with my training time; it’ll definitely be much more limited! On that note, don’t expect as frequent or as in-depth posts as the past. But I will try to keep all the wattage-geeks out their satisfied with as many training posts as I can squeeze in!