Guess who's back!?!

So it's been a while, but I'm happy (more like ecstatic!) to report that I'm back in action!  I can't say that I'm 100%, but I'm feeling good enough that I've jumped right back into training and so far so good!  The last few months have seen a lot of tears, a lot of temper tantrums (I just want to get back to the gym!  Wah!), a lot of physical therapy, a couple trips to my hip surgeon, and a lot of being impatient...

Good news (scratch that, FANTASTIC news) is that I got official word (after an MRI w/ contrast in my hip) that I absolutely did NOT get another labral tear - or any other kind of tear for that matter - in my hip again.  PHEW!  That would not have been pleasant news as my surgeon made it painfully clear that second surgeries for labral tear do not have a very high success rate.  So once again, PHEW!  He suspects that I just made the labrum "angry".  Ok, well, let's avoid that again ok?  Apparently my hip has a temper similar to this Irish hot head...  He also strongly suggested that I refrain from partaking in any more bootcamp classes because it's just asking for injury.  That's actually a major bummer because I absolutely LOVED bootcamp.  But if avoiding bootcamp = avoiding another hip injury then I guess that's just a smart decision.

I definitely did injure my back though, way back when I injured myself (Valentine's Day to be exact).  I've been doing lots of back strengthening exercises, and I was going to PT consistently for a while, but I haven't been lately (it's getting harder to fit it in the schedule!)  I still have some back pain and I still get some pain in my hip, but I think the benefit of training outweighs the pain, so I'm just going with it.  I definitely need to ice a lot though.

We joined a new gym for the summer (Cedardale) as a family membership that has a bunch of outdoor pools, wading pool, shallow kid pool, playground and sprayground for the kids and the largest number of cardio machines I've seen in 1 place, plus an indoor track and indoor adult only lap pool, so I'm pretty psyched about all the different ways I'll be able to cross-train, plus the ability to run around the track on my run days if the hubs is traveling and I have to run at the gym for the use of the babysitting room (instead of only having the option of treadmill indoors).  It also has a 2 bars, which I think pretty much rocks.

So today was the end of Week 1 of training (well, tomorrow is, but technically that's a rest day).  I did my "long" run for Week 1 today - it was supposed to be 1 hour ~ 5mi, but I'm definitely slower than that.  I've been following the 20 week Marathon Trainer Pro 26.2 for Pink training app on my iPhone, and I like it so far.  When I say "run," I really mean walking/running intervals, which is the way this training program is designed.  I don't want to run more than 3x per week because I think that will be too much stress on my hip, and I definitely don't want to run 2 consecutive days in a row.  This program right now has me running 2 shorter runs during the week and then a longer run on the weekend, 2 rest days (for now), and 2 cross-training days.  Pretty soon though (week 4 I think), one of the rest days is supposed to turn into another shorter run day (which will mean 4 runs/week AND running 2 days in a row every week), but I think I'll substitute that for another cross-train day.

I'm also loving my wireless headphones.  The hubs had a pair and kept trying to convince me to try them, but because they look a little ridiculous and I thought they wouldn't be comfortable while running, I totally resisted.  They're like headphones you wear around your neck instead of over your head and on your ears, and then there are wired earbuds that connect up from that.  I thought the part that just hangs around your neck would bounce too much, but it doesn't at all, and I'm a big fan of them.

So...Week 1 down...19 to go!

Officially doing another race!

Today I officially signed up for my first half marathon!  I've been considering it for a little while now ever since I knew I'd be signing up for the marathon, and today I decided to stop hemming and hawing.  I think it will be the best way to make sure I really start getting my butt in gear and start training for the full marathon (since it's all the way in October and knowing myself, I KNOW I would totally keep putting it off since October is "forever away").  So by May 6th I need to be ready for 13.1 miles.  That's less than 15 weeks away.  Whoa.

Of course now I'm hemming and hawing over my training schedule.  (Apparently, I always have an internal debate going on about something...)  Before the marathon ever became a reality, my workout routine was Mon/Wed Pilates and Tues/Thurs Bootcamp, and I get so much out of both of them I really don't want to give them up.  I figure I'll run both days of the weekends too.  So, to get a third run in every week I either need to double up on a Pilates or Bootcamp day (most likely Pilates, since the idea of going on a run before having to endure bootcamp makes me break out in hives!) or give up my one rest day (which means running 3 days in a row...)  The second option doesn't really seem like the best idea because I feel like I need to spread my runs out a bit more, but in theory, today would be my 'add in a run' Pilates day because doing that on Mondays would still mean 3 days in a row of running.  Honestly though, my body is really feeling my recent workouts today - just about every muscle is screaming out in soreness.  I hope I'm not getting in over my head here!  Maybe I should rethink it, but this is what I'm planning for training after cross-referencing a bunch of suggested training plans:

Monday - Pilates 1hr (stretch & strengthen day)
Tuesday - Bootcamp 1hr (cross-train day)
Wednesday - Run & Pilates 1hr (stretch & strengthen day plus run)
Thursday - Bootcamp 1 hr (cross-train day)
Friday - REST DAY
Saturday - Long Run
Sunday - Run

I'm most nervous about having a run day in between 2 bootcamp days, and I kind of feel like it will have to be a short run day, but then that means I have my medium and long runs 2 days in a row...Ugh, maybe I'll have to rethink whether I can continue with both Pilates & Bootcamp 2 days a week...

I wasn't going to add my midweek short run in yet, but my kids are driving me bonkers today.  Perhaps I'll bring them to the Y with me early and run on the treadmill for a bit to get a break from them!!!

Here are the websites I used to research training plans for the half marathon:

Hal Hidgeon's Novice Half Marathon Training Program

Jeff Galloway's Half Marathon Training Schedule

Runner's World Ultimate Half Marathon Training Plan

Marathon Rookie Half Marathon Training for Beginners