I’m setting my sights on a new race: the Planet Adventure Winter Half Marathon on January 26, 2013. Anything that has the words “planet adventure” in the name has GOT to be awesome! The course is twice around a trail at Eagle Creek Park in Indianapolis. And in a complete change of pace from most races start early in the morning, this bad boy is at NIGHT. The website says that a flashlight or headlamp is required to participate.

So, to sum up, it’s a run through woods in the middle of winter in the dark.

As much as this sounds like complete madness, I am actually very excited to do it. Maybe I am completely mad.

Now, to the baby steps.

I’m still recovering from surgery. Minimal pain at this point, and every day, I have a bit more energy than the day before. Still, my stamina is nowhere near where it used to be. It’s taking a lot to be patient with my body and accept that it might take a little while to get back into running 10-20 miles a week.

My post-op appointment is this week and assuming I’ll be cleared to run after that, I created my training plan to start on November 12. In the days before then, my plan is to work in some walks, light resistance training, and yoga to rebuild my strength.

Kinda crazy to see the next three months out there like that, isn’t it? One of the reasons I wanted a race in this time frame was to have an exercise plan to carry me through the holidays. Thanksgiving – my birthday – Christmas – New Years…here’s hoping that this plan will help offset the caloric consequences of all those glorious festivities.

A couple days ago, I went for a walk. It felt AMAZING to be outside. (It had also been like five days of deary windy rainy weather thanks to Sandy, and well, Indiana being Indiana.) I had gone about a quarter of a mile and was thinking, “What’s the big deal? I’m totally going to start running like SOON!” And then, suddenly, with each step, I could feel all three incisions on mah belly. Step, pull, step, pull. Ouch. I gingerly made my way home and crept back to my couch sanctuary, once more admitting that I was QUITE healed enough yet to return to my usual shenanigans.

Baby steps.