5+ Months Post-Op

I have not had a normal, pain free, continuous run since spring of 2012.  I am optimistic that this is about to change.  I have completed the return to running schedule outlined in my last post, aside from the last week.  I even did a run on Saturday that was 5 minutes running / 1 minute walking x 6 intervals.  Which is almost a "real" run.  Yesterday my physical therapist gave me the green light to run for 30 minutes straight.  I feel good; I feel ready.  We also did a lot of work regarding my range of motion.  It's definitely not perfect.  She was super pleased with my strength, but I am definitely still having tightness in my joint when I move my leg is certain positions.  It doesn't hinder me from any activities, but it's still something I need to work through. 

On the whole, I feel pretty normal.  Normal enough to pound down a hill trail running.  I can't state that I am 100% though.  Occasionally I still get some minor aching in my groin after running, but it is short lived and disappears after a night's rest.  Since full recovery for this surgery is supposed to be 6-12 months, I have hope that the aching is still just part of healing and my body getting used to the rigors of running again. 

I have decided that this is the beginning of my second running life.  I'm going to pretend that the previous 6,000+ miles just never happened.  PRs are null and void.  I have never ran any ultras before.  New distances, new times, new paces are to be celebrated.  I'll be a noob all over again.  I hope this helps me have patience, since I can pretend there is not a "normal" I am trying to get back to.  Screw 70 mile weeks and long runs longer than marathons.  I never ran 29 miles on my 29th birthday, or spent 17 continuous hours in the woods, or watched the sun rise, then set, then rise again.  I've never ran in the dark, ran on snowshoes, ran through ten kinds of mud, ran in various states across the country, or gone through dozens upon dozens pairs of shoes.  I'm just your average new, fresh faced, excited C25Ker.  Kind of. 

I haven't needed to buy road shoes in years, thanks to stock piling my Asics a while back.  Sadly, that era has come to an end.  Asics discontinued my trusty shoes (grumble, grumble) and I'm back on the market.  My feet are picky, with flat arches and wide tootsies and it's difficult for me to find shoes that work, but I picked up some Pearl Izumi EM H3s and so far so good. 

So, I'm running!  I'm an official n00b!  Here's to 10 mile weeks and distance PRs.