Can I go the distance?

So when I got the doctor's a-ok to stop wearing my robo-boot (the first week of July) the first question I asked was when I would be running. I know, I know. I wasn't even walking pain and/or limp-free and I wanted to know about running. The doctor prescribed a month of self rehab with PT starting the first week of August. After PT started he said I'd have a better idea of when I would be able to start running, but that September would be a reasonable guess.

If I rewind back to when I decided to have surgery in May, I was really hoping that my rehab would be well underway in late June or early July, running by August. I really wanted to run TNF trail 1/2 marathon the end of October. Don't worry, the doctor put the kibosh on that real fast. He said even if I was running by September I would not be looking to do that sort of volume by the end of October...hmph!

So how about by December?

I figure the best way to fully get myself back in the game is to pony up the dinero to do a destination race I've always wanted to do. In this case, it's the Vegas Marathon (or rather the half marathon in this case). And the running buddy is totally on board for this. A little mini-break, a little run, maybe a little wedding?!? Just kidding....I am soooo not a Vegas bride. Or am I?

But I digress.

The way I see it most half plans are 12 weeks long. 12 weeks before race day (December 5th) puts me at September 12th. Obviously I'm not looking for a PR, or even to run the whole distance. If I could jog the distance, hell if I could run/walk the distance, I would be stoked. Super stoked!

But can I do it? Is it too much too soon? Is the doctor going to shut me down?

If the Vegas Half is a no-go, there's always the Arizona Rock-n-Roll Marathon the beginning of January, but that's just not Vegas. Vegas baby, VEGAS! My second choice would be to run the Disney Marathon in January, but I really really want to run the full marathon and not settle for the half on that one.

I realize that this is an ambitious goal. I suppose it goes hand in hand with the ambitious year I want to have next year. Maybe the Syttende Mai run, a couple of marathons, a couple of long distance relays, maybe a 70.3 or two. Why not get rockin' and rollin' with a a half yet for 2010?