Inexperienced and Out of Shape

I'm starting out this project out of shape and inexperience, and the idea of jumping into hurdling (that was a pun) is pretty intimidating. I'm going on runs using the Horse Trail that is right behind the high school. It is just under 2 miles long, and I usually run through it twice before going through the first mile of the cross country course, which is a grand total of around 4 miles. What I hope to be able to do is get into shape for the season as quickly as possible. 

(The trail that I run)

Since I've never cleared a hurdle before, I though it was best to look up workouts to do in preparation for when track season starts. I've found a few links that I am currently using. In addition to this, my mom has forced me to practice going over a hurdle using a gate that's kept at the bottom of our staircase to keep out dog from going upstairs. Every time I go upstairs I have to stick my left leg straight out over the gate and use it to push myself up. Then, I bend my right leg and swing it over as well. Coming down the stairs I just have to jump over it, which is pretty simple.

During the cross country season, I hurt my back while I was at the beach. I had to sit out of some runs during practices and go on a bike in the weight room instead. My back has been fine since the season ended, but I've recently hurt it again. I'm pretty sure it happened while I was at stage crew, preparing for the upcoming spring musical. I'm carrying heavy props daily, which can't be great for a previously injured back to begin with, but I hurt it even more by jumping off the edge of the stage to get down quicker. My mom/coach suspects that one of my legs is longer that the other, and when I land the long leg puts pressure on my lower back. To prevent this from affecting my track season, I use an inversion table almost daily to stretch out. An inversion table is pretty much something you strap yourself to and then hang upside down for a few minutes.

Over the next week in going to try to improve my ab strength and hopefully will be able to try clearing a hurdle a few times. I hope that my confidence won't be an obstacle that I'll have to overcome and that with hard work and dedication I'll be able to achieve my goal.

Links Used:

http://digitaltrackandfield.com/hurdle-speed-workouts/

This website includes drills that improve a hurdler's technique, speed, endurance, and rhythm 

http://www.coacheseducation.com/hurdles/tonie_campbell_mar_01_2.htm

This is a site used by coaches to help hurdlers, and includes several beneficial workouts that can get me physically prepared for the season.