Shin Splints

Shin splints are NO FUN to put it nicely.  The friend I have been coaching told me every time he would run he'd get shin splints.  So, I offered a few tips of advice when we started his training and his shins have hardly complained.  YAY!  Shin splints are something I know about all too well.  I suffered with them for about a year after I started running.  Here are are the things that helped me the most:

*BUY NEW SHOES:  I have mentioned this before.  You cannot run in your old, comfortable shoes that you've had for years.  If you are going to start running you will need to buy new shoes.  You will also need to buy new shoes every 300 - 500 miles or every 6 months.  If you are feeling new pains and it's close to that time, there is your indicator that it is time.  The exception to this rule are shoes like mine with no sole to break down.  You just have to change those out whenever you get holes in them.  My last pair lasted a year but that would obviously depend on how much you ran and on what kind of terrain.  

*STRETCH THOSE CALVES:  Even though our shins are part of the front of our leg, the root cause of shin splints are from tight calf muscles.  When the calves are tight it pulls up our heel which in turn pulls the front of our foot down.  This puts strain on the front of the leg which is not strong enough to handle it.  The stretches that helped me the most were wall pushups (scroll down and there are 3 variations of wall pushups).

*STRENGTHEN FRONT LEG MUSCLES:  Since those front leg muscles are not strong enough right now, make them stronger.  My favorite strengthening exercises were walking around on my heels for 60 seconds and then walking around on my toes for 60 seconds.  I also stood up against a wall with my feet out about a foot and lifted up my toes 30 times slowly and then 30 times fast, rested for 1-2 minutes and then repeated.

*ICE:  After running ice your shins for 20 minutes while elevated, take the ice off for 20 minutes and then ice again for 20 minutes.  If you don't have 60 minutes at least ice for 10-15 minutes with legs elevated.  Also take some ibuprofen.

*MID FOOT STRIKE:  Try not to heel strike.  This is the main reason why I no longer had shin pain after switching to my Vibram Five Fingers.  They forced my foot to strike the ground in the middle instead of the heel.

*RUN SLOWER:  This is something that has really helped my friend.  By running slower he started building up the muscles in his lower legs.  It made his muscles sore (which is a good thing because he knew they were getting worked out) but his shins didn't hurt.

In the Beginning

I have recently given a few people the running bug.  I have even started coaching a friend of mine.  So, I decided to write about how I got started.  A couple of friends of mine called me up and told me I was going to run a 5K with them and I needed to start training.  I told them they were crazy but ended up doing it anyway (they were very persuasive).  I used the Couch to 5K program.  I would recommend this program to ANYONE who has never ran or has not ran in a long time.  Once you decide to start the program, sign up for a 5K that is scheduled soon after you will be done so you have a goal to meet.  Also, tell people you have started running so they will be asking how it is going whenever they see you.  I would also recommend getting new running shoes asap and plan on spending around $100  (when you look at the cost of other sports, this is pretty cheap).  I had knee problems when I first started running so I got new, but cheap, running shoes.  The knee problems went away for a little while but came back along with shin splints.  I then went to Salt Lake Running Co. and had a running analysis done.  They recommended some shoes and I did alright with those for a little while but I was still having shin splint problems.  I finally decided to try Vibram Five Fingers Bikilas after running for about a year with constant problems. I have ran in the Vibrams for a year now and have never looked back.  Not only did it get rid of my shin splints but I have had NO running problems at all.  I just bought my second pair today (regular running shoes only last about 3-6 months depending on how much your run).  I LOVE THEM!

My husband is one of the people I gave the running bug to.  He has always been intrigued by my new footwear but his toes on one foot can not lay flat.  He went to the shoe store and really liked the feel of the Vibram Merrell Road Glove which I hear is another great option.  It allows you to run the way you were intended to run but still looks like normal shoe (ie no toes).  My friend that I started coaching is going to pick up some shoes tomorrow.  I will keep you updated on both my husband and my friend's outcome.  My next post will explain the benefits of running "barefoot".

Want to start running but still have some questions?  Feel free to post them here in the comment section and I'll do my best to answer them.    

Caution: May exhibit obsessive behavior while training

42,194,988 millimeters.  That's how far I will be running in 136 days from now.  26.2 miles....why?  Because I am insane and I am trying to keep my sanity, of course.  While training for other races I have found I like Hal Higdon's training plans the best.  I will be modifying it a bit to take into account my upcoming relay races but, here is a rough overview of what I've got in store for me for the next 4 months: 

Week	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat	Sun
1	Rest	3 m run	5 m pace	3 m run	Rest	8m	Cross
2	Rest	3 m run	5 m run	3 m run	Rest	9m	Cross
3	Rest	3 m run	5 m pace	3 m run	Rest	6m	Cross
4	Rest	3 m run	6 m pace	3 m run	Rest	11m	Cross
5	Rest	3 m run	6 m run	3 m run	Rest	12m	Cross
6	Rest	3 m run	6 m pace	3 m run	Rest	9m	Cross
7	Rest	4 m run	7 m pace	4 m run	Rest	14m	Cross
8	Rest	4 m run	7 m run	4 m run	Rest	15m	Cross
9	Rest	4 m run	7 m pace	4 m run	Rest	Rest	Half Marathon
10	Rest	4 m run	8 m pace	4 m run	Rest	17m	Cross
11	Rest	5 m run	8 m run	5 m run	Rest	18m	Cross
12	Rest	5 m run	8 m pace	5 m run	Rest	13m	Cross
13	Rest	5 m run	5 m pace	5 m run	Rest	19m	Cross
14	Rest	5 m run	8 m run	5 m run	Rest	12m	Cross
15	Rest	5 m run	5 m pace	5 m run	Rest	20m	Cross
16	Rest	5 m run	4 m pace	5 m run	Rest	12m	Cross
17	Rest	4 m run	3 m run	4 m run	Rest	8m	Cross
18	Rest	3 m run	2 m run	Rest	Rest	2 m	Marathon

I won't be running a half marathon.  I'll be replacing it with a relay plus another relay a month before the marathon.  I'll probably take a few extra days off after the relays as I am usually pretty sore.

My next research project will be carb-loading while running.  Your muscles and liver can store about 1,200 to 1,500 calories but the stored energy is typically completely utilized in 2 hours!  I know for a fact I won't be finishing the race in 2 hours so I am going to need some extra energy during the race.  Any seasoned marathoners have some advice for me?