Basic running help needed

[Ray Singh]

My age clicked over to 35 years old and i decided that i really should exercise.

I found that running is by far the easiest method for me as i often work from home and have an hour or so between meetings. I started of by getting the correct trainers. I visited a Asics specialist store who conducted a 'gait' test and prescribed that i had inwards rolling feet. I left the store with a pair of Asics running shoe with a harder material compound on the inner arches to stop the inward roll.

My training started slowly building up to about 4kms three times per week. Each run was taking about 30 to 35 mins.

I noticed that my shins were starting to ache badly during and after the run. Is this what is commonly known as Shin splints? How can i minimize this pain?

I have now signed up for a 10km run in July for charity. I have been preparing by trying to up my distance each day. My max distance in an hour is 7.7km.

Any training tips?

[Gargamel]

Ray

This depends on a really wide number of factors. Shin Splints is kind of a catch all title for lower leg pain.

Only you can really decide if what you have is...potentially a serious injury or a short term "toughen up" type of pain.

Here are my tips.

1. Soleus Stretch, (google it) it is specifically for the lower calf, and its important post run.
2. Ice or cold water immersion ASAP after a run - on the lower leg.
3. Shoes, Second opinion ASAP, ideally from a Specialist Biomechanic - who watches you run on a treadmill - best £80 I ever spent.
4. Gait, check you are landing at least mid foot, if you are heel striking try shortening your stride a little and aiming to land mid foot.
5. Rolling Pin - yes I am serious, tenderise those mucles like steak, roll the pin up and down - lengthening and compressing the muscle

6. Learn to love the pain

Good Luck

[Gargamel]

Also

Try a longer slower run, don't just see how far you can get in an hour.

Go out when you have more time, and run slowly, for around two hours if you can, this will help you build stamina without putting such a load on your cardio

[bales]

My advice would be to work on your anterior tibialis i.e your outer shin muscle that raises your toes towards your shin.

I still suffer from shin splints and all the stretching and icing will relieve the pain but it doesn't tend to cure it.

Try walking round on your heels for a minute or 2 and do it with your feet turned in, out and in a straight line.

Another good one is to stand with your back to a wall with your feet about a foots length away and then do 30 toe raises about 3 or 4 times pulling your toes up and into your shins as high as possible.

oh and cut your running volume down until the pain eases a bit.

[alfa pint]

Some of it may well be the just the fact that the muscles on the front of your shins are very thin and often underworked if you're new to running. This will be especially noticeable if the only pair of shoes that correct your pronation are your running shoes - they'll be forcing your feet to turn at an angle they're not used to yet. My feet overpronate mildly - I have insoles in my walking boots, daily use boots and my trainers are Saucony Omni 8s - designed for overpronators. This means that my shins, feet and ankles are always being pushed the right way. Helps my backache too.

Give them time to develop and they'll get there. Some good stretching and developmental suggestions above too.

[m444ttb]

I had shin pain at the start. I suspect if I did a tempo run every time it may come back. I now do a 5m or 10k tempo run (fast as you can over that distance); hill reps; speed reps and a slower session training with a running newbie

[vx220]

i trained for a 10k a couple of years ago, did three/four runs per week, and as above best to vary it. always made sure one of my runs was an interval run. you can either do it by time, heart rate or distance. i used hrm, but can't remeber settings, but you run fast as you can untill hrm hits high setting, then walk briskly until hrm beeps at lower setting, then fast as you can until high setting and so on. obviously as you get fitter, you have to run for longer to get to the high limit, and you recober more quickly, so you get less rest!

if doing it by distance try sprinting to a lamp post walking to the next etc

for time sprint two mins walk one min, something like that

i was basicly doing two 10k runs, an interval run, and a longer slow run got up to 10miles), all with a rest day in between, to cover all your bases.

did a best of 49mins for the 10k, was chuffed!

[Ray Singh]

VX220 - thats impressive. Anything under or around an hour for me will be an achivement.

[vx220]

once you start to mix up your training, you'll be suprised what you can do!

the other things i found useful are a training partner and/or a blog.

i'm not very IT minded, so just texted a select group of friends/relatives with my updates. kept me focussed