How to increase mileage when struggling with shin splints

jakejj1

Hi, I'm a 16 year old middle distance runner 800/1500m and had my first season of track last year. My PB's are:
100m:12.2
200m:25
400m:55
800m:2:03
1500m:4:23(only ran it twice)
5k:17:02

I only do 2/3 sessions a week, 2 are longer tempo/fartlek/hills on grass and 1 is a track session 20x200m or 8x400m. I obvouisly have other sessions but those are just examples. I also do gym for strength a few days a week just after college.
I love long runs but everytime I go I struggle a couple of miles in with shin splints or just achey legs. I know its to do with increasing the milegeage too quickly which I did last September when I started really getting into it(running every day) but I have just been doing 3 sessions a week with no long runs for a few months now and I still struggle every time I go on long runs. Even so I have gotten PB's at both indoors (2:04 down to 2:03 and 4:35 down to 4:23) and have been racing well in XC. However I feel like I'm missing out not getting the mileage in for fitness as since October I have only been doing about 8-10 miles (from those 3 sessions) but I still seem to be improving and getting faster and fitter. 
Before I went on my mad running spree in September I was running 2 sessions at my club a week (1 track and 1 grass) and maybe 2 other long runs (5 miles) on road and had been doing this since a year previously (that year had been my first XC season).
A problem I have on long runs is going too fast, I hate going slow so every run I do is 6 minute mile for up to 4 miles and 6:30-6:45 for 4-6 miles. I know I need to run slower but struggle to.

I just wanted advise on how to build up my mileage safely and how much mileage I should be doing ( I am hoping to focus more on 1500m this year and get down to sub 4:10) Because of how much I struggle on every long run with injury I was thinking of not doing any long runs and instead rely on 4 sessions a week at my club (2 track and 2 grass sessions i.e. 4 miles of fartlek, hills or tempo) but 1500m is 50/50 for aerobic anaerobic so I feel I need to get the long and easy runs in somehow.

SteveCRunner

It's a long and somewhat technical article, but you might like to take a look at the FAQ section near the end of this page. My guess (and it is only that) is that you are growing taller, have tight calves, and the mucles lifting your foot towards your shin need strengthening. Think over that it might be better to take a break from running to let the shins recover properly than to keep running but with less training than you really want.