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shin splints
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I started running in March 2012. Since then i have ran 2 half marathons, 2 10milers and several 10k. plus my first ever full marathon which i did last Sunday in Stratfrord (28th April 2013) which i will come to in a bit, perhaps i have gone abit quick in what I've done since starting running as i've had shin splints and did have on going calf problem which I did try to carry on running but decided to take 3weeks off from running and ended up cross training ready for my marathon after following advise from people on runners world which was i the right advise at the time.
I d like to share my story to help others that are thinking about running with Shin splints. Here it goes, last Saturday a day before my biggest race ever my full marathon for some reason deloveped shin spints again for reasons can't explain possibly from over cross training. The pain was in both my shins (a dull aching feeling) which naturally I very worried. So iced my legs at night removing ice at 2.30am the day of my big race before going to sleep for 3hours, waking up at 5.30am and my legs still ached but not as bad, I went on the internet on this and other sites and everyone said that I should'nt run with shin splints however i decided to give it ago because trained so hard in the gym due to having calf injury excepting not the last more than 3 mile. Anyway i started my Marathon at steady pace and my shin started hurting however every mile i ran the pain got less and less until at around 5 mile it was like i never had them. I finished my first marathon in 4.35.04 was very pleased as my previous longest run was 16mile but did struggle abit last 6mile but thats was nothing to do with calf injury or shin splints and was because i didnt manage to get in a few more long runs. I so nearly pulled out but so glad i didn't. Hope this helps anyone suffering shin splints close to raceday. It maybe different for you but running a marathon appeared to have sorted mine.
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Comments
Paul- shin splints tend to ease off once you've warmed up- it's normal. It doesn't mean they're sorted and it's likely that the pain will come back the next time you run. Believe me- I've been there. They're very easy to ignore for that reason but they will get progressively worse and the pain will keep on coming back at the start of each run and then after runnig as well. I managed to sort them out by doing lots and lots of calf stretches (I mean lots... 2-3 times a day, series of 5 stretches, 2x 1min on each leg). Very boring and time consuming but it did get rid of the problem. Good luck with it.
thanks, thats great advise and thats what i am planning to do as I hav'n't got and more races booked in at present, Crossing the finshing line on sunday was one of the best failing ever and still on a high with normal aches and pains after but wouldnt change it, what i don't understand is why did they come back when i cut down on running and did loads of rowing instead could it be from that.
Any advise on what i should do about running again as want to be injury free.
Many thanks
Paul- no idea about rowing.
My shins got really bad but I only stopped running for a few days and started stretching loads. It seemed to fixed the problem and I haven't had any issues since. Obviously in my case the problem must've been tight calves, it might not be in your case but I would give it a go.
When Mike Gratton won the London marathon he nearly dropped out due to the pain of shin splints. Needless to say, he dug in and finished. 1st!
🙂
thanks for that yeah have started stretching this week, just realise it could have been inappropriate shoes that could have been causing me problems has ran previous races wearing none running shoes, I now have support running shoes which feel great.
thanks ric yeah it can be done, its weird as had calf and shin problems prior to the race and now everything feels fine after 26mile