Shinsplints and half marathon training

Hi, I am doing a half marathon in just under 6 weeks and my training has been going well - or so I thought. I'm a full time mum so can't run all that much but I do manage 2 10ks and a 10-14 mile plus double spin class over the course of the week. Been feeling on top of my game as the long runs are getting less daunting and more enjoyable hence the increase to 14. However when I ran yday I had bad shin splint pain down my left leg which I managed to run thro but ouch! Today both my shins hurt. Tomorrow I am due to do another 10k then Friday afternoon a LSR but don't know whether I should. I want to as my training had been going so well but obviously don't want to screw myself up even more so close to the date now. Suggestions? Was thinking maybe dreadmill but I yawn at the prospect lol! Also when I'm running especially now more regular and with the increase to mileage my 2 little toes are getting so sore it was just the last few miles on my LSR but now it's pretty much from the off. Grrr! I know this is really health and injury but it's more my training plan from now until race I need advice on with pains in mind please
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  • I'm in a similar position. Reading Half in a few weeks and trying to manage the calf and shin pain I get every year around about this time. Everyone will tell you to rest and there is no avoiding it but you can keep training (just not running).
    For mild pain few days rest is the best fix (keep training by swimming, cycling and rowing if pos) - don't do any stretches that may make it worse - and when you feel no pain jogging on the spot get back into your training plan slowly, scale it back, run on soft surfaces as much as you can and run slower first few times out. it can also help if you do very slow warm up before your session.
    For more serious pain acupuncture works for me.



  • I'm doing Fleet week before you then! Rest is like a swear word it's what everyone tells me and it guts me but deep down I know they're right. Thanks for your advice, helpful to know someone is in same boat
  • I know. When it first happened to me I hunted around the web until I eventually found a US trainer who talked about training WITH shin splints (as rare as a doctor advising you to smoke). The main thrust of it was lots of slow warm up before sessions.

    What happens to me EVERY YEAR is that I get carried away in January with how well everything is going and then I push myself too hard. All my PBs are in October and November after much longer training plans (warmer weather and no disruption from snow helps too of course).

  • Thanks, I did my double spin last night and apart from the standing hills it was good to get going in relative comfort again. Everyone yday telling me to stop running for 10 days- 2 weeks which is worrying with time left on schedule. Can't swim so will need to use gym. Going to try cross trainer - got 2 different ones and the stepper and see what I can endure with no pain. Just totally gutted to not be able to run but even the up and down stairs with the kids is telling me it's the right thing to do and I know not to be able to do my first half would be even more gutting! I think it's that sodding snow that didn't help I did several runs over the course of the snow including the 14 miler and I think sub consciously my running style changed to adapt to the new terrain so hopefully I can still do half distance on the day without impact. Hope is hidden deep down somewhere
  • You're at 14 miles already so you're well into where you need to be. A week of rest won't lose you much fitness, especially if you swim and spin instead. When the pain is gone, pick up your training schedule again and you'll probably find that your legs feel much fresher and you'll enjoy it more because you won't be in pain. Try to find some routes on grass as I find this helps immensely.

    I know how worrying it can be though - I have my first marathon in 8 weeks and just had 2 weeks out with shin splints. I'm well back into the swing of it now though.
  • Lauren, how did you know that it was safe to get back into running?
  • I had a weeks rest as instructed by the physio (on top of the week I made myself rest before going to the physio) and she said that if I was able to hop without pain at the end of the week, I could go for a short, gentle run, which I did and it was fine.
  • thank you, i shall try that image
  • get on the eliptical x-trainer (x-country ski machine). have been doing it the last month with shin splints and appear to have lost little fitness.
    then buy some kinesio tape and strap according to youtube demo's, internet etc. when you can gently run (treadmill or grass initially), warm the area first (one of them microwaveable thingys), take some ibuprofen to help with the inflammation and ice immediately when finished.
    in the meantime, you will need to strengthen with stretches but only if not painful as per johnny above.
  • @DASH

    Do you reckon this kinesio tape will work for tight calfs (that's my twin problem with shin splints. and er "microwavable thingys", what are they? you mean those nurofen things people put on their backs?
  • oh and @DASH
    any way of calculating how much elipitecal X trainer = how much running & pacing?

  • Am training for the Fleet half as well...and have also had shin splint problems. Was convinced I was going to give up this running caper. However, have stretched more, go barefoot in the house, stand against the wall lifting my toes and the best thing has been compression socks. I managed to get around the Longleat 10km a couple of weeks ago without problems. The socks look ridiculous (which I can get away with at the moment under my long running tights - not sure what I'll do when it warms up) but they seem to have done the trick. I've bought a couple of pairs so I can wear one while I run and another set all day after the run.
  • johnny, whether it's a case of dumbo's magic feather or not, the kinesio tape seems to have helped. google it; all top sportspeople are using it.
    ha ha, microwaveable thingy's wasn't very clear was it? just did a quick search and they are actually microwaveable wheat bags which are used as a heat source on muscles and injuries etc you can pick them up anywhere. ours is shaped as a fluffy animal of some sort!
    lastly, regarding pace comparisons with the eliptical and running the waters are muddy with various studies all inconclusive, although there are some interesting snippets via the pponline site.
    however, and i'll probably get shot down in flames here, i think an hour with 40 mins of intervals (comprising of 3 mins you are glad to finish progressing to 3 mins you can only just finish / 1 minute recovery)is roughly the equivalent of an hour with 30/40 mins of marathon pace.

    hartles, i concur with all your findings !
  • of course, its all academic as we all know, the only way to get good at running is to run more!
  • @DASH

    Thanks Dash. I will have a crack at ye olde eliptical trainer - there's only three of them down my local gym so I might have to reduce the session time.

    Ah, those microwavable thingys!
  • I have suffered with shin splints on and off for the last few months. Compression socks really seemed to help. I couldn't work out thou that they came back again 2 weeks ago despite gentle milage, brufen rest etc.

    I saw a sports physio who said that it was my spin classes which I had been doing more of whilst injured that had caused them to flare up again. Apparently the standing hills cause a pull on the leg similar to running up hill. I now work on low resistence and high cadence on the bike and things have much improved. First run back today and painfree !!!

  • I had a nice pain-free run on soft ground yesterday. Thrilled to be back. Tried everything we've discussed here PLUS this youtube trick: http://youtu.be/fDwY0QFsPqs and of course Dumbo's Magic Feather (nice one DASH).

  • nice one fella. glad to be of help!
  • I think I can also vouch for spin classes being bad, having just completed a double I'm in pain and seriously doubting trying a 10k tomorrow evening which was going to be my first run in 10 days since flare up. Gutted! Just over 4 weeks now

    Where do I get these compression socks from? And the tape? I can't take ibrupofen as have history of stomach bleeds so am looking at applying gels to the area, what's best I'm currently using tiger balm.

    I'm going to battle a 10k tomorrow evening and if possible another one Friday afternoon and if still an issue going to go to my local running shop on Saturday to have my running checked out and new shoes. My mizunos are about a year old, I'm going to use my treadmill asics for these 2 runs as they are fairly unused in comparison.

    So gutted to be in this position I truly love running and can't believe this time last year I was training for my first race for life and have come this far but now feel like my lil legs are going to let me down!
  • I'm two runs back now. A 4 miler and 6 miler. Both good. Not sure whether it was the tape (available on amazon), or the golfball technique in the youtube video or the stretching or the running on soft ground or the binning the spinning but very happy to be back out there.

    You can do it Christian.



  • So to confirm spinning may not be best course of action over these next 4 weeks?

    Soft ground, where do I find that? Do you mean grass? I did 5 mins on treadmill and pain was still there thought that'd be soft

    I so want to be in that happy to be there position too

    Thanks for vote of confidence

    I shall go look at amazon now .......
  • Yeah, I got myself some off-road shoes a while ago and they let me run on mud, grass, sand, whatever - all of which is healthier for the joints and muscles than concrete which has no give at all. So yeah, go to the park and run on the grass rather than path.
  • Thanks I have off roads but I found the last few runs I did in those aggravated things probably because I really did go off road;)
  • There's a general school of thought that softer ground is easier on the joints and the uneveness is better for us too us it makes the muscles work.I'm lucky that in my neck of North London there's a few woods, parks and disused railway lines I can run along.

    5 weeks for me. Glad I'm not doing London Mara this year now.
  • Yeah that's the sort of terrain I have if I choose to go offroad normally I love it I really do but I'm worried about the unevenness making it worse. 4, 5 weeks thsts till plenty of time isn't it lol!
  • How are we doing?

    Tape + Golf ball & roller worked wonders for me, then I got flu... I'm cursed, cursed...
  • Had my 10 days rest, then got chest infection. On antibs for that which I'm struggling with on my runs as being slightly asthmatic it's knocked my lung space for six! Resuming training on 10ks and need to try my first 10 miler tomorrow afternoon. I do have new shoes from the whole experience. My mizunos were deemed unfit for purposely myself after running in my asics and discovering they were cushioned and supportive, felt still room for improvement so my local running shop man recommended some Brooks which I've yet to use on road but were great for a 5k treadmill run. Just over 3 weeks to go now, don't want anymore slip ups in training. Talking of slip ups I tripped spectacularly on the Tarmac last night doing a night town run, managed to avoid my face hitting the ground by some weird manoeuvre and quick reaction so now have sore shoulder, elbow and knee oh it just goes on. Roll on march 26th for me;) got my race pack today too eek!

    Glad you sorted your injury. I'm taking huge amounts of vit c and zinc to try and ward off anything else but with 2 small kids I reckon something will hit again!
  • Well I just completed my first 10 miler in about a month. It was gruelling, half way thro I so wanted to stop mentally and physically I was struggling. I got pain on the opposite side to my shin splints my legs felt heavy, I had no energy but being so far from home with no mobile I had to keep going. I finished and although a bit slower I think the main thing is finished. That's how it will be on the day now getting over the finish line no big 2hrs or less finish goal time. So 1 down 2 to go with my 10ks in between. Am considering getting a bit of sports massage done to help my situation. I keep being told its undulating I hope all the big local hills here are enough to help me and undulating will be 'easy' in comparison;)
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