How to improve running speed.

skadoosh33

Hey guys, I am working on increasing my speed to improve my 5k and 10k. My PR for 5k is 28:11 and 6:50 mile were both last year. This year 29:05 I am trying again. It seems that if I run a 9 min/mile pace or faster I get shin splints. Now I have only been running for a few weeks and I have been trying Jeff Galloway's 10k interval training. It has been 3 weeks and my heart rate has already dropped by 10-15bpm at the same pace. So my cardio is improving but the shins are beginning to hurt again. Any suggestions on picking up the pace and avoiding shin splints at the same time?

skadoosh33

Really nothing? No runners on here?

mschilling

Is it possible that you have flat feet. I did while running track in high school and it got orthotic inserts and that seemed to help.

stmcfred

Have you tried compression socks? I don't wear them but my friend does and she said it helps her.

Or what about your shoes? How many miles do you have on your current pair? I had shin splints pretty bad but I had old shoes. Since I've gotten my newer pair I've been shin splint free.

LoveMyLife_NYC

make sure you've got awesome shoes and you are stretching all muscles in your legs really well. are you strength training also? i found when i started lifting weights regularly, my mile time improved by leaps and bounds.

Ecce_Signum

Really nothing? No runners on here?

A thought from a newbie runner, if you are getting shin splints running 9mm's to me that would mean your running too fast, try to slow down until it no longer hurts and run further. I don't know enough about you to really comment but I don't think it's a good idea to be running intervals after just 3 weeks of running. As an example, I start marathon training early May and prior to that am doing 12 weeks of base training and just banking as many slow (12mm) miles as possible before even thinking about intervals.

As for your HR that sounds like a great improvement so well done

bpotts44

Sounds like your form sucks. Work on quicking your cadence to 180 bpm and a midfoot landing. You may want to investigate switching to minimalist running especially since you have just recently started back up.

Leigh_b

It could be your shoes. If you haven't replaced them in a while they may be worn out or they may not be the right fit for your foot and/or gate.

I have severely flat arches which causes over pronation which, in turn, causes shin splints. I used motion control shoes for a while which helped but eventually went to the podiatrist and got custom orthotics.

The motion control shoes and orthotics do help quite a bit with the shin splints but when I start to build my mileage or have an extra hard run, they do come back a bit. There are several things I do to help prevent and recover from them when I get them:

1. I wear compression calf sleeves when I run

2. I wear compression calf sleeves for 24 hours after a long or tough interval run (a clean pair I didn't run in

3. I ice my shins on the days I run usually in the evening while watching TV after I've used the foam roller (see #5 below)

4. I am fanatical about stretching. Tight hamstrings make overpronation worse.

5. I use a foam roller on the top and back of my legs after every run and then again when I am relaxing in front of the tV in the evening to help roll out some of the muscle knots.

6. Soak in a hot tub with bath salts at least once a week. A lot of people told me this for a very long time before I actually tried it. I didn't think it would actually help, but it does!

Hope that helps!
Leigh

skadoosh33

Have you tried compression socks? I don't wear them but my friend does and she said it helps her.

Or what about your shoes? How many miles do you have on your current pair? I had shin splints pretty bad but I had old shoes. Since I've gotten my newer pair I've been shin splint free.

I have a pair of Brooks Pure Flow that seem to help. They were professionally fitted at a running store (got on treadmill and was recorded to make sure I was landing correctly). I was told that I am landing correctly and have good form. However, I am afraid to run faster than 7.0mph because I start to feel the pain again.

skadoosh33

Sounds like your form sucks. Work on quicking your cadence to 180 bpm and a midfoot landing. You may want to investigate switching to minimalist running especially since you have just recently started back up.

Thanks. I have gone to Boulder Running Co and they said my form was good when I ran on the treadmill for them. The put me in Brooks Pure Flow and I love them. This was last year and it helped for a while but then I had to stop. Now I am trying it again (with the same pair). I am in week 3 and they seem alright but I can feel it, like they are going to act up again soon.

mthr2

I'm a noob but I've read a few articles that concur that running slower for longer will up your speed naturally. It seems to be working for me a little at a time.

avgjoe4

I've noticed that I'm getting better while doing the C25K program on my iPhone as well as my shoes. I went to a shoe store and they fitted me for the type of running style and I bought the shin sleeves from Amazon called Zensah.