NEW to running, having a very HARD time.
SSCK2005
Posts: 8 Member
HEY!! I am 36 year old female. I am 5' even and about 40 pounds overweight. I recently started running. For 2 reasons. I want to lose weight and I want to start running 5K's and eventually a marathon. I have gotten a mile down to 14 minutes, which was 19 when I stated about a month ago. My endurance is getting better and I am loving it, BUT my shins are hurting terribly. Burning, Burning Burning! I bought new running shoes, did not help. I stretch thouroughly, not working. I bought ankle supports, NOPE!!! I am feeling very defeated because I can't get over the pain, which is making me resort to walking (which hurts just as bad) so I feel as though I am backing up instead of moving forward to reach my goal of my 5K. ANY suggestions would be wonderful!!!!
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Replies
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Early on I struggled with shin splints. The advice I was given was:
1. Get fitted for running shoes. Many overweight people overpronate (I do) and the right shoes can help correct that, which helps everything from your toes up.
2. Don't do too much, too quick. I finally settled on an app called GetRunning (similar to Couch to 5k) and learned that I was going way too far early on.
3. The exercise that helped me was sitting in a chair and writing the alphabet with my toes up in the air. I guess it stretches & strengthens everything that runs along the shins.
I did all three of these, and haven't suffered from shin splints since. I was also told to avoid sidewalks and roads in favor of trails and tracks. I didn't change where I run, though. It's still mostly on the road, with occassional track and trail workouts.
Good luck and feel better 0 -
shin splints are a pita.
I think everyone has experienced them in one form or another.
One of the reasons I gave up running in high school was because of shin splints.
I'm running a lot more now than I was in high school and i'm happy to say that i have not experienced them this time around.
One thing I have learned is research, it's really important. Why research, well if I have an injury (like shin splints), then I want to know as much as possible I can about them.
What I learned is the following:
1. shoes, make sure you get properly fitted
2. it's not about speed. you are properly going to hard, to fast too soon.
3. it's ok to go slow, don't worry about your time or your distance.
4. slowly increase your speed an distance.
When I first started to run again I went 3km, and that was hard, i felt like I was going to die. But I did it and I slowly increased my speed. Now I'm working my way up to a 1/2 marathon.
There are great apps out there. c25k is fantastic. but my other fav is the runners world app. what I love about it, it is that it's FREE and you can create a running plan based on you. beginner/advance/distance etc. And you are only running 3 days a week.
Things to help you with shin splints are obviously not running so hard or fast, stretching, but also doing strength exercises. have monkey toes, and pick things up with your toes. sounds weird but it does work and help.0 -
HEY!! I am 36 year old female. I am 5' even and about 40 pounds overweight. I recently started running. For 2 reasons. I want to lose weight and I want to start running 5K's and eventually a marathon. I have gotten a mile down to 14 minutes, which was 19 when I stated about a month ago. My endurance is getting better and I am loving it, BUT my shins are hurting terribly. Burning, Burning Burning! I bought new running shoes, did not help. I stretch thouroughly, not working. I bought ankle supports, NOPE!!! I am feeling very defeated because I can't get over the pain, which is making me resort to walking (which hurts just as bad) so I feel as though I am backing up instead of moving forward to reach my goal of my 5K. ANY suggestions would be wonderful!!!!0
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I also agree that you are running too fast. SLow it down but keep the distance. If you run atleast three days a week you will build up
the stamina and your shins will buidl muscle to support you.0 -
I'm 28, and 58 pounds overweight. I used to run when I was younger and just started back up again regularly as of 2 months ago. I'd have to agree with everyone that you are pushing yourself too hard. I run 3-4 days a week. 6 months ago, I was running and so focused on pace that my shins would hurt too. I quit because I was so tired of the pain and frustrated.
After I stopped focusing on the pace, it all felt better. I went from the same thing 18minutes, down to 14 (but NO pain). The biggest key is Your time will come as your endurance builds.
Also a major factor : I've been reading so much on running also to focus on the way I run. (Heal striking vs mid-food striking). I learned that once I stopped heel striking that my shin pain stopped. There are great articles out there about how to run, and of course everyone has their own opinion.
Best of luck!0
