Running help.

Kal_n_130
Kal_n_130 Posts: 119 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
So i have a question.

Everyone that I talk to say running is the best thing ever. "Once you start running you get a runners high..."

I try my hardest to run and just cant do it.

A year or so ago i forced my self to wake up every morning and run around my sub. Id stretch, run one block, walk the next, then try running the farthest i could go before i felt like i would die. I did build up stamina and be able to go further with out being winded then i started getting shooting pains in my legs.. i was told it was shin splints?

Well a year later now i still try to run and the pain comes right back and i dont know what to do?? I can go on the elliptical or bikes just fine, but running i cant do.. Any one know how to fix this issue so id be able to run again?

Replies

  • crystalslight
    crystalslight Posts: 322 Member
    Invest in some good running shoes.
    I used to get shin splints a ton. Then I went to a running store and they told me what kind of shoe I needed. Haven't had a shin splint since.
    Keep it up. :)
  • caitwinmary
    caitwinmary Posts: 18
    yes deffffffff get new running sneaks! I have the same problem and would get bad shin splints! My doctor told me it was because of the way i run and how my foot lands on the ground, I believe she said that I overpronate my foot causing the shin splints. But I got a pai of asics with really good support and all of a sudden it went away lol
  • Kal_n_130
    Kal_n_130 Posts: 119 Member
    I hope that is all i need, i did buy new running shoes when i first tried it out so hopefully they were just the wrong kind for me
  • kimkim1123
    kimkim1123 Posts: 20
    Shin splints while running are commonly caused by low magnesium levels (even low in the so-called "normal" range). You could try a Magnesium supplement for a couple months and see if that helps. (best to take before bed - helps you sleep better). Take some of Brandon's. LOL Most of us should be supplementing magnesium anyways.
  • Kal_n_130
    Kal_n_130 Posts: 119 Member
    -Ohhh yeah Kim i never thought of the Magnesium! Im going to start taking them and see if it helps! And i know i really need new shoes now they are def getting worn down.

    Thanks Caitwin & Crystal> thats crazy that the pain just went a way with new shoes i really hope this works for me because its such a good work out all over.
  • karenstep
    karenstep Posts: 17 Member
    I get shin pain too when I run, especially when I first started. After shoes, I would recommend icing your shins after each run and also getting a foam roller. These 2 things have made a huge difference for me! I ice 45 mins each leg after every run, and sometimes on off days if there is any pain. I can totally tell if I skip an icing, I'll have pain back in my shins on the next run. If I ice consistently, there is very little or no pain. I've also used a foam roller for about a year - best thing ever! I usually roll my shins quickly before each run, and always after each run, after stretching. I roll my shins and calves, and it makes a huge difference - it hurts at first, but really helps. It can be time consuming and you have to be deligent especially in the beginning, but it is worth it and it helps....I wouldn't be able to run if not for ice and rolling.
  • Kal_n_130
    Kal_n_130 Posts: 119 Member
    I get shin pain too when I run, especially when I first started. After shoes, I would recommend icing your shins after each run and also getting a foam roller. These 2 things have made a huge difference for me! I ice 45 mins each leg after every run, and sometimes on off days if there is any pain. I can totally tell if I skip an icing, I'll have pain back in my shins on the next run. If I ice consistently, there is very little or no pain. I've also used a foam roller for about a year - best thing ever! I usually roll my shins quickly before each run, and always after each run, after stretching. I roll my shins and calves, and it makes a huge difference - it hurts at first, but really helps. It can be time consuming and you have to be deligent especially in the beginning, but it is worth it and it helps....I wouldn't be able to run if not for ice and rolling.

    I really probably should have iced when it first happend but i will have to start doing this when i start just to make sure it doesnt happen as bad as it did before. What is rolling?
  • karenstep
    karenstep Posts: 17 Member

    I really probably should have iced when it first happend but i will have to start doing this when i start just to make sure it doesnt happen as bad as it did before. What is rolling?

    You get this large foam tube-like thing, I got mine at Target, and you basically put your legs on it and roll back and forth. It is meant to simulate like a deep tissue massage. So when I roll my shins, I squat down, put the roller under my knees and just roll onto it. You can lean to the sides to "work" different areas of the shin, but you just slowly roll back and forth on it. Then I sit down, put the roller under my calves, and do it again, roll back and forth - can do both legs at the same time, one leg at a time, etc. When I got mine I just googled it and watched a couple YouTube videos on it, they'll show you different ways to roll. If you have pain in your shins, it will hurt the first couple times! But by the time you roll for a few minutes it feels so much better.
  • Kal_n_130
    Kal_n_130 Posts: 119 Member
    Awesome im going to have to get that! im sure it hurts but feels amazing at the same time lol!
  • munny_p
    munny_p Posts: 73 Member
    So how do most people recommend starting to run? I have started doing as the OP said- running when I can/as long as I can stand it and walking (fast walk) the rest, hoping to build the stamina up- is this the right way to go about it? (Sorry to jack your thread, OP!) I have a nice pair of Asics.
  • Pebble321
    Pebble321 Posts: 6,423 Member
    OMG, I can't believe there are this many responses and no one has mentioned C25K!

    If you want to give running a try, get yourself a program to follow which guides you through gradually increasing run/walk intervals.
    C25K is great, but there are lots of others out there too.

    But, if you've given running a try and it just isn't for you - that's OK, do what you enjoy!
  • bettyacedog
    bettyacedog Posts: 6 Member
    Find a good Couch to 5K plan (http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml) This is a good way to start out slow and build up. It helps to break up the monotony also. I found a good podcast that I downloaded to my iPod so I could have music and someone telling me when to run and walk. Good Luck!
  • Kal_n_130
    Kal_n_130 Posts: 119 Member
    lol thats fine munny! (whats op?)
  • Kal_n_130
    Kal_n_130 Posts: 119 Member
    Thanks ruby & betty. I have seen people post about C5k but i never understood it?
    - Thnks for the website im reading it now :)
  • bettyacedog
    bettyacedog Posts: 6 Member
    I had another thought. See if there are any running groups in your area. I found a group that was run by one of our local shoe stores. There were runners at all levels and it was fun to have others to run with and to get tips.
  • lmc8774
    lmc8774 Posts: 129 Member
    You might just need to experiment with different types of shoes. I had shin problems that finally stopped me in my tracks on a half marathon and I found that switching to a more minimal shoe with a midfoot strike as opposed to a heel strike worked for me.

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