Last fall, a group of my friends and I signed up for The Rugged Maniac this upcoming March. Unfortunately, I just found out that my level 3 advanced krav test is this same day so I had to sell my ticket to another friend. :( At least the ticket didn't go to waste. Based on the race website and word of mouth, I think the obstacles are going to be pretty intense but I'm thinking during the wall climbs, rope swings and army crawls everyone will be able to catch their breath a bit from the actual running. I am super bummed I'm missing out on this. I think my friends are going to have such a good time and it will be an event to remember and talk about later. However, I've been training for this krav test for at least a year and I am ready and excited to test next month.
In preparation for this 5k obstacle course run, my friend has recently started running. Basically he is trying to transform from a skinny couch potato who huffs and puffs through a mile run (sorry Theo!) to a runner capable of doing a 5k in just a month or two. He texted me a few nights ago asking how to get rid of shin splints. I haven't had shin splints since high school but I do remember having them occasionally during soccer season and how brutal they were. So first, let me explain what these little leg terrors are. Some doctors and sports trainers say they are caused by an inflammation of the stretched tissue or overworked muscles that surround the tibia. Other sports scientists believe shin splints are actual tears in the leg muscles as they pull away from the bone. SICK.
Anyway, here's what I told my friend...
Cut back a bit... but not too much. Because shin splints are caused by an overworking and overuse of your leg muscles, specifically your calves. This overuse does two things: builds and strengthens the calf muscles (good) and put pressure and stress on your tibia and fibula bones (bad). Reduce incline running and running with lots of twists and turns. So you don't want to completely stop running because once you start again, you are likely to develop shin splints again pretty quickly. I would suggest reducing your mileage and the intensity of your runs. It's also smart to incorporate some sort of cross-training such as biking or swimming.
Get good running shoes. I cannot stress how important quality running shoes are. I log all of my miles in an Excel sheet daily. In this spreadsheet, I also track when I get new running shoes. I get new running shoes about 3 times a year (or every 400 miles or so). And I can actually feel when I am getting close to this mileage based on how my runs are going. When I start having a few runs in a row where I am feeling stressed and fatigued or notice an increased difficulty with a normally easy run I know it's about that time. And sure enough, I'll check my spreadsheet and I find that I've run around 400-500 miles in those shoes. And like magic, once I replace them, I feel like a brand new woman! There's a great place in Charleston called Try Sports that will fit you for running shoes through a series of assessments. You walk and run on a treadmill for a few minutes and they record and analyze your stride. They look at weight distribution, pronation, if you stray to one side more than the other, etc. to determine the best shoe for you. Then you get to try on several pair and run around the store (or outside if you're an outside runner) until you feel comfortable with a pair. Another reason I like this place is because all the workers are actual runners (or some form of athlete) and they know what they're talking about. In addition, they don't pressure you to buy anything right then, even after the assessment. I highly recommend having a professional fit you for good running shoes if you want to be a runner and enjoy running. Stretch. Stretching often gets overlooked because it's not exciting and you may not reap the benefits of it right away. But ignoring it can cause many problems, including shin splints. It's important to remember that stretching is part of your workout too. I promise, if you are consistent with it you will notice a huge difference in your level of energy, recovery time and overall athleticism over time. It will definitely make those extra 10-15 minutes you spent focusing on your muscles worth it. For shin splints specifically, stretching your Achilles tendon before and after runs is extremely helpful. Another neat trick I read about to help work out shin splints is to write the alphabet on the ground with your toes while seated. Another good stretch is to sit on the floor with your knees bent under you and your toes pointed straight back. Slowly sit back onto your heels and imagine pushing your ankles into the floor. You should feel the stretch in your muscles around your shin. Hold this stretch for 20 seconds and do it a few times. Stretches like these will help treat and prevent shin splints.
The most important thing I can say is to listen to your body. Believe me, I know it's very frustrating to have to stop or cut back your training. It kind of feels like a cop out. But in the long run, your body will thank you and you'll be a better, smarter runner for it.
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