34 year old - trying to start jogging/running and shins are in pain!

[Anonymous]

If you want to continue running don’t give up, because shin pain is very common for beginners. Plenty of people get shin splints and eventually move past them. Run with your natural gait unless an expert tells you that your gait needs refinement, and rest as much as you need to. Don’t run if you’re in pain!

[Anonymous]

I would pick a different exercise. Walk, swim, cycle. Better for you

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. How can I start slower?

I power walk/walk, sprint, run, walk on and off for a mile.

Should I do less than that?

Is this what you do every time?
I would start with walk/slow jog for equal periods of time for each (1 minute walk, one minute jog, or 2 min each or 3). Every other day, just walk. It will feel too slow but you should start off easy, as in, have enough breath to be able to carry a conversation throughout.
Would ditch the sprints for now.
Would measure by time instead of distance at first and gradually build up the time, then graduate to the sprints and measuring by distance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. How can I start slower?

I power walk/walk, sprint, run, walk on and off for a mile.

Should I do less than that?

Yes, you should do less than that! If your body hurts, do less. And then you can build to more. What I’ve done when getting myself back into running (I get back in then fall out a lot) is set a distance, generally 2.5 miles, that I’ll cover. The first months is walking with some jogging. Not sprinting! Like 30 seconds of jogging then 2 miles of walking. Slowly add more. Some part of you will be what holds you back - your cardio fitness, or it sounds like for you it’s leg strength (shin splits are from calf weakness, from what I understand). For me it’s my Achilles’ tendons - I can only add running at the speed of those tendons stretching and getting more flexible. Go at that speed of adding running.

[Anonymous]

Try a running plan like Couch to 5 K that gently works you up from walk-running to full running. There are apps you can get on your phone. Also make sure you are stretching and strengthening your core.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. How can I start slower?

I power walk/walk, sprint, run, walk on and off for a mile.

Should I do less than that?

Stop the sprinting. It should be walk moderate jog very very slow then walk moderate, building to a very slow jog. Might be the shoes- just because pacers recommends something doesn’t mean it’s right for you. Try basic new balance running shoes or ASICS. Slow your pace, stretch, stretch. I have a friend who ran in Nike shocks in the early 2000s as recommended by fleet feet, got shin splints then stress fractures. Yes I have been running since 1998, and am not thin.

[Anonymous]

YOGA. Running is for those who have a strange god given desire to do it. I am athletic and have tried many times to get into it. It never takes. I do Bikram yoga often and cycle.

[Anonymous]

When I had shin splints, it was excruciating pain when I would walk. It happened because I ran too fast down a hill. I didn't realize how fast I was going because I was feeling so good.

I rested and slowly did exercises for it - like the alphabet toe exercise and walking on my heels inside the house at times.

Good luck. Don't give up. Maybe try to have a shorter gait when you run, almost like small little steps. Also, just run. Don't power walk or anything else, see if you can rule out which part of your workout is triggering the pain. Just jog and recover walk.

[Anonymous]

Run much more slowly than you think you should. The biggest mistake new runners make is running too fast to start off. Aim for a 14 minute mile, barely faster than walking. And do this in small intervals, like one block jogging alternating with one block of walking. Use time as a measure at first, then you can focus on covering distances.

[Anonymous]

I sometimes wear knee-high compression socks for support (either while I'm running or afterward, if I'm feeling shin pain)

Don't run more than two days in a row (until you're in better shape... Obviously some experienced runners run daily, but their bodies are used to it)

I'd also recommend cross-training - do some leg-based strength training and yoga on your off-days

[Anonymous]

Putting mini Dixie cups 50-75%water in the freezer to make perfect icing tools to rub up/down the shins. Old rule was 20 mins on a couple times a day.

Good luck!!

And thanks for an inspiring supportive thread! I may get back into running!

[Anonymous]

The best shin stretch I know is to stand with your heels together, toes pointed out like a v (or first position in ballet) then keep your legs straight and try to touch your toes. You have to really hold the stretch for at least 10 seconds. Do this ten times. Then reverse your toes so they are pointing in like a reverse v, like you’re pigeon toed and try to touch your toes keeping legs straight. Do ten. Also, squatting down and rocking/rolling back on your heels then forward to your toes helps. Do these stretches before and after you run.

[Anonymous]

Read Born to Run by Christopher McDougall. He talks about the proper form to run. Your foot shouldn’t be “striking” the ground.
Also stretch after your run.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Run much more slowly than you think you should. The biggest mistake new runners make is running too fast to start off. Aim for a 14 minute mile, barely faster than walking. And do this in small intervals, like one block jogging alternating with one block of walking. Use time as a measure at first, then you can focus on covering distances.

Yep. You're getting great advice. Dial it WAY back, no sprinting, no toe running. Build up your strength gradually, with lots of stretching.

[Anonymous]

Saw this article today and thought of this thread.

https://www.runnersworld.com/health-injuries/a36650122/heel-striking/