Shinsplinty woe

[andygates]

Runners - can you suggest tricks to speed up the recovery of shinsplints? I'm suffering bigtime and still need to get a tennish miler in before the Exeter Half. Any and all tips, tricks, drugs, old wives and scuttlebutt are welcome.

Comments

[skean.livejournal.com]

Don't run the 10 miler?

As far as I know, the only thing that makes shin splints better is rest. The benefit of having better shins will out weigh any gain you get in cardio vascular from the 10 mile run.

In general, I'd say eat well (not excessively, just well), sleep well, and don't drink alcohol for at least 10 days before running.

A change of every day footwear (into something you know is comfy for you) might help, but its going to be relieving the symptoms more than curing it.

Alacerus might have some more concrete stuff - he was suffering a few weeks back with the same thing.

[andygates.livejournal.com]

You think I'll be okay with just a bunch of sixes and sevens under my belt?

[skean.livejournal.com]

For me, its mostly psychological. Doing the long distance will help you know you can do it. As you've done a half before - you know you can already, so there's that worry out of the way.

I think you'll be ok as long as you pace yourself realistically. You've got a feeling for how fit or not you are, and can plan a pace accordingly and stick to it.

The race is the 30th, so I think its debatable that a long run now would do much. If you could run it slow and steady without pain, then sure, you'd have 10 days to recover. But, if you shins hurt, your not going to be running well, which won't do much for your CV conditioning. You're more likely to hurt yourself, and your shins may well not recover by the race.

I'd be thinking about running 10-15 secs slower per km for the first half of the race than you were planning to see how you feel, then increasing it if you're ok.

[andygates.livejournal.com]

Fair enough, I'll take it sanely. You're right, I *have* done it before and I know that if I take a couple of gels (for mile five and ten) then I don't bonk and it works, more or less.

I'll spend more time in the pool then - need to work on the swim for that bloody tri, and it's non-loadbearing, non-jarring which can only help while keeping my CV condition up. Ta.

[skean.livejournal.com]

Tri is truly a daunting kit fest. I am just trying to figure out my shopping list and so far it seems to consist of:

-Tri suit (oh so sexy)
-Goggles (proper ones, not from the vending machine)
-Bike (how cheap a bike can I get away with? Down to £495 so far)
-Bike shoes (which I always fall off in)
-Bike helmut (or will my MTB one do?)
-Bike computer add on
-Elastic shoe laces
-Race belt (which they all reckon is worth it, but who knows)

[andygates.livejournal.com]

* I got some tri shorts - I'll pull my running singlet on at T1, can't afford a suit without at least a season's commitment and this is a dabble. £35ish and rather nice. And I'd look bellicacious in a tri suit - at least this season!

* Swimmers with contact lenses already have proper gogs. Nya-ha-ha ;)

* I've seen the bike Paul has tri'd on. It's, er, collectable - an old ten-speed. Like Lance says, it's not about the bike. Elaine's was entry-level for a new bike, about £250 IIRC. For some serious racing, I'd look at maybe the Specialized Allez and its Trek / Felt / etc etc equivalents. Remember to save some of your budget for tri bars (and to get race-legal ones!). And if you don't have one, get a good floorstanding pump - the one thing that makes *any* bike faster on the road is hard tyres.

* Shoes - if you want proper clip-in shoes, they start from about £40. You'd optionally (but probably) want to get pedals to match (from £20), otherwise toeclips. I *highly* recommend clipless pedals.

* Any kitemark lid is acceptable, I'll be riding in my M1, which is a very MTB one.

* Computers are cheap, from £15. These days, most have the basic functions you need. I still have a fetish for the venerable CatEye Mity3, incredibly reliable.

* I've gone with lace-lock toggles and cropped the existing laces instead. Don't like sproingy laces. I'll pay someone to film my transitions so you can see how bad an idea this really is.

* Race belt? Three quid. Popcorn.

[ravenbait.livejournal.com]

I had to take two weeks off because of my bastard knees. Went out last night on a 3 miler - there's not much round here that isn't off-road. I did wear my big knee braces but my knees were fine. More remarkably, no shin splints!

Having said that, now the outside of my right arse cheek is sore as all hell.

Maybe I'm just not built for running.

Have a rest, Munky. It'll be better for you in the long run (heh).

[andygates.livejournal.com]

I'd been meaning to ask about your knees. Good to hear they're behaving.

[ravenbait.livejournal.com]

Well, they're behaving so far.

How's the swimming coming?

[andygates.livejournal.com]

Today I got eight lengths nonstop (in something scary like seven minutes, don't laugh) but after two of crawl had to back down to breaststroke. Got eight or so lengths of crawl in among the rest of the session, so I know it's there. It's coming together, slowly and vaguely but it is coming. The stumbling point is breathing and Seal saying "close your nostrils" isn't terribly helpful. I seem to get a red "argh! breathe!" light as soon as I get my face underwater. Any tips on that, O Aquahippian?

Anyway, the requisite 8 means that I will survive to T1, and in that sort of time, only be one minute behind the old ladies and jellyfish and people in costumes. That minute I can take back when Nero carveth up their fat-tyred shoppers.

[ravenbait.livejournal.com]

For the aargh breathe, this is going to sound daft, but...

Get a large basin, one that means you can put your face in it without your ears or hair touching the sides.

Fill it with cold water (has to be cold) to the point where you can stick your face in it without water going all over you (or take it outside and dress light).

If you think you can stand it, shove some ice cubes in there as well.

Now just practise sticking your face in the water. No exercise, nothing to make you breathless, just face in water. Having the water cold will kick in the diving reflex. Keep doing that, every day, just for as long as you can, pushing your comfort zone each time, for about 10 minutes, less if you don't have the time.

Currently your instinct is telling you that you need to breathe too soon. It's a fear, not a physical demand. You need to learn to recognise genuine physical demand but you're being distracted by learning how to swim at the same time.

[andygates.livejournal.com]

Sounds like a plan and isn't too far off what I was considering. I'd identified that it wasn't a physical need - I don't *need* to breathe every crawlstroke but I justhavetofuckinggetsomeairNOWDAMMIT. Will do as sugested - ta.

[gedhrel.livejournal.com]

Exercise the appropriate muscles, especially after running. Stand up, one leg in front of the other, front leg as straight as possible (press up off a wall might help) and repeatedly raise the front of your foot whilst keeping the heel on the floor. Helps ease off the cramped feelings, anyway.

[andygates.livejournal.com]

That's an exercise for the anterior tibialis (strap muscle up the shin), right? Goodoh, will do. Ta again :)