Shin splints, cramp & general pain!!

Hi all

I've been running on and off now for over 6 months and have recently started training properly & in a structured fashion for a half marathon next March.

Albeit it short and sweet i'll have a couple of good runs thinking I can take on the world and then about every 1 in 3 i'll get a stitch or my shin splints will rear their ugly head and so it goes on.

I just need to know whether or not these things will go as I progress & my body gets used to the running or will I be in intermittent pain for the duration of my training.

Are these common complaints??

HELP ME!!!

Shinsplits can sometimes just be a case of getting used to the impact of running and they may go away by themselves if you're lucky as your legs strengthen.

However, if your shinsplints are indicative of mechanical problems then they are unlikely to go away by themselves, may get worse and probably come back after resting.

You have to find out what's causing them.

Stitches... you may be running too fast.

Cramps... you could be dehydrated.

How do you find out whats causing them & Are there any exercises I can do to help ease them?

You could have a gait analysis in a decent running shop to ensure your shoes meet the needs of your feet and are compatible with your running style...

You could see a physio or sports podiatrist (can be expensive, but then so can injuries be...)...  a physio can give you strength building exercises to do after they've made an assessment.

You could try running on softer surfaces such as grass or track, that sometimes helps...

Sit on the sofa and write the alphabet in the air with your big toes like they were the pen - read that on a forum somewhere - it's something to do with the muscle attaching itself to the shin bone and by rotating your ankles it moves the muscle - something like that - but if you don't want to look like a complete idiot - just put shin splits in the search engine on the home page - it will give you less moronic exercises!