'shin splints' is a term used for all sorts of things. I'm not the most technical person - but from what I understand it's just tendons (?) being stretched or over pulled for various reasons. Usually biochemical reasons - such as the way we run, what shoes we wear, how often we run, how we stretch extra.
You're not being a wuss! Listen to your body - just rest up and stretch - change training , and then ease back into it.
Melissa - this is my first marathon so i'm not expert. But having had shin splints and becoming a woman obssessed I now declare myself an expert on that subject! I think, from what the phsyio has said to me, that a week not running does not reduce your fittness as long as you do other exercise.
To mention aqua jogging again..........the only sport that is closest to running it aqua jogging.
.I was lucky enough to chat to the phsyio for the GB olympic team who did this training day for the London Marathon....she said that you don't lose any fittness doing that instead of land running, that you can carry on with your normal training in the pool (using time spent doing the activity instead of distance, and effort instead of pace). Someone did most of their training in the pool before doing marathon apparently. I fully recommend it.
She recommended for me to move all my training in the pool (threshold, steady runs, long runs etc), then one session a week move back onto land so that eventually you are running entirely on land again. This allows your legs to recover and you get to carry on with your training. Perfect.
