Sidelined by Shins - Spring Marathon

lucrece

10/03/2005 at 10:56

Argh! Just as I got over shin splints in the left leg, I went out last night for a tempo session and came back limping. It feels like someone has kicked me in the right shins. I've been applying ice and have left a message for the physio. Do I have time to recover between now and Sunday, or is Silverstone a total no-go?

So depressed.

Acer

10/03/2005 at 11:15

Have you tried Ibrophrufen Gel (sorry if its spelt wrong) I had Shin Splint the first marathon I trained for and it worked wonders for me.

lucrece

10/03/2005 at 11:33

I haven't tried the gel. What kind do you recommend and how did you use it?

Acer

10/03/2005 at 11:45

its just like the Ibrophrufen you would take in tablet form but come in a gel so it can be applied directly onto the skin.

As it an anti-inflammatory pain killer it gets to work on that specific area rather than your whole body.

Worked well for me.

travis bickle

10/03/2005 at 12:15

careful though it might only be a short term remedy and you could aggravate the problem further...get it checked out first

Acer

10/03/2005 at 12:22

Of course TB, Shin Splints is where the muscle starts to detach itself from the bone isn't it, does it get to a point and cant get any worse? I could hardly walk for a couple of weeks when I had them, but this gel kept me moving. I didnt know enough about running when I did my first marathon so I was naive enough to put the gel on and go and get on with it.

Now I'm on the couch every other week being sorted out for something.

discodragon

10/03/2005 at 12:26

be careful - i had really bad shin splints last year when training for the marathon and my feeling is that by doing silverstone you could really aggrevate the problem and if you're planning FLM then this just might push them over the point of no return.

ibuprofen gel has helped me in the past but is definitely no cure.

going to a physio and having ultrasound and laser treatment can aid quick healing.

good luck - i really sympathise.

Davey Muv

10/03/2005 at 12:32

If ignored, shin splints can develop into a stress fracture. You need to be very careful!
If the pain is bad enough to leave you limping, then unfortunately a half marathon is not a good idea right now.

Having said that, I carried on running when I had mine. I eased up the intensity of the training and when i did go out I ran very slowly. Combined with Ice, Ibufrofen and physio sessions, I was OK.

Best of Luck if you decide to run on Sunday, but take it easy!

lucrece

10/03/2005 at 14:07

Thanks for all the advice and well wishes. I spoke to the physio and he said I was doing all the right things--rest, elevation...but not to do silverstone unless I dramatically improved within the next 24 hrs.

I'll follow that advice, but of course I can't help feeling that if I can't do a half, how the heck am I supposed to do a full marathon next month? I really don't care about time as it's my first marathon, I just really want to get around.

Duck Girl

pirate

10/03/2005 at 14:24

REST - training'll make them worse.

discodragon

10/03/2005 at 15:08

you will be able to run the marathon - 4 weeks prior to it last year i couldn't run a step without bad pain - so i eased off dramatically - in fact two weeks prior to the marathon i didn't run AT ALL. I dosed up on voltarol - a strong inflammatory - and managed to finish the race in just under 5 hours. it's wasn't a particularly comfortable experience - especially the last six miles but actually, on the day i wasn't aware of my shins very much - i just hit the wall at mile 20 - my shins actually held up really well.

you will definitely be able to do it - don't worry.

lucrece

10/03/2005 at 15:23

that's really encouraging, disco. what sort of fitness level were you at when you stopped running during those two weeks? i've gotten up to 2.5 hr long runs for the past three weekends, but i'm very slow.

and do you need a prescription for voltarol?!

discodragon

11/03/2005 at 06:57

yes you do need a prescription. i was pretty fit my longest run about two weeks prior to the wheels falling off was 20 miles. also, what i did was decide to adopt the penguin run/walk method. so i ran a mile and then walked a minute from the very beginning of the race. i think that really helped with wear and tear on the shins.

just a word on voltarol - it's quite strong and it can cause upset stomach in some people. i had no problems with it however.

not sure if you saw an article in RW recently but one way to maintain good fitness is to use the rowing machine at the gym and of course cycle. if you take a complete break from running for a while i think you'll reap the benefits in the long run.

what have you decided regarding sunday?

lucrece

11/03/2005 at 15:17

thanks. silly question, but did you use your watch for the penguin method, or just estimate each minute?

i think, despite my very strong desire to do it, that i need to skip the half marathon. my biggest fear though is that i am completely deluded and stand no chance of completing the marathon. my longest run yet has been 2.5 hrs and i'm not sure how much mileage i've covered in that time. so silverstone would have been a good test for me. boo hoo hoo.

i'll give the rowing machine another try this weekend...

may i ask what time you did with the run/walk method?

discodragon

11/03/2005 at 15:26

i used the mile markers on the course and then used my watch to time the minute.

i did 4.58.

do you have a ballot place or are you running for charity? if things don't improve much in the next couple of weeks maybe you could think about deferrring?

lucrece

11/03/2005 at 16:15

i really don't want to difer, which is why i'm going to suck it up and miss the half marathon. i am running for charity.

sub-5 would suit me. i'll definitely apply your strategy on race day. at least psychologically it must make a world of difference. thanks again.

discodragon

11/03/2005 at 16:39

i actually started my run/walk program about 2 months before the big day. i suggest you try doing it on your next long runs - just to get your mentally and physically used to the change. i does feel a bit weird at first. if you're used to it then it won't stress you out on the day ie. another thing to worry about and remember to do etc.

well done for erring on the side of caution - i know how soul destroying it is.

Pantman

11/03/2005 at 16:57

Lucrece - soemtimes shin splints can clear up quick, but sometimes it can take months. Stress fractures are possible, so take care.

Almost certainly caused by overstriding - lift heel behind you rather than reaching in front. You should not land in front of your hips - land UNDER your body NOT in front of it.

Why not count your steps? 180 steps pre minute should be your MINIMUM. 3 per sec. You probably need more smaller steps and you could solve this thing long term...

Tara.

11/03/2005 at 17:17

Lucrece, my physio gave me a wicked stretch to do, if you want to gve me a call later I'll explain it, it's a bit of an odd one to do, it involves a towel and standing cross-legged!

If you don't run are you still gonna come up in Anita's car and watch?

Physio told me I can run so I'm going to attempt it despite not running properly for over a month - could be fun!!

lucrece

11/03/2005 at 17:30

thanks, pants. i think i take fairly small steps. i have also been running POSE since october, which also makes me have quicker turnover. but i will try counting my steps.

tara, let's talk later about the stretch. will see about sunday.

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