Chris - I was in exactly your position last year!Training for Berlin 2006 - developed BAD shin splints 5 weeks out and had no choice but to stop running for over 3 weeks. I'd just got back to some short running about 11 days before, but had maintained my fitness by swimming like someone possessed in the meantime. I had been hoping for a sub 3:15 time and had been doing over 60 miles per week, with around 7 20+ milers. In the end I ran 3:23-ish which I was pleased with given the circumstances. I really don't think I lost a lot of fitness....I think the main reasons I was slower than I'd hoped for were that I was actually still injured, and the temperature was 26 degrees!By the way, I'm sure my shin splint recovery ended up being far longer than it would have otherwise been, due to my stubborness in doing the marathon regardless (oh yes, and the Great North Run the following week)....are you sure you are recovered enough?

I am doing the Berlin Marathon in 2 weeks time and I would be keen to get an opinion on  how much fitness i would have lost due to not training over the past 3 weeks due to shin splints. I had been hoping to do a 3.30 hr marathon but providing i can shake off the injury is this still possible? The facts are: I have plenty of miles in my legs having averaged 35 miles a week for the past 12 weeks and having completed 3 20 mile runs (the last being on the 27th of August). I completed a 10 mile race in 70 mins on the 11th Aug and a 1 hr 36 half marathon on the 24th of August Any views welcome?