Just about to start week 3. What is this pain in my leg?

[kaycdee]

I've just completed my first two weeks of training and thought I was doing really well. Now though I have developed an ache in my left shin at the front. Could this be the dreaded shin splints? If it is then all the advice on the internet tells me to rest for at least two weeks, but that will mean starting all over again!!! Advice needed please.

[Tiger79 Graduate]

Google toe taps shin splints. And a video comes up. Worked for me to help mine.

Also good trainers and in soles

[kaycdee]

Thanks. I'll give it a try

[helenbones Graduate]

sounds like it may be shin splints but rather than getting hung up on a diagnosis getting gait analysis can work wonders - my daughter had very similar problem and we went to a specialist store. It wasn't cheap (about £100 for the analysis and the trainers) but money well spent as she can now run further and much more comfortably. Look on it as investing in yourself. she didn't stop running either - just eased off a little

[ChrisL Graduate]

Gait analysis & decent running shoes need not cost the earth. Gait analysis is free in most decent specialist running shops (avoid SportsDirect, Go Outdoors & other general sports shops). I went to SweatShop (national chain) and told the guy I was on a tight budget. He fitted me into a pair of last years model shoes for £45 (less than half price).

[kaycdee]

Thanks. I'm getting this ache when I walk as well, not just when running. Not sure what to do about today's run.

[jenniej Graduate]

I agree with the others about gait analysis & trainers from a specialist running shop. Sweatshop are great.

If your leg is very sore then maybe give today's run a miss and go out tomorrow and see how you get on. I had shin splints in the early weeks of the program and what worked for me was to go out every third day. The shin splints disappeared by week5. Also make sure you stretch your legs after each run - standing calf stretch & calf raises on a stair are really good. Good luck!

[kaycdee in reply to jenniej]

Thanks, I'm certainly going to look into gait analysis (if I can run for long enough for them to get a measurement!!!).

[Hidden in reply to kaycdee]

Welcome and well done for getting the first two weeks out of the way. You don't need to worry about running 'long enough' for the shop to get a gait analysis. They video you from behind, from just above the knee downwards and it takes less than a minute. You can see the video afterwards showing you what your gait is like. When they sort out the right shoes for you they can video you again showing the correction as you run. Good luck and best wishes.

[grannyjudes Graduate]

need a gait as well, annoying because I daftly just paid £90 for trainers off the shelf , silly me !!

[Hidden in reply to grannyjudes]

Can you not take them back - it's a lot of money for shoes that may not be the correct ones. My everyday trainers for walking and general purpose usually cost me about £30/£35 but I spend a lot more on running shoes and, therefore, expect to get a decent service from the shop concerned. If they cannot (or do not) offer gait analysis I will simply walk away. Actually, see my post 'On the subject of buying shoes'. Good luck and best wishes.

[kaycdee]

Just back from my run. Wk3 R1. I did 2 x 3min runs!!! So pleased. Shins were fine; strangely it was my lower calves that were hurting. I mean REALLY hurting. But Laura kept telling me not to stop, so I didn't!

[grannyjudes Graduate]

Im the same but mine is my knees, I am at week 3 as well. Not sure what to do, I so want to do this, good luck to both of us I say. We will do it Kaycdee sometime !!

[runningnearbeirut Graduate]

I've had pain in my calves before, and had to find a diagram of the leg muscles and then google the name of the one that was hurting me to find the right stretches to do (soleus in my case). That really helped.

[grannyjudes Graduate]

No Fit mo, I popped in today, explained I was hurting, all I got was a shrug !!!! ( well kinda, not really interested )

[grannyjudes Graduate]

right Kayc game on, if you can do it I am going to try, tomorrow morning at silly o

clock, out I will go , take it easy and see what happens !!

[kaycdee in reply to grannyjudes]

Good luck. Let us know how it goes

[grannyjudes Graduate]

still waiting for silly o clock, tomorrow is my day as I decided to wait until I was painfree

[kaycdee]

did you do it grannyjudes?

[grannyjudes Graduate in reply to kaycdee]

tomorrow kaycdee I am on W4R2, R! was great, ran it with 4 year old grand daughter, totally surprised myself as Id been struggling but feel I have turned a corner, go me !!

[kaycdee in reply to grannyjudes]

That's brilliant. Well done. I couldn't do the last 5 min run of wk4 r1 and then I hurt my knee and haven't been able to run for a week. I hope to get back into it soon.