Week 3 run 1

[RunningForBroke]

Definitely not an easy run for me. By the end of the second 3 minute run I felt like I had a gremlin wrapped around each leg, but I finished the run. My shins are a bit pissed with me at the moment, but I think they will recover just fine during my rest day. It was cooler today and sprinkled a bit. Pretty as always.

[laurav33 Graduate]

Well done for finishing the run! I'm on week 6 now and I felt just like this in the earlier runs. But keep going, you can do it! (-I am also telling myself this as my next run is 25mins non stop! Help!!)

[gary_bart]

Good for you. It's OK to be a bit cruel to one's shins (provided you remain sensible about it). Being cruel to a knee is another matter, as a general rule. Hey, if you're noticing things are pretty around you, you're at least getting some enjoyment from it, too?

[RunningForBroke Graduate in reply to gary_bart]

Hi Gary, yes I am enjoying being out in nature. I have a feeling that by the end of this I'm going to be hooked on running. I have a lot of work to do first, but I'm already liking some aspects of it.😎

[gary_bart in reply to RunningForBroke]

Good to see that you're already getting more out of it than just something extrinsic. That aspect gets better and better to the point where what worries you about any niggle or injury is that it might stop you running for a while (as you'll have frequently seen on this forum).

One thing that might help a bit with the shins is to do your entire session "outward bound" whenever you get enough time to do that. Don't run a circuit; run "away", and then after it all, take a nice gentle stroll back to the start. I find that this is a good way of getting out all the stiffness. Probably in physiological terms (if it even really works) what's happening is any lactic acid you produced gets consumed as fuel for your walk (lactic acid can be metabolised, apparently).

The other thing to try is a bit of stretching. If anything, be downright languid about this. No jerking. The cat is a good model for how to stretch. (They're experts, so copy them).

Apparently during the warm-up it helps to do "dynamic stretches" (but not static ones), but you'll have to ask someone who knows more about that. I try this, but I don't know if it's actually helped much, to be honest. The stretching afterwards and the long walk home definitely feel right to me, though.

[RunningForBroke Graduate in reply to gary_bart]

Honestly a big part of it for me (besides the nature) is the feeling of coming back "the runner triumphant". I'm getting a wee bit hooked on the feeling of success. It's lovely to be outside and achieving my goals.

[gary_bart in reply to RunningForBroke]

I know what you mean. That's a good way of putting it. I also feel very pleased with myself coming back on good days. (Sometimes I grumble my way back, and have to think rather than feel my way back to a happy mood and good attitude, but even that is just a slow cooked version of the same "the runner triumphant" feeling that comes from overcoming like this.)

[Irishprincess Graduate]

Ooh I like your shoes! Lovely colour. Well done on the run and make sure you stretch afterwards.

[RunningForBroke Graduate in reply to Irishprincess]

Thank you Irishprincess! I love the shoes too! I am stretching before and after a run. Also, I'm already feeling much less sore. I think I'm bouncing back more quickly as I progress. 😃

[Hidden]

Hi RunningForBroke!

Ooh I'm scared now - I'll be doing this run tomorrow! Well done on finishing it! I'm going to remember that slow and steady wins the race (walk!)

Lucy

[RunningForBroke Graduate in reply to Hidden]

Lucy, don't be scared. 😊 I may have had to argue a bit with the gremlins at the end, but I got there and I feel great. If I can do it, so can you!

[Curlygurly2 Graduate]

Nice shoes, they're Mizuno's I think no?

[RunningForBroke Graduate in reply to Curlygurly2]

Yeah they are. 😊

[RunningForBroke Graduate in reply to Curlygurly2]

Yep! They are Mizunos. 😊

[RunningForBroke Graduate in reply to Curlygurly2]

Yep, they are Mizunos. I love them!

[Curlygurly2 Graduate in reply to RunningForBroke]

I have them in white, that turqoise, and pink!

[mfamilias Graduate]

LOVE those blue shoes (time to sing a bit of Elvis)! Well done for booting that run's backside despite the gremlins. Shin splints sometimes appear if you strike the ground with your heel - if you do, try to land on the middle of your foot, below your hips and not "up front".

[RunningForBroke Graduate in reply to mfamilias]

I am already landing midfoot, but might be over striding. I'll try to watch that when I go back out tomorrow.