One month on......

[Frankel]

i graduated a month ago, and have completed several 5k's including my first Parkrun at Wicksteed Park Kettering. Ran with a colleague and smashed my PB with time of 27:12 fantastic experience really bizarre seeing all the runners coming together, also fab course round the lake, the following Monday i did my usual 5k route even though still a little sore, then my shin splints returned.

Have taken a week off to recover, also bought calf sleeves to see if that would help, went for run this morning a different route down a bridleway to avoid hard pavements went nice and slow and completed 5k in just over 31 mins.

Legs don't feel too bad now but i guess time will tell, i plan on having 2 rest days between runs to hopefully avoid shin splints for time being.

So far i've had ups (parkrun) and downs (shinsplints) but am enjoying my running and find it frustrating when on IC.

Feels strange to call myself a runner but am starting to believe thats what i now am, to anyone on the fabulous c25k journey keep going it really does work, aside from quitting smoking it's the best life change i have ever made.

[misswobble Graduate]

27 mins is fast! Slow things down ! Avoid Parkrun if it makes your competitive streak unavoidable. Shin splints is made worse by all that leg slamming that comes with fast running.

Shin splints is terrible!

It takes 18 to 24 months to build running legs, so go steady.

[agedsnailspace Graduate]

Try shortening your stride when you run (so up the cadence/footfall rather than pushing off in big steps). Ideally you should be landing with your foot under your centre of mass, not ahead of it. This will lessen the impact on your shins, so might help. If parkrun makes you too competitive, try offering to pace at a slower rate. It's harder than you might think to run slower than you can - and a great feeling if you manage to get someone else to a pb!