Newbie

[Longscot]

Hello everyone, Colin here at the age of 58 deciding to do somthing about my health. Really struggling with shin splints though and not getting past first week of Couch to 5k for 3 weeks now. Any advice out there in the running would be greatly appreciated, thanks.

[RJN12 Graduate]

Great that you have decided to get started. If the shin pain is bad, I would hold off and do loads of shin splint specific exercises (YouTube is your friend). I would also find a runners’ shop (e.g. runners need) and have a gait analysis and talk to them. The right shoes can make an enormous difference. Also, my orthopaedic said to use ibuprofen gel on the shin twice a day for a couple of months to sort the inflammation.

[Longscot in reply to RJN12]

Thanks for your reply. I'll get onto everything you suggested, thanks.

[GoogleMe Graduate]

When you say you've not got past Week 1 for 3 weeks, do you mean that you have had nine sessions? And you haven't had three sessions in which you've maintained a walking motion throughout walk segments and running motions throughout the run segments? If you have, you are ready to move on - definitely do not assume that Week 1 has to be easy first... Week 1 is, for many of us, The Worst, even if we're returning to the programme well able to run for an hour or two continuously.

My suggestions would be:

1) The standard C25K strong advice: slow down. Week 1 is hard because it is so easy to 'sprint'. I would suggestion not only slowing the running motion but also the walking (it's brisk walking that upsets my shins)

2) If you possibly can, get off hard surfaces... roads, pavements, even if that can only be some of your session or some sessions.

3) Do not faff about in your session. Run and walk at a slower pace as above with the aim of completing the session and be firm with yourself: if you drop the running motion in a run segment or you come to a standstill at any point (that isn't shoelaces etc), whilst it is a good idea to walk for the rest of the session rather than go home, don't go picking up the runs again. It will help you measure your progress and build determination if you have clear markers to get beyond.

[Running cured my shin splints where I'd suffered decades of pain... but that didn't happen in Week 1]

[Longscot in reply to GoogleMe]

Yes, your right. 9 sessions in total. Never felt like I was able to move on to week 2 in app. but your reply has given me the confidence to have a go. Many thanks.

[JoP61 Graduate]

When I started C25K I developed painful shin splints in week 3. I stopped running for about a week to 10 days and then resumed, and everything's been fine since. I did do some exercises during the break. It seems quite common for new runners to develop shin splints, so hopefully you can follow the excellent advice from RJN12 and GoogleMe and carry on with the programme. Good luck!👍

[Sjpalb]

Hi Colin, Omg I feel your pain !! Shin splints are the worse! My suggest would be to slow your pace down and go easy for a while, maybe before you start the c25k walk a bit further and then start it, I did c25k a few years back but have just recently taken it up again and it's about finding what's right for you x

Hope that helps x

Sara 😁

[Madwife60 Graduate]

Welcome to the club I too suffered with shin splints when I started but once I started doing regular warm ups and cool downs and leg exercises they stopped. I think it was a bit like my wheezy lungs - it took a while for them to recover from the shock of being asked to do more than sit on the couch and shuffle to and from the car Don’t give up - it will get better

[Longscot in reply to Madwife60]

Thanks for your support Madwife. I'll keep at it.👍

[newbie-nick Graduate]

Firstly, well done for getting out there and doing it. Secondly - S L O W D O W N. Running too fast [even though you think you are slower than a walker] caused mine. I slowed down, I thought about there world around me and not the running and they went. Also, as others have said, get a gait analysis done.

[Martlet76]

I started running at the age of 49. I went through phases of each and every muscle/tendon giving me gip. I just assumed this was necessary to build up my entire body resistance.

I just rested and slowed down, it took a while (longer than I originally hoped) but my body slowly got tuned up.

I think what you are experiencing is totally normal. So, just listen to your body and take time to build up your runs. You've waited for 58 years, a few more weeks isn't an issue.

Enjoy it

M76