Sparrows Experiment

What exactly are shin splints? I've always heard that coming from runners but never knew what it meant? Does it come from overtraining or too much running?
 
Shin splints are a generic term for "lower leg pain" that happens below the knee. Its more professional name is "medial tibial stress syndrome" . SOme reasons why it happens is tightness and inflexibility in your calf muscles, an imbalance between your posterior and anterior muscles, allignment issues or the way your foot hits the surface, like rolling inward (pronating). They can happen because of these things or a sudden increase in running, or speed work. I used to think that shin splints were just a petty little injury that wasn't so serious in the scheme of it all. that you just work through them and eventually they go away. I've found thats really faulty. They can be quite serious, even leading to stress fractures which can end up in full on fractures that have to be casted. Running on them doesn't make them better, only rest does...and even that, I'm finding is not necessarily the only ingredient. The only way they'll go away is to find out the cause of what started them in the first place, and I can't pin point the reason for mine. I know I have a leg length discrepency and I'm slightly "knock-kneed". I know I"m terribly inflexible in my calf and ankles and that an imbalance is most likely my issue. What I can't understand is that I have been running the same way, the same amount for a long long time and just recently they show up. I've never dealt with them before in all my years and years of sports.
Anyway, I had the MRI today and we'll see what comes of that. I hated that experience. it was very cholosterphobic and horrible to stay still for so long. It took about an hour an a half.
 
Well it could be a simple fact of aging - that the parts just wear down after prolonged use. Have you considered something like yoga for the flexibility?
 
stingo said:
Well it could be a simple fact of aging - that the parts just wear down after prolonged use. Have you considered something like yoga for the flexibility?
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Well that will make my life feel VERY long if I'm "aging" in my joints right now! I'm not even 30!!! :eek: yeah I have considered yoga. the only time our gym offers yoga is at night, and I can't go then :(
 
Swam 2000 before the sun came up
Later in the day:
Eliptical 60 min
Stairs 15 min

I ate way too much protein today and not enough water. urp.
 
Went on a ride today with some pals. I really felt like I shouldn't go because I've been fighting something for a couple days, but I didn't want to wimp out so I went. Always listen to your gut. It was really challenging, even the weenie stuff was challenging and we had a pretty significant headwind the whole morning no matter what direction we went. Ended up at 30 miles and none of it was impressive. I think I averaged 16 mph or something lame.
I've slept and ate the rest of the day. I have some fierce cravings going on and I feel like I've been eating non-stop today, though its been healthy, on the whole. I weighed today, haven't done that for a really long time. I was 133 which is great, considering my diet has been loosey-goosey for a while. Last time I weighed I was 138 :eek:, but it was a lean 138, and since fitting in my clothes haven't changed, much I'm going to do my BF tomorrow. I suspect its a bit higher these days.
 
60 min eliptical level 14
15 min moving stairs
10 min run 5.5 (soo sad)
Full body weights 2 sets of 12 on everything
Today was an active rest day. None of it was especially challenging but it go the blood flowing. I actually want to go back and swim. tomorrow I'm going on vacation for 10 days. Bringing my bike etc. It won't be a vacation from training. I'd hoped to "get back on track" today with my diet, but it ain't happening. That'll have to wait till after I get back I think.
Body fat was 16.0%, hardly an increase so thats good..and was unexpected. Especially with my crappy diet. I'm going to let this journal rest for a while. Its kinda the same ol stuff and I don't have anything interesting to post till i start racing anyway. See y'all later!
 
Thanks. I'm checking in :D Truth is, this site is a habit for me now. Hard to stay away too long.

I'm on vacation 2 states away. Its really nice here, we're on the Washington coast. I'm not sure we've ever taken such a long vacation. It'll be over in 2 days. sniff. Then the drive. ick.

I've kept up some of my stuff. I forgot to deflate my wheels and the elevation through the mountains made the pressure so great in one of them that it burst my tube! I didn't have a back up and we're in a small little place without a bike shop. bummmmmm. So I have my bike up here for nothing. I have used the stationary bike like a spin bike. I put my groovy music on and dimmed the lights in the workout room and put it on a hill program. haha. It worked. I was wiped out after 45 minutes! I've done that a few times and I've run a total of 9 miles with super minimal pain! yesterday I did 5 miles at an 8:30 pace which is way quicker than I've been able to go for a while. I'm happy about that, but still being very cautious. In an hour we're taking the kids to swim and I'm going to do some laps in the pool. My first triathlon is in 2weeks. yikes. It'll be more of a "see where I'm at" sort of race than anything.
 
Got the MRI results. No stress fractures. Only chronic anterior and posterior shin splints. He said it looked pretty bad based on the pictures. Glad its not been all in my head!! Now here lies the problem...I AM doing this triathlon in 2 weeks, and after that a month later I have an olympic distance one, which has been the real goal. He told me not to run for 4 more weeks. I know the "wise thing to do" is to listen to that wisdom, but I'm a hard-headed sucker with a huge drive to conquer these things I've been training so hard for.
on another note. today was the first day of coaching the masters swim team at my club. I had 21 people show and it was a successful first day! I can't wait till Wednesday.
I had to move my workout to later in the day. I did 3000yd swim and arm weights. the arms are looking a bit manly again. I can't believe how easily muscle just packs on there. Not real excited about that.
I'm trying to get back on the wagon with eating. Vacation threw me a little but I was less when I came home than when I went :D gotta love that.
 
I know you may want to do that race, and I realize you have worked REALLY hard, but shouldn't you listen to your body and your doctor?? You don't want to overdo it and then get into really bad trouble...right?

Take care......
 
Well as for now, the situation seems much better. I was shocked when he told me the MRI results since I seriously have been in sooo much less pain. I've basically taken 2 1/2 months off from seriously running. I run like once a week and its a pathetic run. Its only been in this last week or two that I have gotten to run any significant distance or speed. I'm just taking it day by day. Generally speaking my body tends to heal up quickly so this has knocked me on my butt but if I really relax with the running, do it every now and then to maintain and swim and bike heavily, I should be fine for the races. THe longest run I'll do in any race is 6 miles and since its at the end of the race my legs will be more than warmed up. We'll see, I am starting to learn my limits...slowly :)
 
yesterday I went to tri class and did a "hill run" on the tread. It was 33 minutes with various grades, the biggest being 8%. My base pace was 6.5 on hills and I only went up to 7.8 for my fastest clip on a flat. After that we did a ton of drills and sprints. Very little pain during the whole thing, (and even then it was knee pain) and no issues last night afterwards. I woke up EXTREMELY sore. I went to spin class before I coached. that was challenging on such sore legs.
I've been averaging 1300-1400 cals and trying to add in more carbs packed around my workouts. I've found a correlation between the amount of carbs I eat and my leg pain. Less carbs=more pain. weird. I think its funny how a lot of women have a hard time adding protein, when I have the opposite problem of adding carbs. I could live on protein alone if it was healthy. I love it.
 
Today was a timed swim with Tri class. I did a mile swim which is 72 laps and the distance I'll do for my olympic distance tri in June. I stopped at the half way mark 36 laps since thats what I'll do for the tri next weekend. My time for 36 laps was 12:59 and for the 72 26:05. Pretty even split. It was harder than I thought it would be. I'm still pretty sore from running on Tuesday and my arms were sore from doing things like wheelbarrows, burpies and crab walks across the gym floor after the running. After the swim we did a half hour of spin and then 15 min of core. Tiring day.
I've had a lot of cravings today but have tried to just take one bite of things I'm seeking after. It seems to be working. Water is the thing I'm lacking these days. Probably most of my problem with the cravings..just need more water.
 
Yesterday I did a 4 mile run at 8:30 pace followed by stairs for 20 min and weights. I feel really strong again in the weight room...but I also look like I feel. lol. I hate that part cause it doesn't look "dainty" by any means.
I'm going to start posting my menu for a bit again just to keep accountable. I don't really care about what its totalling so much because it is working for me. I don't really cout calories on a daily basis, I just am trying to stay healthy and balanced. The goal this week is to eat "cleaner" and increase water for the upcoming weekend. I won't be working out today.

Break: 5 egg whites, 1/4 x-large bagel, 1/2T PB, coffee w 1T milk
lunch:4-5 cups romaine lettuce, 2T feta cheese, 6oz baked chicken, slivers of red onion, 1/2T ranch, 2T balsamic
Snack: 1T natty butter, 2 tortilla chips (a weak moment)
Dinner: 6 oz chicken, 4 c romaine, 1/2T ranch, balsamic, 2oz ground turkey
snack: sugar free hot chocolate
yeah not much variety today. just busy and didn't have time to be creative in the least. I ate a whole bag of lettuce. haha. I'll be paying for that tomorrow :eek:
 
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stingo said:
Pictures? please? :)
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ahhh ha. yeah maybe soon:p
 
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