Shin Splints is Ruining my Running

Ive been running for over 14 years, and for 14 years ive suffered with shin splints, or Medial Tibial Stress Syndrom (MTSS)
Shin splints has effected every long distance race ive trained for, and has meant ive never been able to fulfil my own potential and training has been a constant struggle of balancing the enjoyment of running with the pain of shin splints.
In todays video, i moan. I tell my story and recap my running journey. I dont provide any solutions or answers, i just get it all off my chest in the hope someone watching has been through this too and can resonate with my story.
If anyone has any advice, comments or soliitons, please pop them in the comments.

[@EBoone503]

ugh.. yeah I'm suffering a very similar fate these days. I'm taking a rest day today and will bike instead amongst other self-massage techniques my chiro taught me. being 40+ is a skill that nobody prepared us for!

[@hamish8596]

Watched your entire vid. I can fully appreciate your comments about being competitive and not wanting to be a jogger. My suggestion would be that you need a very long time at easy running paces without the speed work. And to supplement that and get the endorphin rush of higher intensity work perhaps look to some form of cross training? On a bike or elliptical. I train with Runna too and it does having you running at very high intensities. It has tempo paces that are much faster than threshold and some very fast intervals. If your plan is 3/4/5 days a week it also has a high % (often over 30%) of your running paces over easy. Just my thoughts and I hope something finally clicks for you.

[@bigtiggs6768]

super sorry to hear this mate

[@beths2603]

Ahh so sorry to hear this, I can hear how frustrated you are which is totally understandable. I’ve been an on/off runner and currently making my way through a Runna 10k plan, been finding it hard and I’ve thought of your videos a few times while I’ve been out running! I hope you can find a way to continue, everything crossed for you x

[@gimoruns]

Thanks for the comment and it’s nice to read you’ve got something positive from my videos. Keep working hard, I’m sure it will all pay off come race day!

[@AWright300]

Sorry to hear this. I Commented on your last video to say I was looking forward to seeing your 16 week plan develop. Hopefully you can catch a break from this and make it to the start line still.

[@gimoruns]

I’ll keep trying that’s for sure, it just gets really hard sometimes when the pain in constant! The 16 week plan has been reduced to a 12 week and starts tomorrow (again!) so watch this space for week 1 video coming next weekend

[@brionia9760]

So sorry to hear your struggles with shin splints. You’ve tried so much, but I hope there is someone who can help. X

[@gimoruns]

Thank you, appreciate the comment. Still searching for a way to overcome it 🤞🏻

[@markdavinson6830]

I’m not currently injured but have had a few spells where the left hamstrings never seemed to heal properly. My wife was listening to the part about how you feel not running and she says I’m exactly the same. I’m nearly 50 and same as you not ready for the running as fun or running as exercise stage yet. I hope you can get it sorted out.

[@gimoruns]

We sound like oldies trying to hold on to the dream haha!! If you’re anything like me you’ll still think you’ve gone a lot to give. I still feel I have faster times in my pocket of only I can string some good training together. Well show those young uns lol! Hope the hammy plays balls for you 👍🏻

[@joannemarkov]

For me it's plantar fasciitis. I'm beginning to face the fact that at the age of 44, I can't run more than 4 times a week. Even better would be every other day so 3-day weeks and 4-day weeks. I've added in treadhills (walking uphill on the tread), rowing, and a spin bike for cardio cross-training. My annual Runna subscription runs out in ten days and I won't be renewing until I'm back in the type of shape where I can benefit from their type of programming.

[@joannemarkov]

I was inspired by Allie Ostrander here on KZbin. She has incorporated heavy regular doses of cross-training for injury prevention.

[@gimoruns]

Sucks doesnt it, im currently on the sidelines and havent run now for a while. Im considering joining a gym so can continue rehab but get some cross training done so i dont loose too much fitness. I dont think i can bare starting from scratch again lol! Hope you PF sorts itself soon. Im in the same boat with Runna, subscription ends this month and I wont be renewing just yet. Ill train for Valencia marathon using my own plan for now.

[@davidcouch007]

Have you thought about barefoot/flat/zero drop style shoes? I had issue with shin splints and tried these and yeah the seemed to eventually work. The first week or so using them almost destroy you calves, but I found it worked really well..I then transitioned back into my running shoes for racing and found my lower leg issues disappeared.

[@TheBramptonValleyRunner]

I was going to suggest the same thing 👍🏻

[@gimoruns]

Interesting, and honestly no I haven’t thought of trying that. Probably the one thing I haven’t tried and it’s never crossed my mind! Have you got any shoes you can recommend? I’ll definitely be researching that suggesting, thanks 👍🏻

[@iStrygwyr]

I suffered shins splints before. But I fix it by cooling down after hard work out and Majority of my runs are in Zone 2

[@gimoruns]

Thanks for the comment and glad you have yours sorted. I have been warming up and cooling down on my runs for around 10 years, including pre-run activations and post run stretching too. As well as doing most of my runs to heart rate zone 2 (I’ve got a playlist of my zone 2 MAF training on the channel too). Sadly, that hasn’t helped 😣

[@anantBhamri]

I had a similar issue with shin splints but I started using to foot shaped zero-drop shoes (I used Altra Escalante's but I have heard Topo is another brand which makes such shoes). Dont know if you ever tried such shoes, but it did end up helping me. The first few months were difficult as the legs take some time to get used to running in zero-drop shoes, as building the calf and feet muscles to be able to bear the loads from running takes time, so it is recommened to increase milage in them slowly. Hopefully that helps you out.

[@merko3043]

Have you tried modifying your form? Consciously make more steps, it might feel silly but try for a few minutes and go back to your normal cadence. I do when I feel tired. Also, play with leaning, try to lean back when you run easily, and lean forward when you run faster.

[@gimoruns]

Yes have spent a number of years trying to adapt my form with a running coach. That included stride length, stability, flexibility, body position. It’s an ongoing process, but sadly never helped. I actively focus on my stride length and planting my feet in the right place so not over striding or heel striking. Hasn’t really affected my shin pain though 😕

[@merko3043]

@@gimoruns Sorry to hear that.

[@SharaRuns]

I feel you. I'm in exactly the same situation but with tendon injuries. I'm 51 and have been running a similar amount of time. It's so, so frustrating. I did a similar video recently questioning whether to carry on running. See the end portion of this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/eIDImKWtZqyNjaM

[@gimoruns]

Injury sucks doesn’t it, sorry to hear you are in the same place. I’ll have a watch of your video and give you a sub too. Hope things getter better for you soon

[@riznoob6065]

Is there anything that aggravates the shins? I have the same issue but I have been cross training a lot and that helps

[@gimoruns]

Yes, running 😂. Joking apart, it has to be a combination of my running mechanics, how my body is put together, strength and the volume of running. It can’t be anything else.