Running and related questions

[Tom Treutlein]

Okay, first off, everytime I run I find myself with shin splints, and it's becoming a pain in the ass to use this as my form of cardio. Not to mention the fact I want to be a conditioned runner because I may look into joining the Marine Corp at some point just to test my abilities. Perhaps it's the mechanics of my running, I'm not sure, so could anyone tell me how a stride is supposed to go exactly?

Second thing I considered is that it might just be the shoes I use, since they're cheap $20 shoes, and perhaps my gait isn't designed for this kind of footwear. Any input there?

Finally, this website http://navyseal.s5.com/workouts.html recommends the use of "Bates Lights" for running (boots) and I know they have you run in boots in the military. Wouldn't this cause more problems in the shins than regular shoes?

 

[Synpax]

1) shin splints are caused by two things. Pronations and not running enough.
2) To run as much as you will have to for OCS, you need to go to a store with a gate analysis or stride analysis. Same thing. You run on a treadmill with a camera behind you and the TV of that camera in front of you and they look at the way your feet hit the ground. Most shoes on the store shelves, especially Nikes, are made for people who have no pronation, which is only 20% of the population.

3) Again, find an expert running store in the area and expect to pay as much as $100 or more on a good pair. I like New Balance and Nike, but I'm luckily neutral.

4) The other wy not to get shin splints (different kind) is to run every day for at least 2 miles. You can skip a day here and there, but by now you should know yourself enough to know that if you take too many days off, the next day you hit the track you will have shin splints (expecially in the front area).

5) Ignore the seals thing until you get your 3 mile sub-20. There's really no need to do it because they give you your boots for OCS well in advance for breaking in and they also let you use running sneakers on alternating days.

6) Oh, and one last thing. There is a difference between training shoes and racing shoes. If you have the $$ to kill, get both, but what you really need are training shoes until you take the test. The racers won't make too much of a difference though they could make a big difference. I use Nike Air Max Spiridons for racing - they are very, very fast but I would not want to train in them.

 

[Tom Treutlein]

Synpax or others, do you think that SEAL routine would help to preserve any sort of mass on an individual who is looking for a lean "swimmer's" body? Obviously it wouldn't sustain such large amounts of muscle as members of this board are striving for, but would it keep an individual strong and muscular (in a lean sense, as well)?

 

[Tom Treutlein]

Also, how long do those shoes last for you, Synpax? I don't want to have to replace a $100 pair of shoes all the time.

Where would I find one of those stride analysis places? I want to figure out a good shoe soon so I can start my running. You're suggesting not to bother with the boots, am I right? I'm going to be running on trails, by the way.

 

[2morereps]

I may look into joining the Marine Corp at some point just to test my abilities

I sincerely hope you take joining the military, esp. the Corps with alot more thoughtfulness than that.

 

[Synpax]

Ignore the seals thing. If you want a good program, buy Bob Glover's the Competitive Runner's Handbook.

The shoes last about 500-700 miles. To find a running store? You've gotten a lot of hand holding on these boards but I abolutly refuse to explain to you how the yellow pages / yp.yahoo.com works.

 

[kroddy_man]

1) shin splints are caused by two things. Pronations and not running enough.

Not running enough????

With all due respect, that is just not true. Perhaps the biggest cause of shin splints is running too much, too soon...or running too much for your structural [musclular] condition of the lower leg.

there are other causes too, such as lack of flexibility of the calf and weak anterior [shin] muscles.

The key to avoiding shin splints is to start slow and progressively build up distance. If you already have them, well good luck. If they are just typical shin splints (not a stress fracture) then all you can do is back off distance, vary cardio to exercises that do not stress the shin too much (low impact) and rest for a period of time. If you continue running, you have to ice them, make sure you stretch the calf and strengthen the anterior muscles.

-km

 

[Synpax]

If you go out and run ten miles and get really bad shin splints, it's not because you ran too far that day, but that you haven't been running enough on the days before.

So run every day - 2 miles at least - and you can reach for greater distances without shin splints.

It would be better if he could describe exactly where his shin splints are occuring.

 

[kroddy_man]

that is so crazy, i don't even know how to respond...but i will try.

first off, you dont get shin splints from one day of running-whether it is 2 miles or 10 miles. it is repeated running of distances [and subsequent impact resulting from] that are too much for your structure and muscular strength to handle.

yes, you should work up to running longer distances, but just flatly stating that running 2 miles every day will prevent shin splints is just flat out wrong!

i understand what you are trying to get at, but its like saying that i hit the gym for one day and bench 300 lbs but blow out a tendon or muscle doing so. in this case, as per your shin splint analogy, i just did not lift enough before that...whereas i say i tried lifting too much too soon...we are basically saying the same thing (well, not really, but we will just say we are). however, i don't think one could suggest that the lifter (with the blown out arms) just needed to bench 100 lbs every day before that attempt to avoid injury...

oh well, that's my 2 cents...

-km

 

[Animal]

Boy is that wrong!

You can get shin splints in under a mile or even less if you are doing CC.

Yes, you have to gradually build up and yes, calve/achilles may be a problem, but I'd bet hard cash money that he has flat feet.

And inserts and orthotics may or may not help. I know as I've got flat feet and when I start to run I can't run any further than 1/2 mile on indoor rubber track and I then start to splint.

Another point where you are wrong is that you can get shin splints within an even shorter distance if you run faster because faster running causes more foot slap and higher impact.

You also have TWO mechanisms to initiate shin splints. ONe is from impact and the other is from FATIGUE from having to pull your foot up and from trying to make your heel hit first. Notice that when you get tired your run 'heavier' and that's because you are fatiguing your shin muscles.