11Z and 66, thanks so much for all your suggestions. I'm currently trying to adapt to the "smarter not harder" mindset, but sometimes getting in a sadistic "no pain no gain" sort of outlook.

I leave for basic/indoc on 27July, so until then I'll keep on building that base up (which, btw is 10 miles per run max. Per week on average I guess I log about 15-20. I misunderstood the question). Understood on the base mileage saving me. I guess I always want to have the kicks of a sprinter, but forget that they only go 100m before maxing.

Next step I suppose is to log/improve my base and concentrate on swimming/biking/rucking for less impact cardio exercises.

Thanks again for all your help!

-nardi

Nardi,

I get your concerns...I just worry about people that sound a lot like me as a younger man...hell me 8 months ago!!! As you can see I am a slow learner when grasping the concept that I am not super-human. The point is that an average guy in decent shape can run and hold 7 min miles. In college I got down to an 11:33 2-mile at 195 lbs. How?

Conditioning...plain and simple. Running enough to get better but easing up enough to not begin the injury process. This allows you to run hard as necessary and recover faster as you body is "tougher" or "more prepared" for the training. I can assure you that over-use injuries are a process and personalities that fight through the pain, as a daily activity, WILL GET HURT. You can keep it up for a while, like I did with Plantar Fascitus at Airborne School.

(I had a bad limp, my heel could not touch the ground on my left foot, so I "limped" on both feet. If they see you with a limp you are booted, but I just looked like an uncoordinated boob since I ran on my toes and crossed my eyes when I saw an Instructor. Can't be kicked out for being an idiot, plus as a Cadet they expected as much)

Running to the Airfeild was hell!!! Luckly, brute force and ignorance kept me running fast enough injured to get through the course. It would be 3-4 months after the course before I could run again. If I had any follow-on training, I would have been MED rolled.

Great for a 3 week course as easy as Airborne...not good for INDOC or any selection course.

So I wish you luck and suggest focusing on conditioning your heart and body, the speed will be their for you when you need it.

For a while now I've been hearing of "proper form" I know there is different form depending on your style of running. Honestly I'm not sure of the proper form for long distance running and no one has ever showed me before. What exactly is the correct way to run while going for distance? I know my form suffers, I feel like a sack of rocks when I run. Thank you.

~Tommy

Thanks for the encouragement 11z. I hope I'll be able to avoid some of the injuries you've gotten (or at the very least be able to sqeak by and limp through with the same injuries, which sounds much harder <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="images/icons/smile.gif" />

Thanks for all the tips,
nardi

What's the thing with taking Tums?

Wasn't my post, but the thread was lost. This guy was giving out tums to SEALs before(i think) the run to counter lactic acid buildup. Something about absorbing the stomach acid there by causing it to resupply from other acid stores in the body. The guy who posted couldn't find the data from the conference he was at, so no HARD data. Also, I tried researching briefly to find anyone else using this method and came up short. But, being a superstitious athlete (not really), I've been taking them so I don't get jinxed. Plus,the extra calcium can't hurt since it's all about the bones anyway. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="images/icons/grin.gif" />

Okay, I've never heard of that, but I'm willing to try almost anything. Almost <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="images/icons/wink.gif" /> Thanks!
Mike

I'm not real sure what Tums would actually do. Lactic Acid is absorbed into the blood and then filtered through the Liver. Sugar (Glucose) is broken down into Pyruvate and NADH (energy). The Pyruvate is turned into Lactate, then moved through the blood stream to the Liver where it is combined with O2 to remake Gluocose. Here is a chart of how it's done: Lactic Acid Chart

So I"m not sure how Tums would effect it at all.

You can also run backwards, it works the front and side muscles ( I can' tremember the medical name for them) like when you lift a weight. Looks kinda silly, but not as tedious as lifting a weight.
Mike

New info on the buffering of lactic acid. This article is not referencing shin splints, but it does address previous questions.
Taking sodium bicarbonate before exercise has been shown to delay acid build up in the body during exercise. This helps for short duration bursts (sprinting) where the glycogen production is flooding the blood stream with lactate making the body less efficient.

Full article:
http://www.brianmac.demon.co.uk/lactic.htm

Sodium Bicarbonate info:
http://www.mycustompak.com/healthNotes/Drug/Sodium_Bicarbonate.htm

That's interesting, I can see how they are saying that it would work. I"m just not sure that you could lower your acid level in your blood enough to make a big difference. Thanks Seraphim, I always like learning something new.

Be careful when you say 'lower' acid levels. The buffering is only going to DELAY acid build up because it gives the body something extra to absorb it with. The lactate is still going to build and finally shut you down, but it will take longer. So, if you were in a 400m race it could mean victory due to tolerance levels. But like the article said, be sure to check the regs to make sure you are not doping.

-late

I'll have to agree with Zulu on this one, shoes make all the difference. I'd advise going to a "specialized running" store and have them take a look at your feet. I had the same problem till I took the advice of a marathon runner friend of mine. Give it a shot and good luck...

A couple more hints --

1) run with loose shoe laces. Many people over tighten their laces which flatens out the foot. I've run lately with very loose laces across the top of the foot with good success.

2) If you have fallen arches, get some sports tape and wrap a line around the middle of your foot. Wrap from the outside of your foot, across your arch, to the top of the foot. This may help prevent your foot from flatening.

3) Mix some walking into your runs. I now walk for 0.5 mile before I start my jog. I jog for 2, run fast for 1, then walk another 0.5 mile. Then I do some slow jogging to cool down or round out my mileage. I walk again as a cool down.

Seems to work...

$ 0.02

There are many good suggestions here on dealing with Shin Splints. The best method is, of course, to have the right shoes followed by not over training. Some runners, especially those who run on thier toes/forefoot are still prone to shin splints. For pipeliners, you may not have the choice of lowering your mileage to recover.
Here is a simple exercise that works in most cases in just three to four days.
1 Sit on the ground as if performing a sit up: your back can be flat on the ground or in the upright position. Feet are together at heel and toe.
2 Have a buddy provide resistance by holding your toes down.
3 Keeping your heels on the ground, pivot your toes and forefoot as far as possible against your buddies resistance. Your buddy should let your toes move up slowly so that it takes you 2-3 seconds to raise your toes/forefoot fully.
4 Perform 10-20 repetitions, 2-3 sets prior to each run. If the pain is more to the inside of the shin, keep the heels together but face the toes outwoard at about a 30-45 degree angle. If the pain is in the outer shin, keep the toes together and point the heels out. (You should still lift the toes/forefoot, not the heels)
5 Ice down shins after each run. A simple method is to fill a Dixie cup half way and put it in the freezer. Pull the Dixie cup out of the freezer, tear the paper enough to reveal the ice, and run the ice up and down the affected area until ice is melted. Repeat on other leg.
6 Keep this up until pain goes away. Continue for an additional 2-3 days. Repeat if pain returns.
This exercise works by strengthening the shin muscles at their origin(attachment) so that they do not fray or tear any more. If symptoms persist after 2-3 weeks, get an MRI to see if you have Stress Fractures.

Wouldn't it be better to do the strength exercises after the run? Seems like you wouldn't want to have them fatigued before you start hitting the pavement. I'm no expert, just asking.

It is not just new shoes that are important, but the corect type of footwear for your type of foot. Pronator, neutral or supinator (forefoot and hindfoot for each) will determine what type of shoe you wear, and if you need orthotics to provide motion control.

CK

Slow down has two meanings as I am describing it...

1. slow down as in speed

2. slow down as in attitude toward running...there is no rush that will help if all you do is hurt yourself.

Base milage needs to be done...nothing wrong with taking 3 months and dedicating it to milage.

you will not loose much speed if you do not loose fitness by taking say.... a 3 month break...even then the speed side is less important than the benefits of running injury free.

After doing 3 months of milage I have started speed/interval work and shorter faster runs to much improvement and pain free. I can actually run hard enough to vomit after several intervals...This is a big deal because my shins would hurt so bad before, that I could not run fast enough for enough time to push into the realm of truely challenging Workouts occasionally...that is of course except for lots of mileage.

A great feeling to be sucking from effort and not a limp.

I did the Galloway program for 10k in 44 min with no speedwork...now I am doing the 5k in 22 min with the speedwork...hopefully after that I will be doing the ATC PT program.


consitancy, persitancy, patience