Hello and welcome! This week started with a race, and ended with some time in the pool. But we’ll get to all that! Thanks as always to Kim and Deborah for hosting the Weekly Rundown. Now let’s just see what went wrong- er, let’s just see what went ON this week.
Sunday
This was a weird Sunday. Since I was running a race the next day, I didn’t want to do anything too strenuous. I also had been noticing a little soreness in my right shin the past week (foreshadowing!) so I was trying to take it easy. I ran three miles on Saturday and it seemed okay, but didn’t want to run again on Sunday.
I ended up doing a 10 minute core class and then a 45 minute power yoga class. As you will see, I’m a creature of habit. All my classes were on Peloton, and I have my favorite instructors: all core classes this week were with Rebecca Kennedy, all other strength was with Matty Maggiacomo, and all yoga classes with Denis Morton. I find my favorites and stick with them!
Monday
Race day! I ran a July 4th 5K. Thrilling(?) race recap here.
Now- as soon as I started my warmup run, my shin hurt. SERIOUSLY? You’re going to flare up NOW??? I did what any sane person would do, and ignored it. I was there to run a race, and that’s what I did. I figured I would sort out the shin later.
My shin hurt during my warmup and then a little in the first mile of the race, and then it went away. However, I’m very familiar with this type of shin issue. Here’s a little story: Years ago, I was living in New York and training for the NYC marathon. My shin was hurting, not too bad, but just aching at the start of my runs. Obviously, I ignored it. I was training for a marathon and had no time for injuries.
Well… this went on for a while until one day I was doing a long run. The pain in my shin got so bad I literally couldn’t take one more step, and I had to take the subway home. Guess who didn’t run the NYC marathon that year? Me.
Now I take shin pain seriously! After the race I iced it a couple times. It was just mildly achy, but I decided to take a few days off to let everything heal up.
Tuesday
Everything felt good, other than the mild pain on the inside of my shin. i did a 5 minute core class, and a 30 minute yoga flow. Ah, so far resting my shin is going great!
Wednesday
I decided it would be the Week of Strength! I did a 5 minute core class, a 20 minute upper body strength class, and my favorite 30 minute glutes and legs class with Matty from 3/22/21. The only time I felt my shin was if I did skaters or side lunges- so I skipped those and subbed other moves.
Thursday
I did a 10 minute core class, and then…a 45 minute pool run.
Friday
I did two core classes- first, Rebecca’s 10 minute standing core class. This has a lot of balance work, which I always like. I know that you’re using your core when you balance, but this class doesn’t give me those burning abs. But the second class did! This was Rebecca’s 10 minute class from 5/13/22. OUCH. This class is 10 solid minutes with no breaks, and I felt it. Great class.
Then, another Matty 30 minutes glues and legs class, from 2/11/21. This is also a great class- four rounds of lunges, squats, deadlifts, and sumo squats. The first round is just bodyweight to focus on perfect form. The next three rounds use weights, and he makes it increasingly harder by adding pulses in the last two rounds. He actually calls this class “Pulse-a-Palooza.” Matty loves his Paloozas!
Saturday
I knew I was going to have a really hard day at work. If you were just observing my clients, you would think an amateur football team was sending its members in for massages. I like all these clients, but they should be banned from all coming on the same day.
Knowing this ahead of time, I saved my workouts for after work. I did a 20 minute upper body strength class. Until recently, I’ve really been slacking on upper body strength, and now I’m paying the price. These classes leave me really sore! I know I just have to do it more and get used to it. I followed this class with a 20 minute yoga flow.
All these classes were great, but as the week went on I had this odd “life has no meaning” feeling- I wonder why? Oh, I know why! I’m not running. Funny what an effect that has on my mental health.
Sunday
On tap is another strength class and a pool run! It’s enough to keep me sane, but I’m really hoping to be running next week. Heal quickly, shin!!! I’m longing for a trail run.
Have you ever had shin splints? Or to be more specific, medial tibial stress syndrome. A fancy way of saying a sore muscle on the inside of the shin bone (tibia.) Sigh.
40 Responses
That’s a great race photo.
I woke up to shin pain a few weeks ago. Of course I thought it was a stress fracture. I called the ortho and iced it and rested a day. But the pain disappeared as mysteriously as it came.
Hope yours heals quickly. You are smart to take it seriously.
Darlene, that’s around when mine started. It was very minor and I thought I was taking care of it. Oh well.. I’m taking care of it now.
Hello, visiting from the weekly run down link up!
I’ve never experienced shin splints like that ( that I remember).
That’s good that you are still able to get all those other workouts in!
Your pool looks lovely!
Have a great week coming up!
Thank you!!! I read your post as well this week. Yes, I’m incredibly lucky to have a pool- I shouldn’t complain (but I do anyway.)
I’m afraid to say I’ve never had shin splints without knocking on wood …. I do hope it goes away quickly. I definitely know what you mean about feeling out of sorts without running!
That is a fun race photo!
Yes, I would be very careful Coco! I hope I don’t see a blog post from you next week about your shin suddenly hurting.
Like Coco, I’ve never had shin splints. But I have had IT band problems so badly I couldn’t run (thankfully for a shortish amount of time). Hopefully the pool running will set you up for regular running this coming week!
I’m LOL at our matching subjects — despite very different weeks!
Yes, we’re matching this week! I guess people are just prone to one thing or another. I’ve never been sidelined by IT band issues. My worst problems have always been below the knee.
The only time I had major shin splints was when I was transitioning from treadmill to outdoors (pavement)…many, many years ago. Now and then, I might have a little twinge, but nothing bothersome. But those first shim splints were N.A.S.T.Y. They hurt for several days, no matter what I was doing. I hope yours feel better soon! I need to check out those Matty workouts and the Rebecca core (from 5/13), thanks for the recs!
Yes, try them- I’ll be interested to hear what you think.
I’m kind of frustrated here because I can’t point to anything that would cause the shin pain (like new shoes or running on pavement.) But… I’m doing everything I can to rest and rehab this issue!
I had a similar shin story from about 8 years ago which ended in a stress fracture and a missed race season as well. I like to think I learned from that incident. If it is not one thing it’s another! I love my massage guy and I know it takes a lot to do a 90 min deep tissue. I hope your clients appreciate you as well!
MOST of my clients appreciate me. I’ll bet you’re hard to do a deep tissue on because you’re muscular. You’d think women would be easier but it’s not always the case.
Interestingly, when I hurt my shin so badly that time it was not a stress fracture- but the tendon was really damaged so it probably took even longer to heal than a stress fracture would have. But… they all heal eventually.
I’ve had shin splints but never shin pain…if that makes sense. Usually, it’s a new pair of shoes and when I stop to stretch, the pain goes away. But yep, I’m guilty of ignoring little things that turned into big things! Nice to see you in the pool :p
Ha, from one pool runner to another…
I know I shouldn’t complain. I mean I have a pool in my backyard! But I miss real running, sigh! We’ll see what happens this week.
Ugh – I am so sorry to hear about the shin pain. It’s so frustrating when stuff like that happens right before, and during, a race.
Very true about Matty – he loves his paloozas, lol. But those paloozas make the classes very interesting and fun.
Yes, Matty makes things fun! And I like that he’s a runner, too.
Oooh, great photo!
I have never had shin splints, but ever since I borked my hip in 2019, I am VERY careful when it comes to even the smallest twinge. I ignored my hip – because I was training for a race, no time for injuries, as you say – and then I ended up a) not running the race, and b) not being able to even walk without pain or a limp for months. I’m never doing that again. But a pool run is a great alternative, I think.
Yes, I really learned my lesson with the shin. As you said, it took MONTHS to heal. Pool running is so boring- but it’s a great alternative as you said.
I hope the shin pain fades away without becoming a more serious issue. Glad you’ve taken your runs to the pool for now. I’ve never had shin splints. I’m more of a torn hamstring kind of girl.
Ha, well I’ve had hamstring issues as well! The shin thing is something that shows up every once in a while.
I’ve had shin pain over the years and generally rest is the cure- occasionally I’ve needed more (a boot, no running for 6 weeks) but MOST of the time, just extra time off has helped. Fingers crossed for you Jenny!
Thank you Jessie! I’m hoping that I took care of it early enough so that I don’t end up in a boot! I’ll try a little running this week and see what happens.
That is a great race photo!!
Hope your shin feels better soon. Yes, I had some shin pain that ended up turning into a tibia stress fracture and I was in a boot and off running for several weeks. Not fun!
Yes, this kind of thing can lead to a stress fracture if you’re not careful. I keep reminding myself of that!
Good work on looking after the shin. I’m worried I’m going to dip this week, we have a heat wave with temps in the 80s and even 90s to come so I’m going to be doing minimal running, it’s just not worth it as this weather isn’t something we get often and I can adjust to – it’ll be gone before we know it. My husband got terrible shin splints when he tried to run, including weird bulges on them, so he doesn’t run any more!
Yes, I can see how it’s not worth it to you to run in the heat. It’s not something you need to get acclimated to. Maybe you need a little downtime anyway!
That experience with the NYC Marathon must have been SO frustrating.
I had a rough weekend mentally (life has no meaning sort of spiral)…and I haven’t been running lately either. Hmmm. Maybe what I really need is some good sweat therapy (you know how I feel about sweating, though)? We went to the beach yesterday after church, though, and I fit in my daily km right by the water…and that did a lot to boost my mood.
Hope the shin continues to improve. My shins are fine, but my extensor tendonitis is still flaring up. Ugh. It has been almost two months and I’m so, so over it at this point. It’s much better than it was at its worst, but it’s still this constant annoyance. I’m still grateful that is the worst of it right now, though. A neighbourhood friend chipped a bone in his foot. Right at the beginning of (our Canadian!) summer/school break. So I’m trying to focus on what a blessing it is to be able to walk and swim etc.
Yes, those tendons can take a long time to heal! But as you pointed out- it could be worse. I think “beach therapy” can be just as effective as “sweat therapy.” But it’s still a bummer you’re not able to run.
How lovely that you have a pool so you can rehab. It’s not IDEAL, of course, since you’d rather be running, but what a great thing to have as an option! I hope your leg feels better soon.
I know- I’m ridiculously fortunate to have a pool. And yet I still complain! Obviously i’m insane.
Thankfully, I’ve never had shin splint (touch wood) but from what you’re describing it doesn’t sound like much fun! So sorry you’re not able to run and I know that “life has no meaning” feeling – it always happens when I’m off running (even by choice!) Yes, heal quickly shin!!
Yes, it’s funny how everything else can be going great- but take away running, and life feels so blah.
I’m not running either and it really does affect how I feel. I really hope you shin gets better. Sounds like you are doing the smart thing with pool running. I don’t blame you on the race, I would run through pain if I was mid-race as well. Take care.
Thank you Michele! I really hope your calf feels better soon, especially since you’re training for a marathon. Being sidelined is the worst.
I am trying to remember if I have had shin splints but I think that is one injury I haven’t had! I might have had them briefly when I did more running on treadmills but now I avoid treadmills like the plague! I hope your shin pain clears up very soon!
We need an update on whether your husband is using the stair climber thingy you got from his place of work!
Ha ha… I just asked him and he admitted he hasn’t been using it. But, my daughter has been using it at least.
Oh no, I am so sorry to hear about the shin pain and hope you can nip it in the bud quickly! We learn from our past experiences, don’t we? It took me years, but I finally learned to listen to my body…
Yes- I spent years not listening to my body before I finally realized I was fighting a battle I could never win.
I used to get shin splints when I ran! I could never figure out how to cure it for me. It was the worst! I’m glad you’re taking it easy, though, and letting your body heal. But for your own mental health’s sake, I hope you start feeling better soon!
Thank you Stephany! It’s something I’ve had on and off throughout the years- but I haven’t had it in a while. Sigh!