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back to basics (Read 869 times)


sincerely silly

    Hey all, I feel like I'm pretty much starting from nothing to try and run a 10k in 3 months. I'm clawing back into things after bad shin splints (doctor's orders!) and general laziness. Is walking at an incline of about 10% on a treadmill a good way to both start rebuilding an aerobic base and getting my legs used to impact? Is it useless in one respect or another? Last week I tried to reboot my running by starting with the 3/1 run/walk routine I had done earlier this year and working my way up, but I got really paranoid about the shin splints returning. Sorry if this post doesn't make sense...I ended up writing my life story (I'm one of those kinds of posters) and cut it down to this, and it still seems long, haha. Thought I'd leave it up to you guys to ask me the relevant questions to give me any advice or encouragement. :-) I remember being accused of trolling before since I tend to make little sense and ask dumb questions... Thanks!

    shin splints are my nemesis


    an amazing likeness

      Seems to me that cranking the incline is more likely to cause your shin issues to come back.  Just start walking, low incline (like 1 or 2) and get used to 30...45..60 minutes of walking.  Even better if it outside, if possible, so that you're exposed to terrain and elevation changes.  Then start jogging some of the time during your walk.  Grow the jog portion, depending on how you feel.  This is one of the many recipes for building up from 0.

      Acceptable at a dance, invaluable in a shipwreck.


      Feeling the growl again

        +1, inclined treadmills are bad for the shins.

        "If you want to be a bad a$s, then do what a bad a$s does.  There's your pep talk for today.  Go Run." -- Slo_Hand

         

        I am spaniel - Crusher of Treadmills

         

        Zortrium


          +1, inclined treadmills are bad for the shins.

           Worse than outdoor hill running?

          Scout7


             Worse than outdoor hill running?

             

            Hills outside tend to naturally vary in slope over a given distance, while treadmills do not.

             

            Hey all, I feel like I'm pretty much starting from nothing to try and run a 10k in 3 months. I'm clawing back into things after bad shin splints (doctor's orders!) and general laziness. Is walking at an incline of about 10% on a treadmill a good way to both start rebuilding an aerobic base and getting my legs used to impact?

             

            Not a good way, no.

             

            Is walking on a treadmill a good way to both start rebuilding an aerobic base and getting my legs used to impact?

             

             ...is a much better statement.  Of course, I guess I'm not sure why you cannot walk outside, which I think would be better overall for both your physical, mental, and emotional/spiritual fitness.

             

            What was the cause of the shin splints in the first place?


            sincerely silly

               ...is a much better statement.  Of course, I guess I'm not sure why you cannot walk outside, which I think would be better overall for both your physical, mental, and emotional/spiritual fitness.


              I hope to walk outside on the weekends for long nice walks near my apartment but during the week it's a lot easier for me to workout in the gym at work during the day (and use some strength training as a reward for running =P). I could walk outside around work but admittedly I'd just be too embarassed if I saw coworkers and also it can get pretty gross outside (I live in DC...over 100 today and I'm a wuss).
              Also from past experience, I am one of the weird ones who are better motivated on the treadmill in the beginning. I'm pretty sure it has to do with being able to listen to what I want on the treadmill whereas when I walk/run outside I don't like to have earbuds in for safety reasons.

               

              What was the cause of the shin splints in the first place?

               

              Just too much at once. I was starting to play tennis again and playing entire soccer games always aggravated them whenever that happened. So those two factors are pretty much gone for now so I can start running again and identifying what hurts and why, but maybe the actual running on pavement hurt more than those other two things...I don't know in particular. Different shoes and surfaces for each of those activities.

              shin splints are my nemesis


              sincerely silly

                ...and apparently the quotes were lost in my last post. Work computer + IE makes for infuriating online experiences sometimes! it won't let me edit it now due to some cookie error...

                shin splints are my nemesis

                Scout7


                  I would say that it sounds like your initial statement ("Just too much too soon") is pretty spot-on.  At least you have an idea of what you did wrong, and can work to correct it this time (which it seems like you're doing).


                  sincerely silly

                    I would say that it sounds like your initial statement ("Just too much too soon") is pretty spot-on.  At least you have an idea of what you did wrong, and can work to correct it this time (which it seems like you're doing).

                     

                    I hope to! It was a very annoying recovery process. I couldn't ignore it anymore so I finally took my doctor's advice and cut back on total life mileage, and any rest I managed seemed to be easily negated by the occasional dash to catch a train or avoid turning cars...I think they're finally healed. :-)
                    Thanks for all of the responses. I guess I at least got the one thing about the uphill walking cleared up. I thought I had read somewhere that it was better than running for your joints with the same aerobic benefit if you were having trouble...but maybe not for your shins.

                    shin splints are my nemesis