I’m getting pretty discouraged now. My shin is not improving. I had to stop doing shin strengthening since that seemed to aggravate it. I don’t know what this is. I’ve had periostitis/MTSS before and it got better much quicker. It was also much higher in the shin – it was the result of running in shoes with too much stability. This time, it’s low on the leg, just above the ankle where the calf meets the tibia. Every time I get up from my desk at work I have to limp my first few steps and then it calms down and I can walk normally with soreness. No impact exercise since Saturday morning, the last two days I’ve done nothing and it still hurts. I think my May marathon is quickly going down the tubes. If I take another week off, lose all that fitness, and then start jogging slowly, slowly add miles, it’ll be March before I can start training and then I’ll only have like 8 weeks before the marathon. This sucks. It sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks. MTA: I appreciate all the suggestions for things that will help. I know them all. Pool running is not an option. The pool at the Y is VERY busy with swim teams and scheduled programs.

My 2 cents worth, from my own experience. I would personally - completely leave your shin alone....no jacking with it with stretching and strength exercises at all. Years back, I had a serious bout of ITBS and was desperate like you are now. I stretched - yanked - pulled - pushed...and my ITBS simply would never go away. Then I decided to leave it completely alone, and I was back running easy in about 1 week. Just some food for thought, OK, And hope the best for you, as I, and everyone else knows how frustrating injuries are...when you simply just want to run. Chin Up TimBo

Ribs in a red dress ... I'm glad I'm nowhere near Dallas anymore ... I wouldn't want to see that and I wouldn't want to be tempted to run that race ... Quite a cold day today. North wind howling too. I think this calls for a nice fire in the fireplace tonight ... I went to the gym early this morning for some x-training. Hopped on the rowing machine and proceeded to cross the English Channel for 1/2 hour or so. Then I got off it ... And could hardly walk I had such rubbery legs. Weird feeling. It passed within a couple of minutes but that was strange. Never get that from running. Went onto 1/2 hour of core work. Bill

I went to the gym early this morning for some x-training. Hopped on the rowing machine and proceeded to cross the English Channel for 1/2 hour or so. Then I got off it ... And could hardly walk I had such rubbery legs. Weird feeling. It passed within a couple of minutes but that was strange. Never get that from running. Went onto 1/2 hour of core work. Bill

We do an adventure race which begins with canoeing. When you exit the canoe you feel like your running on rubber bands. The explanation here is that for the last hour your legs did nothing but provide some braceing. All the blood flow was directed to your upper body. So when you suddenly call on your legs there is nothing there. On a rowing machine there is typically a larger leg component than there would be in a canoe but I suspect it is a different muscle group. Probably much the same thing a triathlete experiences going from the bike to the run. It is a weird sensation.

You know, I bet Ribs will actually look quite hot in a red dress. And yes, I feel weird saying that but I think he can actually pull that off. I think you need red shoe laces in your running sneakers, Ribs. Glad to hear you haven't had residual pain, Timbo. Very relieved to hear that. Holly, I would probably have the same thought. So, either that's not bad, or we are both just bad. Sometimes I like being bad CNY, good to hear you are getting back into it. I'm going running on my lunch hour today. I thought I would take off early yesterday and get in a longer mid week run, but once I started looking at the amount of work I had and the amount of time I had to do it in, I realized that taking off early just for the sake of running was not in my best interests right now. Have a good day everyone.

Ribs, I can't wait for the red dress pictures! That race sounds like a hoot! TimBo, I'm so glad to hear you're pain-free after that 10 miler! I hope there are only ugly women at the Y tonight when you're running... Teresa, I hope your DH's surgery tomorrow goes well. You can't leave your kids alone overnight with your DS16 in charge? We're doing the college shopping thing, too. We're thinking of going to California for spring break to check out Cal Tech and Stanford. Any masters live near either of them and want to meet for a run in late March/early April? EGH3, hope you figure out what's up with that shin. You might want to be careful with lots of spinach - it's high in oxalate, which can cause kidney stones, especially in combo with lots of calcium. At least that's what they told my dad when he got kidney stones. Karin, glad you're running again, but sorry to hear you have to bail on Boston. Holly, good luck to your DH too on his surgery tomorrow. If you live close to the hospital, I see no reason you couldn't go home for a run while he's recovering - what else are you gonna do? Just sit there and read magazines in the waiting room? If it's in an OK neighborhood, you could also go run laps around the block, or find a local park. It's gonna be in the 60's again today in Denver. This is just wrong - it's February 5th! I'll just try hard to HTFU and get out there at lunchtime... I think it's hard enough getting up very early to run, but especially in the winter when it's so cold. Do any of you try to switch to lunchtime running in the winter to take advantage of the daylight and relative warmth? (I said relative, because I know Erika runs at lunch.) I love lunchtime runs in the winter, and spring and fall too. In the summer I run after work.

EGH, sorry for your difficulties. The urologist who treated me for kidney stones (and I had them 3 times) went ape when he learned I was taking a calcium supplement. He suggested that it was okay to get more calcium but to get it organically and not in pill form. And you make a good point about drinking lots of water. Breger, you are about 6' 11". No way you would look good in a dress. I on the other hand, expect to look stunning. Of course I will wear my red running shoes! What's the matter with you people? Karin, good to see you at it again. Alex, it sounds reasonable to me that you will get some hardware in that division. It should be simple enough to look at last year's results and see what the Clydesdales did in your AG. Good luck. Spareribs

Great, next thing you know, you'll all be telling me to not take 6 Aleve every 4 hours . I've been following the "do nothing" rehab strategy the last two days. It has been quite refreshing to get 9-10 hours of sleep each of the last two nights. Tomorrow, it's just do upper body weight work. No squats or anything weight bearing on the legs. Thanks all.

CYrunners, great news about your back to running journey!!! Holly, I would do jsut that, but wait until he is taken to surgery before you go out, just in case they need you there for something. Good luck to DH. great workout girl! teresa, wishing the best for your DH surgery. Glad to hear that the insurance company is going to pay for it. That Tammy is one lucky gal.