Week 14: More than expected!

This week was very difficult for me. My shin issues continued for much of the week. I ended up going to spin class instead of running for most of my mid-week runs, and even that was causing problems.

On Thursday, I had a moment where I feared that I would need to drop out of marathon training altogether. I felt like I was doing everything I could to care for my shin, but nothing was working. I didn't know how I was going to make it through the scheduled 18-mile run. It hurt to stand or walk for any length of time.

In a late-night act of desperation, hoping to find something different to try, I stumbled upon this brilliant Runners' World thread, where someone in a similar situation -- training for a marathon with recurring shin splints -- was kind enough to share the homework he was given by a physical therapist. The routine included several exercises I hadn't seen in my previous research.

I gave it a go for the first time on Friday night and knew there was something different about it. For the first time in over a week, my shin didn't hurt at all, and the exercises felt like they were working the right area.

Saturday morning, I woke up to much less pain. I did the exercises again, then attempted my 3-mile training run, figuring it would be the deciding factor as to whether or not I'd attempt the 18-miler. I got through the run with pretty much no pain until I stopped, and after 20 minutes of icing and elevating, that pain went away for most of the day as well. Feeling much more encouraged, I also stopped by Fleet Feet and bought a Zensah compression sleeve, which was also highly recommended in the forum thread. After my quick turnaround, that thread was gospel, and I a believer!

Of course, things couldn't all go completely well from there. My street had a wonderful block party on Saturday afternoon, but it led to me standing for several hours straight. The shin was NOT pleased. I went to bed in pain after giving it an ice massage, and slept with my legs elevated, hoping to undo the damage of standing overnight.

This morning was iffy, but I put on the compression sleeve, warned my coach, and gave it a go. This week, we ran part of the Hartford Marathon course, for my teammates who will be running it next month. It was a nice change of pace, but the turns were very tricky to find, and even with two coaches there, it seemed like we needed more to help us find our way. At one of the water stops they left for us, we ran out of cups, leading me to drink straight from the gallon of water. Hey, when you're thirsty, you do what you have to!

My shin spoke up 3 times during the run, but quickly settled down. I spent a lot of time focusing on my running form and keeping my pace moderate. The compression sleeve gave my shin just the right amount of support while also being able to breathe, unlike the brace I used to wear. It was definitely money well spent!

There were several times where the directions weren't quite clear and I thought I'd made a wrong turn, forcing me to stop and consult my GPS map. Only once did I actually miss a turn, but thankfully there wasn't a way for me to go too much further, so I didn't get too off track.

Still, the run ended up being much higher in mileage than it was supposed to. Instead of 18 miles, my GPS claimed I ran 19.24! Considering our longest run before the race is 20 miles, I guess I'm not too worried! My lower body is definitely stiff from going that far, but if I can do it after a week of deconditioning, I'm definitely optimistic for marathon day!

I'll be continuing to do the shin splint exercises daily from now until the marathon, even if/when the pain completely subsides. I've learned my lesson about how careful I need to be with it, and will be doing everything I can to prevent further injury in the next month!

Thanks to Chris Roberts and BackToLearn.com, my week 14 sponsors! If you are interested in making a donation, please note that the deadline is September 30th. So if you'd like to donate and haven't done so, take a moment and do it before you forget! :)