I love running, probably a little too much. I went through a half marathon phase several years ago, wanting to eventually run a full marathon. However, during my training, in which I purchased the entire Nike+ system, including brand new Nike+ shoes, the Nike+ transmitter and iPod receiver, as well as a new iPod. I was excited, motivated, and feeling great about it. I was running every day, which is not surprising because this is when I lived with my grandma and I really wanted to get out of the house.
That year I actually ran three half marathons, but before I ran my first half marathon, the furthest I had ever run was 6 miles. My plan was obviously to go further than that, but I got overzealous and got some heinous shin splints. At first I thought I could just power through them, and I did, but it literally got to the point where it was painful to even walk up stairs. I had to completely halt my training, which is one of the most frustrating things I've ever done.
I ran all three half marathons that year without any more real training because every time I tried to start up again, I would get those nasty shin splints.
I've been trying to run ever since then unsuccessfully. Every time the shin splints come back as if they never left. Of course, it's always minor pain, something I could easily run through, but I know how that worked out before.
I've bought new shoes, I've tried ramping up my work out, I've tried specific stretching, but nothing seems to work.
Of course, a large reason for that is because my version of "ramping up" is going from sporadic elliptical training at the gym, to running three miles.
Last year I bought Vibram Five Fingers. They are in the minimalist category of shoes. The idea is that you do a mid-foot strike instead of the heel-toe that is encouraged by all running shoes. This reduces the stress on your joints (as well as reducing shin splints).
Running in these shoes is a whole new experience and one that frustrated me a great deal, especially since I couldn't keep up with my wife, who claims she is a terrible runner (though she's not!). Just like every other ramping up period, I didn't give the shoes a fair shake, so I've decided to truly ramp up.
I want to be able to run a marathon by this time next year without worrying about shin splints, and I have a very simple method for doing it.
I am literally going to start out running 1/4 mile three days a week for a week, and then bump that up 10% every week until I am able to run 26 miles. It will take me exactly 50 weeks. It sounds kind of silly to say, but I am determined not to run more than a quarter mile for the first week. In fact, it's going to take me 16 weeks just to get up to a mile and another 12 weeks after that to get to a 5k. This will probably be an extremely difficult regimen for me - not because the distances are too large, but because of how slow of a ramp up it is.
However, I plan on reminding myself at the end of my 4 minute workout that this workout isn't for cardio; it's to get my muscles in shape after such a long period of inactivity.
We'll see how it goes this time. I plan on starting today.
