Admission

Too much, too fast? Overuse? Poor training surfaces? Not enough stretching? Not enough rest? Bad shoes? Some combination of two or three or all?

I have a hard time believing any of those things are true about my running program. Whatever the cause is, I have a shin splint. It's in my left leg. It is still in the beginning stages, meaning it only bothers me during some runs, some of the time. On sluggish days, it hurts more than when I feel fresh. On track days, by the end if I have really pushed myself, the pain can be fairly intense.

I am following my doctor's orders, stretching, icing, using anti-inflammatory medication. The race is less than three weeks away. I don't want it to get any worse.


Time: 32 minutes, 2 seconds
Place: Hilly Quarry
Weather: 60
Distance: 3 miles
Feeling: Sluggish
Overall grade: B-