Triathlon - shin pain

In case you missed my thread, I am training for an olympic triathlon. I am also 280 lbs. I can swim and bike but I can't run for ****. So clearly, I have been doing more walking and slowly adding in running. But one thing I have noticed is that my shins are constantly in pain. Now, I am not talking about a sharp pain or anything that would indicate shin splints. But if I use a finger and put pressure on my shin it is clearly sensitive to the pressure. I am guessing that this has to do with a. my lack of running ability, and b. my weight. Would you guys concur?

Is there anything I can do to help this go away? Someone suggested getting a dowel from home depot and rolling it up and down my shins. What do you guys think of that idea?


I just really really want to avoid getting shin splints.

I may have posted earlier but besides making sure that you are not increasing your weekly mileage or any single run distance more than 10% and making sure you have the right shoes it will just take time. You could try icing your shins and elevating you legs after each run. Try not to run two days in a row too. The muscles and mind adjust fast, getting your skeleton to adjust takes time.

Don't know about the dowel, sounds painful to me. Good luck.

I had the same issue for quite a while until I realized that I was the world's biggest heel-striker. Over-striding can really set back big guys like us. When I started taking shorter strides and concentrating on landing mid-foot rather than on my heel, the shin pain went away.

Since I re-committed to fitness and did my first Sprint Tri in 2004 I was consistently one of the slowest (if not the slowest) runners in the field. I have really changed my focus and my intention at IMAZ is to put in a strong run.

Feel free to PM me if you want more info...us Super-Clydesdales need to stick together :)

Shin splints can sometimes be a more dull pain, so don't totally discount that possibility. Make sure you're running on level ground. No gutters, or slanty streets/sidewalks. It can also aggravate it if you run on a track. It's more padded usually, but the constant turning can wear things down in a weird way. My $0.02

Yeah, I figured it was just something that was going to take some time to adapt. Nah, the distance is staying pretty constant. I am staying at 2 miles right now and just walking with spurts of running for 20-30 seconds every once in awhile. I guess I just need to keep at that for a month or so. My tri is in April, so if I still cant run worth a damn in April, I guess I just get to walk.

I will give your recomendation a shot CJ. I have read a lot about the pose method and I am trying to focus on landing on my mid-foot or the ball of my foot more but something about it just doesnt feel right. I am thinking that it might be worthwhile to get a session with a running coach to analyze my stride and give me pointers. While I understand my body still has to adapt, I would rather be running with the correct technique and posture than not.

Thanks everybody!

What shoes are you running in?

Go to a running store and tell them that you are just starting out and that you are wanting to do a triathlon, but you need to be able to run without shin pain. They will check your foot for actual shoe size and width. The will check for flat feet and the way in which your feet hit the floor. If you only use your shoes for running, take them with you. If you use them for everything don't.

I am 235 down from 350+, and I can tell you that running in the wrong shoes will cause shin splints, or shin pain. I would also agree with CJ, that you might want to change your running style some, but without seeing you do it, I would not have you change anything.

Shoes will help you a lot, but remember you are putting a LOT of pressure on your feet and bones with the weight, so push yourself, but also listen to your body telling you it needs to heal also.

Good luck on the sprint tri.

no no flip, its an olympic tri! The shoes I am using are Mizuno Wave Nirvana 3s. I hit up a local running shop and tried on about 8 different pairs of shoes, spending some time on the treadmill with each. These were the ones that felt the best.

Yeah, as I said, I think I am going to just live with it and very slowly wait for my body to adapt. I am not running everyday and am pretty careful about not pushing myself too far.

it takes some time for your body to get used to it. i was 270 and couldnt even run 1 mile without lots of shin pain. now im down to 220 and i can go out and run 12+ miles with no problems. taking it slow and easy at first is much better than having to take time off to nurse an injury.