As a fat runner, I have found my shin pain to be less debilitating and I have reduced my run times significantly(1.5 mile time is about 4 minutes faster), but I can still only run 3 days a week because the shin pain compounds so quickly. I can usually only run hard one of those days too.
I may do something like easy run Monday, medium run Wednesday, hard run Friday so I can let my shins rest Sat/Sunday.
I have good shoes, I don’t stomp when I run, I stretch, I drink plenty of water, I try to do everything I can to reduce shin pain, but as a fat runner I find it unavoidable. Are there any fat runners that can train more frequently? What is your secret? I don’t know what else to do
[quote]potatoface wrote:
As a fat runner, I have found my shin pain to be less debilitating and I have reduced my run times significantly(1.5 mile time is about 4 minutes faster), but I can still only run 3 days a week because the shin pain compounds so quickly. I can usually only run hard one of those days too.
I may do something like easy run Monday, medium run Wednesday, hard run Friday so I can let my shins rest Sat/Sunday.
I have good shoes, I don’t stomp when I run, I stretch, I drink plenty of water, I try to do everything I can to reduce shin pain, but as a fat runner I find it unavoidable. Are there any fat runners that can train more frequently? What is your secret? I don’t know what else to do[/quote]
the secret would be to lose weight. Get on a good “diet” and drop some LB’s.
As a previously fat runner (I started running when I was 270lbs @ 5’10") I would suggest what gregron said. There are ways to lose weight and get your fitness in order just as effectively (or more so) than running, and they’re better for your body. When you reach an appropriate weight then maybe you can chuck some running in there.
I know running is like some sort of aspirational exercise for a lot of people, but it certainly isn’t the best. In reality running is a pretty harsh movement for most people and some people are purpose built for it, most people can do it to some decent level if they train a lot, and soem poeple are just not built to run without damaging themselves.
If you truly are a fat guy, then I’d pick up a bike, pickup a good diet and get to work. Honestly the difference between running at 14%BF and 9-10% BF is like chalk and cheese. There’s a reason long distance runners are skinny, low bodyfat dudes.
[quote]potatoface wrote:
As a fat runner, I have found my shin pain to be less debilitating and I have reduced my run times significantly(1.5 mile time is about 4 minutes faster), but I can still only run 3 days a week because the shin pain compounds so quickly. I can usually only run hard one of those days too.
I may do something like easy run Monday, medium run Wednesday, hard run Friday so I can let my shins rest Sat/Sunday.
I have good shoes, I don’t stomp when I run, I stretch, I drink plenty of water, I try to do everything I can to reduce shin pain, but as a fat runner I find it unavoidable. Are there any fat runners that can train more frequently? What is your secret? I don’t know what else to do[/quote]
the secret would be to lose weight. Get on a good “diet” and drop some LB’s.[/quote]
won’t the process of losing weight make it harder to recover between workouts?
[quote]potatoface wrote:
As a fat runner, I have found my shin pain to be less debilitating and I have reduced my run times significantly(1.5 mile time is about 4 minutes faster), but I can still only run 3 days a week because the shin pain compounds so quickly. I can usually only run hard one of those days too.
I may do something like easy run Monday, medium run Wednesday, hard run Friday so I can let my shins rest Sat/Sunday.
I have good shoes, I don’t stomp when I run, I stretch, I drink plenty of water, I try to do everything I can to reduce shin pain, but as a fat runner I find it unavoidable. Are there any fat runners that can train more frequently? What is your secret? I don’t know what else to do[/quote]
the secret would be to lose weight. Get on a good “diet” and drop some LB’s.[/quote]
won’t the process of losing weight make it harder to recover between workouts?[/quote]
not really. You just need to track your diet and eat the right way. I dont know what your stats are but I’m assuming you’re in the Navy because you referenced the 1.5 mile run time?
Post your stats… But I’m sure just fixing your diet will help. Running is lame and isnt the best way to lose bodyfat. You cant outrun a shitty diet
@shin pain - You need to strengthen your Tibialis Anterior muscles.
Stand with heels on a step, feet hanging over/down.
Hold onto a rail or something and lean slightly forward.
Dorsi flex and plantar flex as hard as you can, as fast as you can, as many times as you can, until your ROM begins to decrease. Do a few sets. Do this consistently.
Look at your footwear. you say you have “good shoes” but are you sure they’re good for you? Make sure the midsole hasn’t been flattened or compromised by all the pounding. After several hundred miles they’re trashed.
Your style of running? Get it looked at by a reputable running store, footstrike analysis, biomechanics, ask fellow runners for form tips, etc. (When I used to run consistently I was amazed at how “technical” running is/was, not to mention sprinting)
Lose the weight; common sense but running is sometimes NOT the first option for larger fatter lifters/runners. I used to cycle in cardio workouts of stair climbing with elliptical and running. Gets you out of that boredom rut & hamster wheel mentality, especially if you’re a track or treadmill runner.
Do different styles of running; for time, with a loaded pack, destination, etc. Slap some bloody steaks on your ankles & run through a neighbourhood you know has a high dog population…
Shin pain can be from various things but I’ve found from personal experience good warming up, stretching the tibialis, periodic sprinting & running on an incline helped them go away. Make sure you don’t run your way into a microfracture.
i used to have shin splints (not sure if that’s what ur experiencing) and i’m not at all fat, 6’2 @ 152. build up your calves and all of the stabilizing muscles in your feet/ankles. i did this by doing calf raises, ankle strengthening exercises, and walking/jogging barefoot. and also, stretch your calves VERY well and warm up your ankles before you run. if it’s shin splints, anti-inflamitory and icing helps.
for those telling me not to run to lose weight, im running for my job so I have it. I can’t really lose much weight in a month to make much of a difference, anyways, so it is better I find a short term solution to get me through this time.
[quote]potatoface wrote:
for those telling me not to run to lose weight, im running for my job so I have it. I can’t really lose much weight in a month to make much of a difference, anyways, so it is better I find a short term solution to get me through this time.
i can lose weight later on[/quote]
I missed it if you stated your weight and body fat percentage, but if you have fat to lose it’s not unrealistic to lose 10-15 pounds in a month.
I agree with the others that this would likely be the best thing in this case.
I’m 255lbs at 6 feet, 37 years old and don’t run as much as I used to.
Running is invigorating, but I think I wasted too much of my 20s running when I should have made sure I was progressing on my lifts more.
Another neat thing is that if you apply weight classes to running being over 200lbs is called a Clydesdale. Nice!
The American Clydesdale Horse Society says this about the breed of horse:
“Male or female, a Clydesdale should look handsome, weighty and powerful, so that the impression is given of quality and weight, rather than grossness and bulk.”
I passed my run with about 30 seconds to spare. I haven’t really lost any weight and my shins still hurt all the time. I am taking a week off to let them heal but I don’t think it will help. in the last 6 weeks or so I have taken like 5-6 day breaks from running several times but I didn’t have any luck because my shins would hurt as soon as I ran again.
I have lost a little bit of weight, but I still weigh like 40lbs more than my peers so ya.
I almost failed on the sit up portion, I scraped by with the bare minimum pretty much because I was so tired from the run my fat stomach is very difficult to compress during that movement.
I passed my run with about 30 seconds to spare. I haven’t really lost any weight and my shins still hurt all the time. I am taking a week off to let them heal but I don’t think it will help. in the last 6 weeks or so I have taken like 5-6 day breaks from running several times but I didn’t have any luck because my shins would hurt as soon as I ran again.
I have lost a little bit of weight, but I still weigh like 40lbs more than my peers so ya.
I almost failed on the sit up portion, I scraped by with the bare minimum pretty much because I was so tired from the run my fat stomach is very difficult to compress during that movement.
hopefully boot camp will make me skinny [/quote]
bootcamp will make you skinnier but you dont want to go to bootcamp in that sort of condition. It will suck a lot more for you and you’ll get singled out.
How long till you go to bootcamp?
Bootcamp for what service?
I passed my run with about 30 seconds to spare. I haven’t really lost any weight and my shins still hurt all the time. I am taking a week off to let them heal but I don’t think it will help. in the last 6 weeks or so I have taken like 5-6 day breaks from running several times but I didn’t have any luck because my shins would hurt as soon as I ran again.
I have lost a little bit of weight, but I still weigh like 40lbs more than my peers so ya.
I almost failed on the sit up portion, I scraped by with the bare minimum pretty much because I was so tired from the run my fat stomach is very difficult to compress during that movement.
hopefully boot camp will make me skinny [/quote]
What is your diet like? And what are you doing in the weight room?
Im not really doing any heavy lifting because I am concentrating on running. I also don’t want to put 300 lbs on my back and further tax my shins. I am trying to nurse them back to health as much as possible in my last month or so before boot camp while still being able to run.
I don’t know if I will get singled out. I don’t look that much bigger, I just weigh a lot compared to all the 130-155lb guys out of high school.
but ya, 6 weeks to boot camp. boot camp for the marine corps.
[quote]potatoface wrote:
Im not really doing any heavy lifting because I am concentrating on running. I also don’t want to put 300 lbs on my back and further tax my shins. I am trying to nurse them back to health as much as possible in my last month or so before boot camp while still being able to run.
I don’t know if I will get singled out. I don’t look that much bigger, I just weigh a lot compared to all the 130-155lb guys out of high school.
but ya, 6 weeks to boot camp. boot camp for the marine corps.[/quote]
if you’re a slow/not good runner you will get singled out for sure. If I was you I would do some sort of a diet (velocity diet maybe) to drop some weight before you leave. That should help your shins somewhat. Your best bet might be to talk to a doctor about your shins. See what they say about it and ask about compartment syndrome.
