October 25, 2011 (Updated February 1, 2023)

Return to the Track

This morning my friend Genna and I made our triumphant return to the UNC track!

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Due to rain, Tuesday morning exams, etc., we haven’t been able to make it for the past couple weeks — it was nice to get back after it. 🙂 Beautiful morning, too — cold but clear — perfect for a workout!

We did our normal 45 minute workout:

Sprint the straights, jog the curves
In between each lap, do some sort of boot camp move

I’ve been having some issues with my right calf/shin area, so we decided to take it a bit easier on the sprinting than usual (~7:30 min/mile pace instead of 6:30 min/mile pace) and focus on the strengthening/boot camp moves instead.

Action shot of a jumping squat!

We also did some ab work, lower back exercises, inner and outer leg stuff, etc. Great workout, as always! I know I always say it, but it’s SO NICE to have someone to work out with in the a.m. Makes it a fun social outing instead of just a groggy workout (or an alarm clock that gets ignored). 🙂

I also tried out a new pair of shoes that our family friend Jill sent to me for my birthday (she sent them home instead of to NC so I just got them over the weekend). I usually wear Brooks Adrenaline shoes, but I figured it wouldn’t hurt to give these a try! Who knows, maybe it will help with my weird calf/shin thing going on.

I’m debating what to do about my long run this weekend — maybe if I skip it/do a shorter run my calf/shin will be okay for next week? (If you’re just tuning in — I’m currently training for a half marathon in Vegas in December!) It’s not serious pain, but it doesn’t feel all that great. I had a problem like this a couple years ago, too, but it was okay until recently… boo. Thoughts? What do you guys think? I’ve been icing, foam rolling, stretching, etc., but maybe I just need to rest it for a little bit… we’ll see.

Hope you’re having a nice Tuesday! I had a group presentation in my Medical Nutrition Therapy class this morning — we presented a case study on a renal (kidney) transplant patient. Interesting stuff, and I think the presentation went well!

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33 comments

Erin @ Girl Gone Veggie October 25, 2011 · 4:09PM:

So glad your presentation went well! And that looks like a fun workout!

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Heather October 25, 2011 · 4:15PM:

I ended up pulling my calf muscle while training for the boston marathon from pushing too hard and was out of the running game for nearly a year. I hate to say it, but the older you get the harder it is to recover from injuries. I would never recommend running through pain, even manageable pain. On the bright side, I was finally able to run again thanks to a chiropractor! He specialized in Active Release Technique (ART) which helps break down scar tissue in the muscles. If you think the pain is muscle related (and not something like shin splints) it might be worth a visit?! Mine is covered by insurance. The copays added up, but to run again was worth every penny! Good luck and my fingers are crossed for you!

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- Anne P October 26, 2011 · 7:29AM:
  
  I'm so glad to hear you are able to run again! :)
  
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Victoria (District Chocoholic) October 25, 2011 · 4:21PM:

You could try running part of it on land and pool running the equivalent time for the rest.

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jillian October 25, 2011 · 4:23PM:

I would do a shorter run, or skip it completely. You have PLENTY of time before your race --- not worth it to push it now! I'm nursing an injury now, and not sure if I'll be able to run NYC marathon in 11 days :( Prevent it now!

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Heather @ Girlyeverafter October 25, 2011 · 4:27PM:

Resting is always the remedy I go to for running pains. That and a mix of wall push ups to strengthen my calves. I've been training for a Thanksgiving half and had the same issue. Hope you feel better.

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- Anne P October 25, 2011 · 4:30PM:
  
  What are wall push ups?
  
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  - Heather @ Girlyeverafter October 25, 2011 · 4:35PM:
    
    You push up against a wall like a modified push up, but I push up on my toes more like when doing calf raises. I prefer using the wall for balance instead of regular calf raises so you're not straining the muscle too much causing more pain.
    
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    - Anne P October 25, 2011 · 4:49PM:
      
      Interesting - I'll try that!
      
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Brittany October 25, 2011 · 4:27PM:

Mornings like those are the best! A workout partner is definitely a plus too. I'd say to rest or do a short, slow run. I always have problems with doing that because I hate to get off track, but I would much rather it heal than get even worse and be put off even longer!

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Ashley @ My Food 'N' Fitness Diaries October 25, 2011 · 5:08PM:

I just did a similar track workout last week at the high school near our house, and I loved it! It was so nice to be outside and mix things up a bit. I would suggest resting your legs for a bit until your shin/calves feel better. Maybe do some lighter cardio and stretch/ice it really well instead for this week.

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Alexa @ Simple Eats October 25, 2011 · 5:42PM:

I would definitely say stretching, icing and maybe resting a bit? You might need it!

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Katie @ Peace Love and Oats October 25, 2011 · 5:43PM:

I would do the run on a treadmill, that way if you start to feel pain you can switch over to an elliptical or do some strength training instead!

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Katy (The Singing Runner) October 25, 2011 · 5:47PM:

What kind of calf/ shin pain are you having? Is it calf tightness and shin pain? I only ask because I had that going on in the spring and it wasn't fun. :( I would say to take it easy and skip the long run. If you feel ok, maybe do a shorter run. However, missing a long run or even skipping a week of running (sub in cross-training) won't hurt you. You have plenty of time until the race! :) But what do I know? I'm not a doctor! ;)

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- Anne P October 26, 2011 · 7:33AM:
  
  Yep - calf tightness and shin pain (but not serious... as of now anyway). Right now it's just kind of annoying, not really painful - how did you get rid of it? Just rest/ice?
  
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Katie @ www.ohshineon.com October 25, 2011 · 6:27PM:

I am also in the middle of "training" for a marathon in November in Richmond. I have been really bad about keeping up with my schedule but if there's one thing I'll never change, it's my attitude toward listening to my body. If you are hurting, don't push it... there will be another day, another run, and that one will be longer, less painful, and that much enjoyable! - Katie

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Renie October 25, 2011 · 6:38PM:

Neat looking shoes. I don't have calf problems, but this summer when I fell and broke my arm, I have had to wear a splint every day when I take my walk. It's a pain in the neck. Love that track.

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- Anne P October 26, 2011 · 7:34AM:
  
  That must have been very annoying!
  
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Mary October 25, 2011 · 7:04PM:

Have you have tried calf compression sleeves? I love mine...they loosen a lot of tightness in both the shin and in the calf.

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- Anne P October 26, 2011 · 7:35AM:
  
  I actually was thinking of getting one of those! I think I'll hit up the running store later today... hopefully they have some!
  
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Lauren October 25, 2011 · 8:02PM:

I'd say since you still have some time before your 1/2, I would consider taking it easy this week and pushing your long run to next week. You can never be too sure.

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Angela October 25, 2011 · 9:23PM:

Hi, long time reader, first time commenter :) Usually when I start to have shin / calf pain it means I need new shoes, so hopefully those new kicks will help. I also vote for icing, massage, stretching and rest.

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- Anne P October 26, 2011 · 7:35AM:
  
  Thanks for saying hi! :) That's usually the case for me, too, but my shoes aren't really that old unfortunately. Boo!
  
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Cat @Breakfast to Bed October 26, 2011 · 10:19AM:

shin splints bite. Ice/heat ice/heat rest. That's about all. It blows. I love the look of those runners btw, such a cute color combo.

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Kylie@OhsoMiscellanea October 26, 2011 · 10:20AM:

Stumbled across your blog a few weeks ago and am just getting around to posting for the first time as well. I wouldn't push it too hard this weekend just because you don't want any serious setbacks before your race. Definitely ice and try a foam roller or something of the sort! Best of luck :)

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Kira October 26, 2011 · 3:27PM:

I'm just getting over some left leg calf/shin pain. Icing, Advil, foam rolling, and stretching all helped but I didn't feel like it really fixed the source of the problem. After looking at my older running shoes, it looks like I overpronate on my left leg, so I've started doing some hip strengthening exercises. So far, so good!

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- Anne P October 26, 2011 · 3:29PM:
  
  Yeah - I'm thinking some strengthening might be necessary for me, too!
  
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- Anne P October 26, 2011 · 3:30PM:
  
  Can you recommend any good hip exercises?
  
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Kira October 26, 2011 · 3:31PM:

I've been doing the ones from this article (http://runningtimes.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=18359). At first, it didn't seem like they were doing anything, but the next day I could definitely feel it!

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- Anne P October 26, 2011 · 3:36PM:
  
  Awesome - I'll try those! How often are you doing them?
  
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  - Kira October 26, 2011 · 3:40PM:
    
    For now, every day. I'm gradually increasing the reps from 1 set of 10 to 3 sets. Once my shin is 100%, I'll probably only do them a few times a week.
    
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DHP October 26, 2011 · 4:04PM:

Track workouts = speed in races (assuming no injuries). Great to see you back at it. Well done/congrats!

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DHP October 26, 2011 · 4:10PM:

P.S. Remember, pls, that long slow distance = long slow races! :-) Again, terrific to see you doing speed work!

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