Happy Thursday! I gotta make this fast – Jersey Shore is on!
<My day in food and junk. Scroll if you don’t give a good damn.>
My day started with pumpkin oat bran. I’m not sure why exactly. Oh, it was because Ben was eating oatmeal and I’m easily influenced. I love eating oatmeal, but I’m always hungry 40 minutes later. 
But, after my 4 mile walk (that with some strength, was my exercise today) I came home H.ungry and ate more strawbs. They are hairy. Why am I just noticing this now?
Lunch was PopCorners and frittata on a salad. You can put anything on a salad. Even Swedish Fish. Trust.
Then, I had an appointment and some calls to make. Appointments and calls require fuel, preferably involving granola.
I made a smoothie in a bowl and finally broke down and ordered more of my favorite protein powder. God Bless it. 
<insert text from my brother involving the Catalina Marathon and tortas>
I don’t know.
I fit 15 minutes of blog reading in there somewhere. This new method is helping me stay productive! It would help more if I only did it once a day…
I tried something new with my hair, but all the back pictures came out blurry. So, this doesn’t help anyone at all. You’re welcome. 
I just had a short shift training 2 clients tonight and walked to work. Ben ran to meet me on the way home! He’s training for the 5k and Big Sur 10 miler, but recently joined a MMA gym so running has taken a back seat. Blasphemy! 
As soon as we got home he grilled up some chicken sausages and I made a broccoli slaw salad. We have avocados coming out of our ears over here! And I LOVE it.
<end day. watch Jersey Shore with hot cocoa!>
Okay. I have gotten some form of the following two questions a lot recently.
1. How do I go from the treadmill to the street?
and
2. My shins hurt. Help?!?!
So, I’m grabbing one example of each and answering it…
Question: Hello! I’m fairly new to your blog-I found you a few weeks ago and I’m loving it! I have a few running questions. I really enjoy running, but I’m a little intimidated by it and a bit mentally blocked. I would say 98% of the running I do right now is on a treadmill. I think this is because it’s my "comfort zone", and I live in an area that doesn’t have ANY good places to run. Do you have any tips from transitioning from the treadmill to the road? Thanks!
Answer: First, it’s important to realize it is a little harder to run outside versus the treadmill so don’t think something is wrong when you start out. Go slow and let your legs find their “happy pace”. Since you’re used to the treadmill dictating the pace, and being super consistent with the speed it’s going to feel weird.
Be patient. Keep running. Repeat.
One more tip: When you are on the treadmill try put it on a 1 incline to help better mimic outside conditions.
Good Luck!
Question: Last Thursday I ran 7 miles, felt great. Two days later headed out for a 5 mile run. Two miles in my shins on both legs started hurting like crazy. The pain was sharp and on the side of the shin (anterior), not the front. I had to stop running and walked home. The pain was still there while walking and persisted over the next few days. I haven’t run since because I’m worried I will cause more damage before the race. I have jumped and jogged in place and still feel pain when doing this. I have shoes that are properly fitted, they have 70ish miles on them, and aside from running a further distance than ever before, I haven’t done anything different.
Any advice you have would be great (should I still run before 15k, do I rest until 15k, how can I speed recovery, etc.)
Answer: The best way to help shin splints is RICE –
-
Rest
-
ICE
-
Compression
-
Elevation
I know you don’t want to Rest, but it’s the first part of RICE. Take it easy and show up on race day rested.
You can get shin splints from “too many toos” — running too hard, too fast or for too long. (source)
The Mayo Clinic suggests you see a doctor if over the counter medication doesn’t help.
Disclaimer: I’m not a doctor or shinologist, but these are questions all us runners wanna know. Hope it helps. Chime in on the comments!
Okay I need to watch Jersey Shore!!! See you later!
Questions: Tips for our running friends?
Thoughts on the last Jersey Shore?
I remember the first time I ran outside…..it was a rude awakening. Very rude.
In terms of the running outside/treadmill, I agree about putting the treadmill on an incline – I move between 0.5/1 incline depending on how ambitious I am feeling. Especially now that I’m training for my *first* outdoor race, on rainy/cold treadmill days, I have to make sure I am “faking” the outside conditions.
P.S. IMHO, putting swedish fish on a salad is basically like putting dried cranberries on a salad, right?
I had shin splints last fall and they were the WORST because you really can’t run through that kind of pain.
Compression socks and a reduced schedule got me through the 10K I ran, but after that I had to take a full week-two weeks off from running completely to finally kick their butt. Since then (knock on wood) I’ve been better about stretching out all parts of my legs diligently and they haven’t come back, even through my half-marathon training!
IT band, though–that’s a whole nuther story!
Thanks Sara! I’ve been there with my IT band. Hang in there!
Spirutein is the BEST. I love the vanilla. FYI: Vitamin Shoppe Online has it much cheaper than most places (and free shipping!)
Thanks for the tip! I have a packet of the vanilla that I’m going to try soon (maybe as a Shamrock Shake)…
STRETCH YOUR CALVES!!! I thought I was coming down with shin splints, but it turns out my calves were just stupidly tight. Immediate relief, no more pain. Voila.
I read that last word as “Vodka”.
I suffered from shin splints for a long time as a gymnast (and they plagued me until I gave it up eventually) but during that time I saw a lot of doctors and learned a thing or two about it! Shin splints typically respond really well to ice – try to ice the painful area of the shin for 15-20 minutes on, 45 mins off as much as you can pre-race. The only real way to let them heal is rest, sadly (this is how mine finally healed). But while you’re resting them, you can do pool running (wicked cardio workout!) and cross training (elliptical is ok too as long as there’s no pain whatsoever). If you must run, stick to grass and soft surfaces. You might also benefit from barefoot shoes and learning to strike with the ball of the foot rather than the heel to minimize impact; but be sure to make any change gradual.
You will really want to rest asap at the first sign on shin splints. They tend to be a recurring injury so you’ll want to nip it before it becomes a problem. GOOD LUCK!
Thanks for chiming in Jenn!
I fell asleep last night- how was JS?! Gotta catch-up over the weekend…
P.S. I used to be ravenous soon after eating oats for bfast but since I began adding some Greek yogurt and a dollop of PB I’m satisfied for hours!
Yeah, when I make overnight oats with yogurt it totally holds me longer. I think my body wants protein in the morning.
I eat oatmeal for breakfast every morning and I always find myself starving just an hour or two later. I wonder why that is? I thought I was just a weirdo! 😉
We’re both weirdos with oatmeal! So many people swear it keeps them full until lunch. Nope.
I used to have chronic shin splints from dancing back in high school. First of all, be sure that you’re not running on your toes (guilt, party of me). Put your heels down and get a good stretch in your calves and achilles.
Also, to strengthen the muscles on the outside of your shins: lay on your back with your feet in the air. Point and flex your feet 20X (or however many you can do). You should feel a nice burn in the muscles.
Now I am not sure if JS is over forever? Sammi said that she wanted to come back?
Yeah, but how is Snooks going to come back pregnant?
I wish I had avocados coming out of my ears! I’m eating at least 1 a day lately, but have to buy them at the store where they are hit or miss. And expensive. Oh, Californians with all your delicious fresh produce…I envy you!
I am soooooo jealous of you avocado situation!! They are hit or miss over here in TX. I totally wouldn’t be mad if you shipped some my way 😉
Yum I love chicken sausage, especially the italian ones! I think I might have to convince the hubs to grill some up this weekend!
Excellent advice on moving from treadmill to outdoor runner. The best piece of advice that I ever got when I started running was to put the treadmill on an incline of at least 1 and it really did help!
I get shin splints – a lot – they suck. Dedication to the icing, stretching and strengthening do wonders. When laying in bed raise your leg and draw out the alphabet with your big toe in the air.
Jersey Shore – so tragic and gross but yes I watch it. The fact these people are someones children – and one now going to have a child scares me just a bit.
But wait a minute what is that random comment passed over quickly about the Catalina Marathon? I LOVE that race, you must do it. Feel free to email if you have any questions. That course is no joke.
I don’t know why but my brother texted me asking about the Catalina Marathon? I asked him if he was going to run it, he said no. Not sure where it came from…
Hmmmm, I’d love to know more/see photos of Ben at the MMA/Tai Bo gym. Sounds cool!
I haven’t been watching Jersey Shore this season 🙁 I really need to catch up on those meatballs.
I get a lot of pain in my legs, and rest is definitely important. Sometimes, I hate taking a scheduled day off from the gym, but I also don’t want an injury to get worse!
I would put Swedish fish on a salad, for sure. 🙂
I am so Jealous of you. I have a huge beautiful avocado tree and nothing, nada, zippo. Crossing my fingers for this year, but if you have them now, hmm. More research.
I don’t know anything about avocados, but my mom’s trees (she has 2) each give off avocados multiple times a year.
I just had chicken sausage for dinner! Also I really want to start running outside too, I think from now on when I’m on the treadmill I will start raising the incline
An MMA gym? We have a friend that fights in MMA. They are fun to attend. Well, he should get a great workout. But he better get running if he’s gonna keep up with you.
Hair is cute. Smoothie in a bowl… Yum. Salad yum, too.
I am recommending your hangover preventive tip on my blog today/tomorrow. 😉 with credit due.
Happy soon to be St. Patty’s Day!