Dear Shin Splints,

               Dear Shin Splints,
                    
                    You are mother-effers and not wanted here.  Please leave immediately.

                Sincerely,
               Kristin

I've been running for about 6 months now, and just recently started getting shin splints.  I have no idea why.  I tried changing to new shoes, and it didn't help.  And they were painful.  They always started about a mile in, and if I rested for a few minutes, they wouldn't come back.  Those mother-effers are painful.

Finally, I gave up on the thought "Maybe if I stretch more....", and went to my local Fleet Feet Running store.  The last thing I wanted to hear from them was that I was wearing the wrong shoes, since I only had about 30 miles on them.  And those suckers weren't cheap.  But they are pretty.

I figured they would probably sell me compression socks, and I'd end up looking like your grandmom.

I legit google imaged "Old lady in compression socks", and this was pretty much the only picture I could find.  So just imagine your granny, with her varicose veins, struggling to get her super tight compression socks on.  Ok, moving on.

Instead, the girl sold me inserts from SuperFeet for my shoes.  Something about better cushioning, better arch support, changing the way you foot hits the pavement, blah, blah, blah.  I saw the color and immediately tuned everything out.  They match my running clothes perfectly!

Aren't they pretty?

The best part-they have a 60 day money back guarantee.  Which I actually don't understand because she cut them to fit in my shoes.  But whatevs, doesn't really matter, because.....


THEY WORK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I've gone out for two 4 mile runs with them, and haven't had any problems!  So it's either the inserts, or the fact that I realized the first 1/4 mile of my runs is up a steep hill.  Hey, I never said I was the brightest bulb in the box. 

If you are suffering from the mother effing shin splints, don't think you have to live with the pain.  There are solutions, whether it be inserts, compression socks, new shoes, or changing your route.  Running should be hard, but not painful.

I love my inserts so much, that I'm going to take them out for a ride (Hey-O!!!  That was a really sad joke.) tonight.  In 29 degree weather.  With the wind blowing. 

It's mother-effing cold out.