Running, Walking, Weights, and Pilates!

Agreed! That's one of the reason's I stuck with it, I love it Something else that looks fun belly dancing classes.  Something I'm planning on checking out with a couple of friends next year

I wish I could veer off the treadmill completely lol

AWESOME. With everybody on my butt about this, I KNOW I will loose the weight. And so far, what I've heard about Curves they measure and weigh you every 15 days and you have a trainer everyday you go in. I'm so excited!!

-Pain is weakness leaving the body- USMC OOrah!

Thats awesome! Thanks so much Stevie, I really appreciate it.

-Pain is weakness leaving the body- USMC OOrah!

 Looks nice, do you have one for adding weight? (lean pounds)

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I'm smiling. That alone should scare you.

I was afraid of burning my hair at our first poi lighting.  We are told to wear caps and to put coconut oil in our hair.  However, I also put it on my eyebrows just to cover all the bases!

"She walks in a shadow of discontent...tear the roof off this mutha like Parliament" - Capt'n

I had shin splints once - mine were located right in the middle on the front of my lower legs (both) and was brought on from overexertion from doing hard intervals up a hill where I used to live.  In my case, the ligaments that attached to the front of my shin bone became inflamed.  Those ligaments attach to muscles that wrap around and help you "push off".  Other similar inflamation injuries happen all up and down the tibia and they are all referred to as shin splints.  My theory is that overexertion and/or improper form is the main cause.

Overexertion could be me being stupid and sprinting up a 20% grade full blast or even someone who is overweight trying to lose weight and is putting stress on those "push off" muscles during a fast walk.  Overexertion could also take place as a result of a pronation problem which might be what's happening to you.

Do you have a running specialty store?  If you are near a city, call around or check their websites.  You will be able to tell if they simply sell shoes or if they know their stuff about running physics and biomechanics.  Some of those guys and gals are usually good at spotting step problems that can cause lower leg and knee injuries and can recommend shoes that correct over and under pronation.  Are you tall?  If a runner is tall, the simple shock of the force of long legs just running can bring on those inflamation injuries.  Grass and dirt eases that shock.

As for me, I'm 5'9" and have a pretty efficient gait and foot roll.  I've had supposed experts (none of us are experts in this field) tell me that my wear pattern on my soles is what they like to see.  It shows a landing on the outer heel, an inward roll toward the center and stopping right in the middle of the ball of the foot, which is exactly where pushoff is supposed to then occur then the pushoff continues straight.  I just now took a photograph of a pair of my current runners and you'll see the wear on the outer heel and the wear indicators worn down right in the middle at the hinge.  Click the photograph for the enlarged image and you see the middle wear better.

                                 (click for bigger)

Anyway.. what this kind of roll does is absorb shock and aligns the foot.  It's a smooth gliding roll.  My foot stopping the roll at the right time puts the foot in the best alignment with the lower leg for a good biomechanical push off.  Under pronators and over pronators will show a wear pattern in the push-off area to one side or the other and that will lead to shin splint, achilles, and plantar fascia type injuries.

When you go to a running store, take your shoes that you run in on the street.  If pronation is your problem, someone good can look at the wear pattern, watch you walk, and look at a wet footprint to see what type of shoe you need.  It might be a girl so be sure your feet are clean and smell nice.  haha!

I do put all of my miles in on hard surfaces.  Ya know, some people say you should never run on concrete because asphalt is much softer.  Well I have fallen down on both and I can tell you that they are pretty much the same as far as a human vs either one of them is concerned.  The reason that asphalt seems easier to run on is because of its lubrication properties.  Your shoe sole is allowed to expand under your weight and slightly slide because the surface is smoother.  On old worn asphalt, the exposed rounded rocks also give this effect.  However concrete is concrete and usually when your shoe plants down it sticks.  That's why asphalt seems easier to run on.  Another of my theories anyway.