Running

I bet you're running on pavement and didn't work up to it.

You can push yourself to do the run, but the only way to do it steadily is easing into it.

The shin splints especially are from going too hard to fast, your muscle and tendons are flexing your shin.

So ease up, do shorter runs more often, and build up to and then past what you're doing now. It'll give time for bones to harden, calluses to develop, and supporting connective tissue to strengthen. If there's a park or other grassy area, run on that, it's a million times easier on your body especially starting out.

Cushioned shoes are bullshit. Go slow. Couch25k is great. Work on your form and strength too.

There is an idea that you should be able to walk 4 miles in about an hour before you begin running. This is to make sure that you are fit enough so you don't end up hurting yourself.

If you want to skip that idea, I had a lot of success with this app. It seems like a simple idea but it really does help. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.jupli.run

Also, what is your cadence?

Yep, basically you're putting too much strain on your body too quickly. Your bones are composite materials and they will get incredibly strong if you give them time to adapt. You're just going to have to walk for a while and then maybe do some light jogging here and there to increase the strain slowly so that your bones can reconfigure themselves.

Not a doctor but maybe something I've done will help you out. Stretching my calves everyday and going to a wide toe box shoe like Altra or Topo brought my plantar fascitis to an occasional minor soreness. I get soreness/pain in my left knee inside so I do squats and lunges if my mileage isn't keeping it strong enough, usually in the winter when I get lazy.

I like zero drop shoes a lot but it's recommended you switch gradually to allow your gait to adjust and all the under used muscles develop. Some love them, some hate them, might be worth trying on.

Runner here. First of all: good job. Running three times a week is nothing to sniff at. Make sure you have rest days in between your running days. It sounds like you do, but just to make sure. I never run back-to-back.

Cushioning shoes may help, but definitely go to a running store that looks at your stride and technique. If there’s a problem there, they will give you tips on how to improve. And maybe some corrections to you insoles and lacing. It could be that you have a hard heel strike.

If you are a bigger person looking to lose weight: try not to rely on running alone. Go swimming two times a week and run once. Swimming is A LOT less hard on your joints and shins as it doesn’t involve impact. Cycling can be good too, but it will require more time and often more costs as well.

How heavy are you? Do you perhaps overextend your stride? How much vertical lift do you feel like you're getting when running?

Have you gone to a physical therapist that specializes in running? They can give you a diagnosis and the corresponding proper exercises to help get rid of the pain. You probably need some plyometrics, some tib exercises and knee strengthening at least twice a week.

I had pain around the shins in the beginning. It took a while to get over. Couldn't even break a sweat before the pain made me stop.

I think it was muscle building, because I hadn't run at all since I was forced to in school over 20 years ago.

First of all, well done in getting out there.

Secondly, plantar, knee, shin, hip, calf pain comes to me as well whenever I change new shoes, run hard on new surfaces, run hard on up/downslopes and trail, or pretty much change anything.

So my tip would be to vary the surfaces, vary between easy and easier until you're comfortable, listen to your body, no shame in walking.

YouTube offers simple exercises to stretch different pain areas when you're at home.

(I've been running for more than 15 years)

Damn I can relate to this. I've been running for about 18 months, and started to turn things up by training to do a half marathon distance, using the Runna app. Running 3x a week with a legs and core strength training, and my shins have just been getting more and more sore, to the point I had to give up at 10k during a 15k run. Ended up walking the rest of the way home. The plan has definitetly been pushing me harder than what I'd normally do so I suspect it's down to that.

Strava has a Recovery companion app where you can pick out what areas ache and then do some exercises for that. Going to try and do those daily and ease off the plan for now.