What I did to break the length I could run further is I would take one or two steps extra steps past the point of the day before. What you are doing is slowly adding distance to your run everytime you run and your body is getting used to it slowly. It takes longer to add the distance but it does come with time.

I would also apply ice to the areas that causes you the most pain right after your run and then alternate with heat then ice again and if all possible I would keep your legs elavated above your heart it keeps too much blood from going to your legs and causing swelling in them. Then I would also take an aleve or naproxin or an anti inflamatory either just before or right after a run, this will also keep any possible swelling inside from causing you pain because shin splints are caused by inflammation to the muscles and tendons or soft tissue along the shin bone so you want to do things to keep that swelling from occurring.

I am not a long distance runner, but one thing I would suggest as someone who exercises is not to stretch until your muscles are warm. Stretching before exercising can harm a muscle, more chances of a pull. I would walk or a slow jog for a couple minutes, then stretch, then do your distance. You probably already know the stretch after exercising is the most important to avoid muscle soreness and to help increase muscle length and flexibility.

I wonder if your pain might be the bone or arterial?

Have you been fitted for shoes? Many running stores will analyze your gait and give you shoes that are designed for your type of foot/form. I had similar problems, such that I could only run every other day or less. Once I got fitted for running shoes, I haven’t had any problems.

Have you tried other means of working out your lower body?

Also you should consider building up a strong core and even some light upper body exercises.

Do you have insurance? Maybe your doctor could prescribe a few visits with a physical therapist who is probably the best qualified to help you get beyond this.

I am not a big believer in minimalist footwear myself. My problems with shin splints went away when I was properly fitted for running shoes (I run in Mizuno Wave Riders now) with insoles. Since your shin splints got better when you switched from shoe 1 to shoe 2, I would not be surprised if shoe 3 ended up being, to borrow from Goldilocks, “just right.”

That said, I am not entirely sure your issue is shin splints. Based on your description, it could be tendinitis. If that’s the case, you may need to take a long-ish period of time off to let the problem heal COMPLETELY. I’m talking 8–10 weeks. During that time, wear your most supportive footwear and rest the problem areas as much as humanly possible. Then, when you start running again, build up your mileage consistently but very slowly. My sports medicine doctor would only let me run 1 mile per week when I was doing this. I built back up by spacing my runs out, first once per week, then every 2 days, then every other day. I think some bodies cannot handle more than every other day. And you can certainly become a distance runner with that kind of schedule.

If I am wrong about the above, then my only other advice for you is to manage the pain with RICE: rest, ice, compression, elevation. And a lot of ibuprofen.

Sounds to me like a visit to an osteopath might be in order. The fact that your pain has a pattern of recurrence suggests the issue might have to do with alignment or maybe even bone/tissue structure… incidentally, you don’t have fallen arches or flat feet do you? Those could be factors too…

The best way that I can see to tackle this problem is to stop running!

Stop running for now to give your body a chance to heal. If you keep trying to push through the pain, you may end up injuring it even further. Also, use a cold compress on the area for 15 min at a time when you start feeling the pain. Cold will help to reduce inflammation and help to speed healing. You can still exercise without causing so much strain on your joints. Try swimming or roller blading for a while. It’s better for your body and you’ll be a better all-around athlete if you cross-train anyway.