Shin splints and calf pain

I'm primarily a cyclist, but like to do some running in the fall/winter. Even if I start off very slowly with a run/walk program, I get sharp pains on the sides of my shins. I'll also get pain and trigger points on the insides of my legs, where my leg makes the 90 degree bend. I run in newer running shoes and recently bought a pair of five fingers shoes, not for running, but just for walking/cross training. If I wear them for too long, I'll experience the same pain. I also have some pain in my upper calf when I run, just below the knee, something I get when I overexert myself on the bike.

Any ideas or exercises I can do to strengthen the area?

Just to get a little more info from you, what is your running form like? What part of your foot strikes first? Do you make a lot of noise or feel a lot of impact? How is your stride length?

While some people can just go out and run and not have pain no matter what their form, for some people a detailed analysis of how they're running is just as important as a good bike fit. It could be that you don't "naturally" run in a way that is ideal for your body. I'm trying to guess what is causing the pain you're feeling...you may not need exercises as much as an adjustment in what you're doing.

I think I strike on the heal or mid-foot and I'm guessing my strides are on the long side. I try to make them shorter, as that seems to make my calf happier.

I guess much of running is just easing into it, right? It always feels like such a tougher workout than biking!

Some ideas that may or may not help:

A shorter, quicker stride might help. If you are reaching your foot out too far, you are essentially braking and re-starting with every step. The energy that you're "wasting" by braking is being absorbed by your foot, ankle, knee, hips, back, etc. Kind of like KOPS on the bike, you want your feet more under you than in front of you when they strike.

I'm not going to argue one side or the other for where your foot strikes - it's almost impossible to avoid some sort of heel strike in normal running shoes, anyway. But listen for noise. if you sound like you're pounding, you're wasting energy - and your body is absorbing that wasted energy. Think light and quiet, like you're chasing prey :)

Think about running tall and keeping your chest open. Some people lean forward as they run, which affects the weight distribution on your feet & legs, and can also cause the pounding effect.

And one thing some runners swear by is practicing balance poses. Tree pose in yoga, for instance. They'll strengthen lower leg muscles and help control your stride.

Or...you could be feeling pain because of shoes. There is, in my opinion, a lot more guesswork than science behind shoes. I don't believe there is a "magic shoe" that will fix medical problems in most cases - by switching shoes, you're usually treating a symptom, and not the cause (form). However; I do think that shoes can cause problems, for example, if you're wearing an ultra-stability type shoe and don't need it.

Unfortunately, I don't know anything specific to help the pain you're having. In my experience, most pain that occurs on both sides of the body is from "heavy" running or overstriding - and anything one-sided is generally either from a physical abnormality (different length legs, scoliosis, etc) or from always running on the same side of a road that's cambered.