Hiking

[Sky King]

Catrin, couple suggestions to see if it helps.
drink some electrolytes before bed,
eat a banana everyday for the magnesium.
use your foam roller or a rolling stick if you have one.
massage your calves by getting on your hands and knees and then taking the knee from the opposite leg and pressing it into your calf muscle and rotating the knee as you move up and down your calf (yes, I know you are feeling the shin but this will help over all)
take a tennis ball and roll your shin area
Do hip flexor stretches (expect you are)

I hate shin cramps and find I get them most often when we've been riding in hot weather and I haven't had enough fluids.

[Catrin]

Thanks Sky King - these are my usual practices. For whatever reason, my dr doesn't think it's an electrolyte imbalance. We're both hoping it's the structural problem (and there are signs of it) - which has a simple solution. There are also signs of decreased blood flow, but hopefully not enough to be a problem. I get the little ankle test tomorrow morning and, hopefully, will pass with flying colors. Regardless of any other underlying contributor, 11 miles was a bit over-kill

[emily_in_nc]

Catrin, sounds like a gorgeous hike, and 11 miles is a lot no matter how you slice it. I would be hurting too -- though not sure if I'd be cramping, just tired and sore. I hope you can get to the bottom of it. I tend to let all my aches and pains go, since we're on the road and getting to my doctor (or any doctor) can be a non-trivial thing, and more often than not, the problem just goes away with rest, but I know that is not the case for every ailment!

Has anyone been to Natural Tunnel State Park in western VA? We are here now and did a nice hike today after setting up in our campsite -- around 4.2 miles in the lovely woods, pretty easy, just some climbing and switchbacks, but nothing too rocky or strenuous. We haven't seen the Natural Tunnel yet. That's on tap for tomorrow, our only full day here, plus a few more of the trails here.