Oh, my aching shins!

My friend Jami and I have been using the last three Wednesdays as our buddy work-out days. It's been really nice! Time spent with a friend, but also getting in a good work-out. The first week, we did some Zumba DVD's she bought online. The 2nd week, because it was sunny outside, we decided to do a walk outdoors on a new trail in our area (very hilly for 5 miles round trip). I pawned Connor off on my FIL for that walk because I wasn't messing with going his pace, or shoving him in the stroller (all 42-ish pounds of him). The third week, we decided to do the trail again, but this time we took Connor. I hauled out the bike trailer/stroller and reassembled it and off we went. It's wide enough that we could both push the handle up the hills and I figured it wouldn't be a very big deal. Um... I thought wrong! We got to the top of the first large hill and we were both pathetically out of breath. LOL! Connor asked if we could sit on the bench for a few minutes and Jami and I gratefully agreed. ha! We spent a minute or two sitting (didn't want to lose our momentum by sitting too long) and then headed out again. As Connor wanted in or out of the stroller, we took small breaks, but mostly kept up a pretty good pace (in my opinion). By the time we got back to the car, I was pretty convinced I wasn't going to be able to walk the next day, and I was POSITIVE I wasn't ever taking Connor in a stroller on that walk ever again.

I felt pretty good the next morning. Shins were a little achy, but not terrible. I didn't feel anything in my butt/thighs. Back felt decent (still having problems in that one area from being rear-ended almost two years ago). Jami and I decided that maybe adding Connor as a way to intensify the work-out wasn't such a bad idea.

Fast forward to today, and my shins are KILLING ME, my butt/thighs are decently achy (that "good" pain, though, not the "I can't walk" pain), and I can feel I used a lot more muscles than I thought.

Dan says I just need better shoes (the shin thing has been pretty persistant for me after a good walking or running work-out). I guess it's worth a try because I don't want to give up the exercise.

My thoughts on taking Connor next time??? UNDECIDED! He was good company and well-behaved, and it was definately a better work-out than NOT having to push him up and down big hills, but I'm not huge on self-torture, so I'm not sure I can very willingly take him, knowing how tired and sore I'll be afterwards. LOL

PS Any tips on good walking shoes? Or tips on how to deal with aching shins? I've been icing off and on and taking Ibuprofin, but I'm not feeling any difference.