The term shin splints refers to a painful condition that develops along the inside of the shin. The usual location is along the lower half of the tibia, anywhere from a few inches above the ankle to about half-way up the shin. The repeated running cycle of pounding and push off results in muscle fatigue (which, in time affects the tibia) so you have to make sure that you incorperate rest days into your training programme.
In layman's terms don't train on hard surfaces such as concrete... try running on grass or mud, or if you have to train on hard surfaces use proper running shoes as these absorb shock caused by running on hard surfaces that shoot up your leg when ever your foot hits the ground. Also if you rush into heavy training when you are in a poor fitness condition it can have the shin splint affect, basically build it up.
