Shin splints - is it possible to be tender but not have them?

I've dealt with shin splints in the past too. A good way to ease the pain and help the healing process is to freeze a dixie cup of water and use the open end to massage your shins with. You can also strengthen your shin muscles by laying on your back and hold your leg up so your upper leg is vertical and your lower leg is horizontal then "write" the alphabet with your big toe and do that for both legs. Your heel/toe walks are good and you can also try to stand on the edge of the steps and just lift yourself with your toes and do 10-15 nice a slowly. These are all targeted for your shins specifically so you don't want to overdo these exercises while starting, rather gradually build up over a month or so. Strengthening other parts of your legs may also help relieve stress on your shins and prevent shin splint. At this point, you probably don't have shin splints and your legs are sore from running so don't worry too much. Just be aware of your body and try out these tips. Should your shins feel extra sore one day, take some ibuprofen to lessen the swelling (even if you don't need it for the pain it will help your muscles to heal faster and let you get back to running).