I actually went jogging yesterday around my apartment complex. There are some nature trials that you can jog on it was pretty cool. I saw some deer tracks on one of the trials. It was only like a 15 jog from my apartment complex. Anyway my shin hurt a little when I was jogging. Today it hurt a little more than usually. Are shin splint really chips in the bone?
Yes, they can be irritated areas or if really painful--- (actually can be felt by running your hand over shin)---a slight knick/rough areas...Basically these are stressed areas on the bone/connective tissue and they increase in size and with continued stress can get to stress fractures. Just like when you lift, your muscle tears slightly this happens in running in that way with this---but if you build up to it- you are fine.
See this
http://www.rice.edu/~jenky/sports/shin.htmland also below details from Mayo Clinic Website
Introduction
Whether you're running after a soccer ball, jogging around the neighborhood park or training for a marathon, you're at risk of running-related injuries. One of the most common running injuries is shin splints.
People sometimes mistakenly use the term shin splints to refer to a wider array of lower leg problems. The term technically refers to a specific problem that causes pain along your shinbone (tibia) — the large bone in the front of your lower leg. The pain is the result of an overload on your tibia and the connective tissues that attach your muscles to your tibia. The medical term for this condition is medial tibial stress syndrome.
Shin splints are common among runners. But shin splints can also be caused by other activities that involve repeated impact on your feet on hard surfaces, including basketball, aerobic dancing and tennis.
Most of the time, you can treat shin splints with self-care steps and rest. And you can help prevent shin splints from recurring by stretching, using shoe inserts and modifying your exercise routine. The risk of shin splints is no reason to give up your morning jog or afternoon aerobics class.
Signs and symptoms
If you have shin splints, you may notice:
Tenderness, soreness or pain along the inner part of your lower leg
Mild swelling
At first, the pain may stop when you stop running or exercising. Over time, though, you may feel continuous pain in the affected shins.
Causes
Pain along the inside of the shin or tibial bone is commonly the result of overdoing athletic activities, engaging in sports with a lot of starts and stops, or running down hills. Shin splints may also be the result of:
Training mistakes, such as the "terrible toos" — training too hard, too fast or for too long
Running on a slanted or tilted surface
Running in worn-out footwear
If you have flat arches, your feet may have a tendency to roll too far inward (overpronate) when running, which can contribute to shin splints.
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I asked before about your shoes-- are you running or even walking any distance in old shoes/cross-trainers--
if so--don't-- get new ones and for regular or limited running--you need special running shoes that support your feet for forward motions. I used to lift in xtrainers then bring other shoes to run since running shoes are not laterally supportive for squats and my feet would cave --:(
Running on soft trails/grass is the best to do while recovering, it lessens the impact for sure-- --since it hurt you --keep icing after you run then take a warm bath and stretch. Of course water running is great--- You will be fine--just don't keep stressing them without making a change--or you will be plagued with these

You can tale a week off, but look at the other options first.