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Maybe I missed where this was addressed before (it's possible - I've followed the thread but haven't contributed because there was so much good advice being given), but there's a significant percentage of shinsplit cases that are caused purely by muscle strength, and that may be what's going on with you, raeanna.
What happens in these cases is that muscles that haven't had to work as hard before - usually because they're more useful stabalizing a running leg than a walking leg - start to work harder. Muscles that have to work more start to get more efficient, and that means that they get stronger (among other things). A stronger muscle is a shorter, thicker muscle (think of a bodybuilder's bicep versus, well, mine). So as that muscle starts to shorten and thicken, it starts to pull on the connective tissue that holds it in place in the greater assembly that is your leg. That connective tissue doesn't have as much play in it as a muscle (it's not really intended to move after all), so it has to stretch. And in a lot of cases, that stretching causes the pain that is shinsplints. This is actually not an uncommon occurrence in athletes, although it moves around the body and manifests in different ways - the same version of this "symptom" of your new effort in your feet is called plantars facitis, and having had both that and shinsplits, I'll take the shinsplints every time.
Given what you've described (hurts on running days, not on walking days), I suspect that this is what's going on. But, as others have said, there are lots of different causes of shinsplits, and just because I suspect that this is the case doesn't make it so. But, if I were coaching you, this would be my advice:
Go to a running store to get your stride evaluated (I realize that this may be a geographical impossibility for you). If that's not possible, find a mail order company that specializes in running shoes (I've got the names of 2 or 3 at my desk, so just let me know if you need them) and describe in as much detail as possible what's going on and what you need. Most of those hire avid runners for their customer service and you might get a few other tips while you're at it. Since you wear orthodics, make sure that you let them know. If you're going to a store, take them with you. By the way, Foot Locker is to running store as I am to Heavyweight Champion of the World.
Don't worry about your stride at this point or footstrike or any of that. Your body is very much in the development stage and is going to gravitate to what's most efficient for it. It's notoriously difficult to change footstrike permanently (although it can be done), so I'd encourage you to stop worrying about it.
Your usual course sounds pretty good, but it's not really cross country. Cross country is going to be either grass or dirt. Those are the best possible surfaces you can run on, especially with your shin pain. Seek those out if you can. If those aren't available, the next best on is gravel (even if it seems packed down it has significantly more give than asphalt). Honestly, your boat ramp/dock seems like a bad place to run because it's going to be concrete (the worst possible surface to run on, with the exception of volcanic rock) for part of it. If it were me, I'd find a way around it on grass, but there may be redeeming factors that work for you (and scenery is a perfectly good redeeming factor).
This is just another possibility to think about. All the good stretching/icing advice seems to have already been given by others, which is great. The one thing that I didn't see mentioned was ibuprofin. Shinsplits, regardless of the cause, are the result of an irritation/inflamation. Ibuprofin is an anti-inflamatory drug. Take the recommended dose (depending on what the bottle says) about 45 minutes to an hour before your run and see if that helps. You may need to follow up with another dose a few hours after your run, but the idea is to keep the inflamation down as much as possible.
I hope this helps. If you need clarification or anything else, just ask. That goes for anyone.
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