Brutal Cramping

half_man_half_scab · 08-16-2006

I ride something like an average of 50 miles a week, 10-15 miles per ride. Every once in a while I like to do something bigger, like 25 miles or so. I usually start to cramp up in the legs towards the end, but today it was the worst. It was just after a long stretch of climbing then maybe five minutes of flat when both the dorsal and ventral muscle of my left thigh seized up simulatneously. It was horribly excruciating and I couldn't really do anything about it, because to stretch out one cramp would exacerbate the other on the opposite side of my leg. I just kind of threw myself on the ground and bit down on a stick until my muscles stopped freaking out.

What do you guys do to avoid cramping? It's calcium and potassium concentrations you want to think about right? I'm wondering if I should see a doctor of sports medicine or not.

ArmySlowRdr · 08-16-2006

gatorade enduro--i also heard cytomax is the other drink to consider.

SmashFace · 08-16-2006

If you're having serious cramps like this and are adequatly hydrating yourself, and you believe your potassium levels are fine, you really should see a doc about it. Especially if it happens on a regular basis.

nativeson · 08-16-2006

Some folks I've ridden with love them. I try to hydrate the night before a long ride and drink a lot of electrolytes in the morning or pre-ride. Focus on your breathing when you are really starting to exert yourself. Stretch a lot, everyday, pre/during/after ride.

Mike T. · 08-16-2006

Try this article -

http://www.cyclingnews.com/fitness/?...6/letters08-14

jabpn · 08-17-2006

But don't discount them either. I was having the same thing happen to me when I started uping my road rides from 30 miles(ish) to 45 miles(ish). Besides the longer distance the route I take is much hillier. In the beginning, about four or five rides, I would cramp up near the end of the ride in my legs. I had to get off my bike and stand absolutely still so as not to cause the muscles to contract in the slightest. Which would bring on serious pain. Now I can do the same ride, and ride it aggressively, and not cramp up. I never changed my hydration drink except for adding some salt. I feel much better though when riding that loop. I think a big part is that my fitness is starting to catch up to my exertion level. Then again is could be the higher salt content as I tend to be covered in salt at the end of my rides. I think the trick would be, if you make changes, is to do them one by one and ride your big ride for a week with those changes. See what happens.

RomSpaceKnight · 08-17-2006

Cool Blue Gatorade and lots of water. I drink a liter an hour in normal temps and go up to a liter per 1/2 hour in stagnant summer heat. Are you drinking enough? Are you pre? hydrating during times when not riding?

badlander · 08-17-2006

to me. My calfs started to freak out with cramps and I went to the doc. He told me to a) start taking salt pills and b) eat banannas. I thought he was nuts, but I did it anyway. It worked. That was a long time ago on a very hot summer like this summer. I now still eat banannas all the time, but I drink the sports drinks for my salts and other crap in them. Hey, it must be good, they are selling it.

As a side benefit, banannas are a good source of fiber

Rick

half_man_half_scab · 08-17-2006

So it seems like sodium and potassium (bananas) ions are the ones I'm looking for. I carry a camel back, and am kind of reluctant to bring any sort of gatorade type drink with me. I'll try dosing myself before a ride with salty food and bananas. I think water in general isn't a problem, as I keep pretty well hydrated.

Vikingrider · 08-17-2006

Cytomax does it for me, used to have Gatorade along and got cramps, then someone told me about Cytomax and now I'm free of it.
What works for some, may not work for others, all you can do is to try different stuff.
BTW it does not taste to bad either

Dirtman · 08-17-2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by half_man_half_scab

I ride something like an average of 50 miles a week, 10-15 miles per ride. Every once in a while I like to do something bigger, like 25 miles or so. I usually start to cramp up in the legs towards the end, but today it was the worst. It was just after a long stretch of climbing then maybe five minutes of flat when both the dorsal and ventral muscle of my left thigh seized up simulatneously. It was horribly excruciating and I couldn't really do anything about it, because to stretch out one cramp would exacerbate the other on the opposite side of my leg. I just kind of threw myself on the ground and bit down on a stick until my muscles stopped freaking out.

What do you guys do to avoid cramping? It's calcium and potassium concentrations you want to think about right? I'm wondering if I should see a doctor of sports medicine or not.

I used to suffer greatly from cramps, it was the way I ended most rides - In Pain

I've tried just about everything to get rid of cramps.

All different types of drinks (from gatorade to cytomax), bars etc..... Nothing seemed to work for me. Well one day a few months back while in my LBS, I notices these Gellies (Cliff Shot Organic electrolye chews). Well the gellies (similar to gummy bears) are a solid block of concentrated electrolytes - approx 7-10 in a bag for about $1.50 or so. I will eat an entire bag on most rides. But NO MORE CRAMPS. Eating those throughout the ride accompanied with plenty of water = No Probs

You might want to check them out. For a look click http://www.bikemecca.com/interbike05/vegaspt2.html.. Good Luck.

Unknownrash · 08-17-2006

I think you need more training/conditioning time on your bike. I honestly doubt there is anything really wrong with you. There is no magic pill either to stop cramping. When I'm starting the season or not use to a particular length of ride then I start getting cramps as well. Once my endurance builds, then the cramping usually never happens unless it's a really brutal ride.

half_man_half_scab · 08-17-2006

The irritating thing is that cardiovascularly I have no issues. It's like my heart is saying "tear it up" and my legs are just crapping out.

xcaliber · 08-17-2006

Is your Camelback white when you finish riding? That's a good sign you are losing salt and electrolytes. I live in New Mexico and do a lot of road riding. I lose a LOT of salt. I take a Camelback with water and 2 water bottles. In one water bottle I put table salt in it and carry more. At the first sign of cramping I start sipping salt . DOn't put in too much but enough so you can taste it. It really helps prevent cramps.

Duckman · 08-17-2006

Hes talking about "muscle endurance". Totally diff thing, and prolly the main limiting factor concerning endurance for all riders ultimately.

Most of the time, its plain ol 'too much effort(watts or power output)' over 'too short of time'(for a given riders fitness atm) that causes cramps. No banana, salt pills, Sport Legs(they do work tho, as I swear by them for racing), etc is gonna fix that. Help to a degree yes, but the rest is the riders job. Depending 100% on training and level of fitness at the time..everyone has "so many matches" to burn. Burn them too early, and your done for that ride, or atleast your gonna suffer from then on when trying to make any decent power. Everytime you go into the red zone(anerobic), your digging a "hole" sorta that will shorten your overall performance "window" for that ride 10-fold. A 12-24hour solo racer will try to never ever go in the red zone for this reason. As a loose rule, most fit endurance racers have about 2 hours of LT so to speak(meaning the above "matches"). You get the idea.

Your just not riding that much relatively speaking, and its just showing on the longer tougher hotter rides. More miles over time and done properly would do wonders imo.