How much salt / electrolyte?

Pick up some succeed tabs and dont worry about it.  Best shiznat out there IMO.   

I've never cramped in training - only in 2 races:

- Century ride where I probably rode too hard too early

- 1/2 IM - same thing but then had cramps all through the run

Problem is I don't expect to do a 180km ride followed by a marathon in training to really find out what I need.

Might just try popping a few on a long ride to make sure it doesn't disagree with me, and just hope for the best on race day?

Gerrard, I just upped my intake of a particular product  (Endurolytes from Hammer) this year and it has made a HUGE difference for me. No more grey tunnels, spots and just plain bad feelings at the end of races. My HR is also quite a bit lower due to the increase in what I am taking. I weigh 180 lbs and take the capsules on the following schedule:

70-80 F - 2 per hr

80-85 F - 3 per hr

85-90 F - 4 per hr

90+ - at least 5

My coach told me he has people taking 6-8 per hour. It all depends on your chemistry and how much you lose per hour. We arrived at my schedule by increasing the amounts until my body weight would drop no more than 2.5% from the original after a minimum of a 1 hr run or 2 hr bike. Hope this helps!

I worked a year to zoom in on what I need...I take 1000-1200-1400 mg an hour depending on the weather.

My coach helped me work it out. Normal sweat 16 oz has 400-600 mg sodium in it. Based on my sweat rate we figured out what I should aim for. I started 700-800/mg an hour and then moved up based on how it workd. It took a year of fine tuning but it works well and I'm good at telling if I need to adjust.

I switched to Powerbar Gels as they have 200 mg and they are on IM courses. Plus Gatorade Endurance..so added up all I got from food and drink and then backed into how much additional I needed. I use Lava Salts as they have about 10x as much as endurolytes and it is easier to take 1 or 2 an hour than 10.

If you are cramping, then take some ... if not then dont worry about adding some to your routine if nothings wrong.  It wont enhance your performance, just prevent you from dehydrating.

Hammers Endurolytes are great, along with the Powerbar Gels which have 200mg.  I use Infinit and have about 500mg per serving.  I took several Endurolytes at IMKY 2008 because it topped out at 92F and I am prone to cramping if I dont stay on top of my sodium intake.

In general, it won't help cramping either.

None.  Just more training.

You will be able to get enough through just regular sport drink consumption (actually too much in many cases) and any sort of food you intake on the course.

See johnnykay's post above about cramping.  Carmping has nothing to do with dehydration of electrolyte "depletion."

Correct, salt tabs will not PREVENT dehydration ... but rather will assist with balancing electrolytes but you still have to take in fluids.  I really didnt think I needed to be that specific.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrolyte

"It is unnecessary to replace losses of sodium, potassium and other electrolytes during exercise since it is unlikely that a significant depletion of the body's stores of these minerals will occur during normal training. However, in extreme exercising conditions over 5 or 6 hours (an Ironman or ultramarathon, for example) the consumption of a complex sports drink with electrolytes is recommended."(-Elizabeth Quinn, trainer and health professional) [1] Athletes who do not consume electrolytes under these conditions risk overhydration (orhyponatremia).

As for cramping ... true, cramps stem from a myarid of reasons,  but saying cramping has NOTHING to do with dehydration or electrolyte depletion is absolutely false.  Generally people who ask about adding salt are looking to fix a problem, and in triathlon, its generally a resolution to cramping ... I guess I made an assumption on what the OP had in mind

http://www.triathletemag.com/Departments/Training/2007/Cramping_your_style.htm

The final and most common type of muscle cramping is nutritional cramping. Typically occurring during the summer months, especially during periods of peak heat and humidity, nutritional muscle cramping happens for one of several reasons.

 The first is dehydration. Since athletes sweat at different rates, the rate of fluid consumption required to prevent dehydration and dehydration-related cramping varies from person to person. If dehydration-related muscle cramping is suspected, increasing the amount of fluid taken during and after exercise can help. 

 A more serious variant of nutritional muscle cramping is related to electrolyte depletion, particularly sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium. Each of these electrolytes helps create a balance of fluid and electrical charges inside the body’s bloodstream. With prolonged and intense sweating, the concentration of these electrolytes can decrease, and one of the early manifestations of this problem can be muscle cramping. It is most likely to occur in hot, humid conditions, but it can occur during any season if electrolyte replacement is not given proper consideration.

Sigh ....... all of that is unproven endurance excercise myth.  Just like "lifting will make you a faster athlete."

http://www.sportsscientists.com/search/label/dehydration

Specifically look at the "Muscle Cramps: Part II" about a 1/4 of the page down.

And they are not alone in stating that.  In my study guide for my USAC coaching license it says the same thing.  There is no evidence of excercised induced cramping being correlated with dehydration and/or electrolyte depletion.

But if you listen to the sports nutrition industry, especially tablet makers and sports drink makers, you think that the world is going to end if you do not get 500+mg of sodium in your body each hour ....... when in reality you just need to make sure you take in SOME salt if you are only drinking water so that you do not run the risk of hyponatremia.  You do not need any other electrolyte than that during excercise.

Interesting read ... Im a fan of that site and did not realize there was so much evidence against this 'myth.'  I enjoy drinking the koolaid and subscribe to the salt prevents cramps theory.  In my case it seems to have worked ... as with most nutritional items in this sport, what works for one person often times does not work for another and who knows what real combination of factors has eliminated my tendancy to cramp.  Its a typical piece of advice ... got cramps/take salt, and I cant explain my cure any other way.  

My fluid intake schedule, sodium supplement system makes my body happy and it would take a whole lot of courage to lean towards some of the theories described in those articles (especially since nothing is broken for me).  I find it very interesting the talk about drinking to thirst and how supplementing simply raises the sodium levels in your bloodstream, messing with your osmalality and thus making you thirstier. 

The biggest contributor to excercise induced cramping is fitness level and training.  If you go too hard or too far compared to your level of fitness it will leed to cramping (so they say).

I've also overloaded on electrolytes and fluids and have still had cramps in many of my long races.  That is what made me look at alternative reasons as to why I was getting them in longer stuff.

Now there IS a link between muscle cramping and electolyte depletion during normal life ..... like getting "charlie horses" in the middle of the night.  That can be attributed to low levels of electrolytes.