Massive calf cramp

I have had this happen to me too. Almost exactly as you describe yours...about 10m after pushing off the wall. The cramps have been massive and extremely painful. One time, it kept me from doing anything for several days. I know it's not an electrolyte imbalance or dehydration. Most likely, the cause for me is muscle exhaustion, as each time, in the day or immediate period before I had probably overdone it.

But, here's a new twist. I have become so paranoid about the stupid cramps, it's totally affecting my ability to swim for any length of time. After I've been in the water for 30 min or so, I start to feel as though my calves are tightening up, just getting ready to lock up. Same in OWS if I don't have a wetsuit on. I do a lot of pulling with the pull buoy these days.

I'm not sure if it's all in my head or real or it's so real in my head that it does in fact become reality.

Any suggestions?

I get them swimming and also on the run of tris usually only Int'l distance.

I take 3 electrolytes before I swim and then drink water with Nuuns which has electrolytes while swimming. I'm more aware of what happens before I get them, so if I feel them coming on I will get out and stretch. I tend to get them if say I've been swimming 1500 yds and I up to 1800 yds I'll get them between 1500-1800.

My last two Int'l distance races I've cramped the whole run. St. A's I was on some medications that prevented me from sweating...an issue. So if you take any drugs look into side effects. Other thing I redid my sweat rate by testing and my sweat rate is higher than last year so I'm not drinking enough.

After I finished St. A's I collapsed over as both my calves cramped so badly my toes were stuck down and I just fell over...ended up in the medical tent..not pleasant. 

I'm doing my next Int'l race Saturday and I'll be curious if I'll cramp or not. I'm drinking more Gatorade Endurance with more electrolytes but only so much more or I get sloshy stomach...and taking more Lava Salts to try and prevent it and be more aware.

I also got achillies tendinitises in late January and worked hard at strengthening my calves.

I see it as three issues...hydration, electrolytes and strength.

If I get them and run through them, man it beats up my calves a lot and I will limp a couple days and have knots for more than a week....massage helps...but man it wrecks my calves to keep running.

 Did my second sprint ever on Saturday; after T2 and shortly into the run I got a pretty good cramp in my right calf but ran through it.  It went away quite quickly.  The remainder of Saturday and all of Sunday I was fine.  But Monday I could not walk normally because both calves hurt so bad.  Tuesday I could walk normal again, but now I seem to have a little numbness at the top of my foot near the ankle.  Could this be related to tightness in the calf muscles?