What did I do wrong?
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2015-03-21 8:20 PM |
Extreme Veteran 1190 Silicon Valley | Subject: What did I do wrong? So I stepped up in distance for the first time from sprint to oly. My third tri, the second after a full hip replacement. Because of the surgery I have been doing very little running. This was a reverse tri so the athletes would spread out naturally for a pool swim. As a result I had to press the run hard as the opener. I came in at 1:02,not fast for most people but good for me. Still I was way at the back of the pack. I jumped on the bike with the intent to make up some ground. I turned it at 22 MPH, easily the fastest I have done. Then I hit the pool. As soon as I hit the water both feet cramped up. I was using almost no kick but going, slowly. Then after about 500 yards my calf cramped. All I could do is roll over and swim backstroke. It was ok as I swam backstroke in HS albeit 40 years ago. So I finished but clearly it was a painful finish. Was it because I simply pushed too hard on the run and bike or could I have prevented the cramps with a better nutrition plan? I ran with a mix of Powerade and OJ drinking about 12 oz consumed. This is my drink of choice on long rides which has worked well for me, even on 3 hour rides. Had only Powwerade, again only drinking about 12 oz on the bike. Someone suggested that I should have been taking more salt for several days before the event. So any suggestions would be welcome. |
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2015-03-21 8:23 PM in reply to: 0 |
Champion 9407 Montague Gold Mines, Nova Scotia | Subject: RE: What did I do wrong? While cramping is not completely understood and is multi-factorial, I would suggest that your cramping is entirely due to pushing hard on the run and bike before swimming. Fatigue will very often lead to cramping, especially when you push hard early in a race. Congratulations on the finish and stepping up the distance! Shane Edited by gsmacleod 2015-03-21 8:24 PM |
2015-03-21 10:14 PM in reply to: Stuartap |
1055 | Subject: RE: What did I do wrong? How's your swim fitness? This is most likely a fitness issue, you either overcooked the run and bike or you you were overcooking your swim. |
2015-03-21 10:25 PM in reply to: ziggie204 |
Extreme Veteran 1190 Silicon Valley | Subject: RE: What did I do wrong? I don't think it was over doing the swim. Both feet started to cramp in the first 10 yards. Did I overdo the run and bike, likely. |
2015-03-21 11:09 PM in reply to: Stuartap |
Master 3205 ann arbor, michigan | Subject: RE: What did I do wrong? Congratulations on the step up in distance and the really nice performance. The above answers are likely true, that you pushed the run and bike too hard. But.....calf and foot cramping is not unusual at all in the water in a reverse tri. Something about the cool water after doing two leg-focused activities. Last year at Triple T they explicitly warned us about how often this happens in the Bike Swim Run format race and warned us to go easy in the water to try to prevent it. While I was swimming I could feel my calves wanting to cramp but they never did. I was still able to get out of the water and run even after walking the fine line of leg cramps while in the water. I wouldn't necessarily change much about how you raced. I would just file this away in the "this can happen" part of your brain. I suspect you are not terribly likely to have this kind of issue with a SBR format. |
2015-03-22 9:41 AM in reply to: wannabefaster |
Extreme Veteran 1190 Silicon Valley | Subject: RE: What did I do wrong? Thanks Jason. That does make sense. Next time I do a reverse I will pay more attention to how I begin my swim. Would it make sense to do any stretches even for just a brief time before jumping in to the water? I know it would consume some time but had I been able to do a normal swim I would have more than made up for it yesterday. |
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2015-03-23 1:25 PM in reply to: Stuartap |
Pro 6011 Camp Hill, Pennsylvania | Subject: RE: What did I do wrong? Originally posted by Stuartap So I stepped up in distance for the first time from sprint to oly. My third tri, the second after a full hip replacement. Because of the surgery I have been doing very little running. This was a reverse tri so the athletes would spread out naturally for a pool swim. As a result I had to press the run hard as the opener. I came in at 1:02,not fast for most people but good for me. Still I was way at the back of the pack. I jumped on the bike with the intent to make up some ground. I turned it at 22 MPH, easily the fastest I have done. Then I hit the pool. As soon as I hit the water both feet cramped up. I was using almost no kick but going, slowly. Then after about 500 yards my calf cramped. All I could do is roll over and swim backstroke. It was ok as I swam backstroke in HS albeit 40 years ago. So I finished but clearly it was a painful finish. Was it because I simply pushed too hard on the run and bike or could I have prevented the cramps with a better nutrition plan? I ran with a mix of Powerade and OJ drinking about 12 oz consumed. This is my drink of choice on long rides which has worked well for me, even on 3 hour rides. Had only Powwerade, again only drinking about 12 oz on the bike. Someone suggested that I should have been taking more salt for several days before the event. So any suggestions would be welcome. As others have said. it was almost certainly run and bike pacing. Look at what you said in the bold above. Pacing did you in.
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2015-03-23 1:33 PM in reply to: Stuartap |
Pro 5361 | Subject: RE: What did I do wrong? As above. it's race day and you just overdid it a bit. (yay!) Stellar bike speed- and probably worth the extra effort, time wise, even given the slower swim. FWIW- I 'barely' kick when I swim- and I'm a pretty decent swimmer. I often come out of the water and cannot immediately run to T1 due to cramping calves. I need to walk and stretch them for a little bit (maybe 15-30 seconds... but wow, that seems like a world of time), before I can start moving. granted, my example is in the reverse of yours, but perhaps it just has something to do with blood flow, body position, and how you're using your muscles. Basically, they're all warmed up and flowing to be used in a certain way, and then you ask them to be used in a different way. Takes your physiology a little to readjust. Many a triathlete (er... and me) has come of the bike, and not be able to run for the first 1/2 mile until their calves readjust. common. |
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