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headache during bike leg of race
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 2009-08-08 6:36 PM |
Master  1741     Chapel Hill, NC |  Subject: headache during bike leg of raceToday I did a race - and for the third time - I had an excruciating headache during the bike. The pain starts very soon into the bike course, is all over my head, radiates down into my sinuses and teeth. The first time it happened was late last season during a hot 1/2 iron. The 2nd time was early spring this season during a cool 1/2 iron. It happened again today during an extra hilly and long OLY race. I have done other races in between where I did not get the headache. It was so bad today, tho, that I was in tears and wanted to just stop riding and sit down and cry. I kept going tho, and HTFU'd thru the race. After the spring race, I talked to some friends, and came up with the following possibilities: - too tight goggles during swim pinching a facial nerve - lack of caffeine, since I don't have time to drink coffee on race mornings - dehydration - barrettes in hair getting jammed into head from helmet I ruled out all of those today, because I planned ahead by wearing my comfy goggles, took no-doze before race, drank a bit too much water on the bike, and skipped the barrettes. I was so desperate for the pain to go away, that I risked stomach issues by taking some Goodies Orange headache powders during the bike. It did not help. And it was a major pain to get that pouch open...would have been easier to just swallow a pill! The three thoughts I have now are - maybe my helmet is simply too tight. It's a snug fitting LG Rocket air aero helmet. - something about swimming gives me sinus problems. My sinuses are still stuffed up as i type. - maybe I am pinching a nerve in my neck due to how I am holding my head with the aero helmet? Today, as soon as I took my helmet off in T2, the headache felt much better. I really need to figure this out. This race I did today has the most beautiful bike course ever. Yet, I hated every minute of it because of the pain, and just wanted the bike to be over. I usually love the bike leg of a race the BEST! Any advice? Thanks!  |
| 2009-08-08 7:13 PM in reply to: #2336178 |
Master 2426 Central Indiana | Subject: RE: headache during bike leg of race If you feel better immediately after taking off the helmet- well change the helmet to see if your headache goes away. Do you get the headache while wearing other helmets, or at other times than strenuous cycling? |
| 2009-08-09 6:41 AM in reply to: #2336178 |
Master 2380 Beijing | Subject: RE: headache during bike leg of race Get that caffeine somehow, if you normally have it during the AM. Take a pill, or just make a point to get some coffee. That will help, but its probably not the cause of that headache. For me, whenever I carry alot of stress in my shoulders, neck... it will cause a migraine, which will usually last until I can take a nap (or relieve the stress, but a nap is the most reliable cure) If you can normally ride with that helmet on that bike for HIM distances.... it might just be some race-day nerves sending you over the edge. Maybe try some relaxation or stretching before the race to help ease those muscles. Ryan |
| 2009-08-09 6:52 AM in reply to: #2336216 |
| New user 476 | Subject: RE: headache during bike leg of race Oldteen - 2009-08-08 8:13 PM If you feel better immediately after taking off the helmet- well change the helmet to see if your headache goes away. Do you get the headache while wearing other helmets, or at other times than strenuous cycling? X2 If this isn't the issue then I would see a doctor immediately after a race and have your sinus's checked. |
| 2009-08-09 7:17 AM in reply to: #2336569 |
Master 1741 Chapel Hill, NC | Subject: RE: headache during bike leg of race JC5066 - 2009-08-09 7:52 AM Oldteen - 2009-08-08 8:13 PM If you feel better immediately after taking off the helmet- well change the helmet to see if your headache goes away. Do you get the headache while wearing other helmets, or at other times than strenuous cycling? X2 If this isn't the issue then I would see a doctor immediately after a race and have your sinus's checked. I have never gotten that headache in training. And I have done races wearing that same helmet where I did NOT get the headache. Makes it so hard to diagnose! Sucks that things happen in races that you just can't reproduce in training! I think getting my sinuses checked is a good idea. Edited by keyone 2009-08-09 7:18 AM |
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