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Bad cramping -->DNF
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 2010-06-20 9:27 AM |
Extreme Veteran  521  Coldstream ,BC |  Subject: Bad cramping -->DNFI have cramped up quite badly twice in the last week. The first was after a long ride (3hrs) and the second was yesterday in a HIM swim. The first day I did an 82.5 km ride. I had consumed two full water bottles, three gels, and a red bull on the ride. Was a rolling ride with some pretty steep hills and I was taking it easy s it was my first longer outdoor ride of the year. Everything was going pretty well up until about 50k. That is when I started to feel pretty tired. Finished the ride and when I was pulling up to my house and swung my leg off to do a moving dismount, the leg still in the pedal cramped up something terrible. Started in my medialis and then moved to the back and into my hamstrings the on to my calf. While I was hitting my quads trying to work it out the other leg cramped as well, but not s bad. It was sore for a couple of days, but I didn't think too much of it. Chalked it up to maybe pushing a little too hard. Asked the guys at the local tri store and they swore I was dehydrated and needed to have electrolyte replacement drinks... Which brings me to yesterday... The whole story can be found on my race log... Started the OWS for the HIM I was doing yesterday and was doing great. Felt comfortable with my pace, breathing, rhythm, etc. First lap was good. I did feel a little tightening in my left hamstring, but managed to stay loose and it went away. At about 1700m though my calf cramped up really bad. When I tried to straighten it my medialis locked up, followed by my hamstrings. I called for the boat and got the guy to help me bend my leg. It helped with my quads, but made the hamstrings worse and to fix that I has to straighten my leg again which of course reactivated my quads. Ended up having to get out and take a DNF. I also had nausea and some dizziness with this as well... I have done a search on here and read all of the cramp threads that came up... It would seem that my cause is either some sort of electrolyte imbalance or lack of fitness. Neither on seems that likely to me though. While I don't often swim further than 2000m a 2000m swim is not something that I find at all taxing on my body. I ate well before the race and was consuming water end electrolytes up until about 20 minutes prior to the race. Any thoughts or opinions on what might be happening and why it is reoccurring? |
| 2010-06-20 2:56 PM in reply to: #2932479 |
Pro 4360   Baton Rouge area | Subject: RE: Bad cramping -->DNF 82.5 kms (~51 miles) on three gels and a red bull? I would have cramped before that. It could be fitness but that long of ride I would have had more gels, gatorade, and a granola/power bar of some kind. I did 30 yesterday on 1 gel and two bottles of gatorade. Also, for me excess caffiene causes cramps on both the bike and the swim. Red bull and a ride/swim would Were you wearing a wetsuit for the swim? I had some cramping in my hamstring during my HIM which is weird as I normally cramp in my calfs. I read somewhere that wetsuits can put you in a position you if your not used to can cause cramping. Don't have the link and can't tell if that is really true. When I got out of the swim and ate a banana I was fine. |
| 2010-06-20 7:56 PM in reply to: #2932479 |
Pro 6011  Camp Hill, Pennsylvania | Subject: RE: Bad cramping -->DNF I'm not a coach, and I hate to go to the standard answer, but IMO, it's a fitness issue. According to your logs, most of your rides have been in the 1 hour range, with only a couple of 2 hour rides, and they've all been in the last 4 weeks. Your ride that started the cramps was nearly 3 hours, and had 4 big hills. For me personally, going out and doing a ride that is 50% longer than my longest ride in recent months that includes some longer climbing would make me cramp...bad. Plus, your training overall seems to be a little inconsistent the last few months. As far as the cramping at the race yesterday, I'm less certain, but just a guess is that your quad was still not fully recovered from the beat down you gave it 5 days earlier? Another possible issue was pacing. Do you think your pace was too fast? Again, I'm not a coach, and I'm only basing this opinion on how I think my body would respond in the same situation. |
| 2010-06-20 11:29 PM in reply to: #2933088 |
Elite 4048 Gilbert, Az. | Subject: RE: Bad cramping -->DNF I'm looking at your logs, and unless you're not logging consistently, you show 6 hours of biking since May 23? And you wonder why you cramp after a 3 hour ride? Are you even looking at the plan you have downloaded? You're logging 1/2 the recommended distances. You have some ambitious goals, which is great, but you need to temper those with a little bit of reality as well. John Edited by tkd.teacher 2010-06-20 11:31 PM |
| 2010-06-21 8:06 AM in reply to: #2932479 |
Expert 617 | Subject: RE: Bad cramping -->DNF The cramping on your training ride was probably a combination of an electrolyte imbalance and fitness. If your body isn't used to being in the saddle for that long you probably shouldn't be busting out a moving dismount anyways. You should have been more conservative until your "sea legs" came back. |
| 2010-06-21 9:49 AM in reply to: #2933351 |
Extreme Veteran 521 Coldstream ,BC | Subject: RE: Bad cramping -->DNF tkd.teacher - 2010-06-20 11:29 PM I'm looking at your logs, and unless you're not logging consistently, you show 6 hours of biking since May 23? And you wonder why you cramp after a 3 hour ride? Are you even looking at the plan you have downloaded? You're logging 1/2 the recommended distances. You have some ambitious goals, which is great, but you need to temper those with a little bit of reality as well. John My goals for the season are pretty much shot, I realize that. As for following the plan, yes my logs are consistent, both kids and my wife have been sick for weeks and there is other family stuff going on as well so I am pretty much getting in whatever I can whenever I can right now. I am hoping if I give my leg a couple of days to heal from the cramping that I will be able to get back at it hard and salvage a couple of races this year. We'll see. Thanks to every one for your responses I think I have come to the conclusion that lack of fitness, nutrition, and being sick caused the first cramps and they were not healed causing me to cramp in the 14 degree water in the race this weekend. I guess I will have to chalk it up as a learning experience... |
| 2010-06-21 11:10 AM in reply to: #2933875 |
Elite 4048 Gilbert, Az. | Subject: RE: Bad cramping -->DNF wide awake - 2010-06-21 7:49 AM tkd.teacher - 2010-06-20 11:29 PM I'm looking at your logs, and unless you're not logging consistently, you show 6 hours of biking since May 23? And you wonder why you cramp after a 3 hour ride? Are you even looking at the plan you have downloaded? You're logging 1/2 the recommended distances. You have some ambitious goals, which is great, but you need to temper those with a little bit of reality as well. John My goals for the season are pretty much shot, I realize that. As for following the plan, yes my logs are consistent, both kids and my wife have been sick for weeks and there is other family stuff going on as well so I am pretty much getting in whatever I can whenever I can right now. I am hoping if I give my leg a couple of days to heal from the cramping that I will be able to get back at it hard and salvage a couple of races this year. We'll see. Thanks to every one for your responses I think I have come to the conclusion that lack of fitness, nutrition, and being sick caused the first cramps and they were not healed causing me to cramp in the 14 degree water in the race this weekend. I guess I will have to chalk it up as a learning experience... I wasn't meaning to sound critical. Life happens, to everyone. :D Just need to take a look at what is happening when working out, and compare it with your past history. If you log 6 hours in a month, and then take a 3 hour ride, fitness is going to come up and bite you on the butt. Give it a few days of pampering and up the electrolytes (Bananas, spinach, leafy greens are also good), and then ramp up a bit easier. This season isn't shot, but you can use it as a serious base for next year. That's the same boat that I'm in, I took 5 months off to prep for something else, and I've been back working the triathlon stuff for about 3 weeks now. I may do a tri in Sept, otherwise I'm just building base for next year. Don't abandon anything, just rework the goals/timeframe. :D You'll get there! John |
| 2010-06-21 11:31 AM in reply to: #2932479 |
Champion 6786 Two seat rocket plane | Subject: RE: Bad cramping -->DNF I'm not sure about the swimming, but 2 bottles of water for a a 3 hour ride would be nowhere near enough for me. Some electrolytes would be a very good thing too. On 3 hour ride I would leave the house with a bottle of water and a bottle of gatorade (because I like it) and fill them up at least once along the way. If it was as hot as it has been here this week, I'd probably do 2 water stops (depending on route and pace) |
| 2010-06-21 12:36 PM in reply to: #2934188 |
Extreme Veteran 521 Coldstream ,BC | Subject: RE: Bad cramping -->DNF tkd.teacher - 2010-06-21 11:10 AM wide awake - 2010-06-21 7:49 AM tkd.teacher - 2010-06-20 11:29 PM I'm looking at your logs, and unless you're not logging consistently, you show 6 hours of biking since May 23? And you wonder why you cramp after a 3 hour ride? Are you even looking at the plan you have downloaded? You're logging 1/2 the recommended distances. You have some ambitious goals, which is great, but you need to temper those with a little bit of reality as well. John My goals for the season are pretty much shot, I realize that. As for following the plan, yes my logs are consistent, both kids and my wife have been sick for weeks and there is other family stuff going on as well so I am pretty much getting in whatever I can whenever I can right now. I am hoping if I give my leg a couple of days to heal from the cramping that I will be able to get back at it hard and salvage a couple of races this year. We'll see. Thanks to every one for your responses I think I have come to the conclusion that lack of fitness, nutrition, and being sick caused the first cramps and they were not healed causing me to cramp in the 14 degree water in the race this weekend. I guess I will have to chalk it up as a learning experience... I wasn't meaning to sound critical. Life happens, to everyone. :D Just need to take a look at what is happening when working out, and compare it with your past history. If you log 6 hours in a month, and then take a 3 hour ride, fitness is going to come up and bite you on the butt. Give it a few days of pampering and up the electrolytes (Bananas, spinach, leafy greens are also good), and then ramp up a bit easier. This season isn't shot, but you can use it as a serious base for next year. That's the same boat that I'm in, I took 5 months off to prep for something else, and I've been back working the triathlon stuff for about 3 weeks now. I may do a tri in Sept, otherwise I'm just building base for next year. Don't abandon anything, just rework the goals/timeframe. :D You'll get there! John No offense taken. I appreciate the response and the honesty. |
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