Killer cramps
Pict
Posts: 108
Yesterday for the first time in my MTBing career, I was struck with hellish cramps in my hamstring and quadriceps regions. I'm in good shape an usually climbs are my forte.
I was fine in the saddle, but there was a enormous hill where the bike had to be pushed, and that's where the cramps set in. I manfully carried on over the high tops having to stop a couple of times to writhe about in agony.
I was drinking steadily throughout the day. I was wearing winter leggings that are stretchy, but i had cycling shorts underneath that were very tight, just above the knees. Do you think that could be the reason for the cramps? Also it was blowing a gale at the 750m , making riding the bike a challenge.
Ta
I was fine in the saddle, but there was a enormous hill where the bike had to be pushed, and that's where the cramps set in. I manfully carried on over the high tops having to stop a couple of times to writhe about in agony.
I was drinking steadily throughout the day. I was wearing winter leggings that are stretchy, but i had cycling shorts underneath that were very tight, just above the knees. Do you think that could be the reason for the cramps? Also it was blowing a gale at the 750m , making riding the bike a challenge.
Ta
Come back with your bike or upon it.
0
Comments
-
I often find pushing will bring on the cramps, I'd imagine it is something to do with changing the exercise mode. How was your resting heart rate in the morning? Might you be coming down with something as that can affect it. Alternatively you might have been low on electrolytes, were you drinking plain water or a hydration drink?0
-
I was on good old H2O. With a supplement of Lucazade sport. It cheap in Lidls at the mo.
80% water, 20% lucazade.Come back with your bike or upon it.0 -
The problem with diluting lucozade sport is that it is designed for rehydrating and energy giving at source. I have found that diluted it simply doesn't work. I usually use a combination of hydroactive and sport depending on energy levels. From the sounds of things you didn't have enough electrolytes in you. Try not diluting it next time and drinking it slower.
BTW, hydroactive makes and amazing hangover cure!0 -
Sorry, I didn't put my point over clearly,
I had a hydration pack with 2litres of water, and a bottle with about 600ml of lucazade sport.
Is there a home made way of making a sports drink cocktail?
Hopefully it was a one off?
[/quote]Come back with your bike or upon it.0 -
My bad, how long were you out? Did you sweat loads? I'd imagine that either it was a one off or you're coming down with something. You might want to consider getting some sort of hydration powder to mix up and put in your hydration pack in place of water. Something like the lucozade hydroactive powder works well and has no carbs in it, you can carry sport for energy. Alternatively high5 make some really good ones.0
-
I was out for 4hrs 30mins. Very windy day, with ascent from 90m to 750m over very hilly terrain. I'd say I sweat as much as any rider, but not over the top.
What's your expertise in this area? Certainly I've always went for the maxim, drink little but often. And regularly have a nibble on some dates, raisins, with a wee bit of chocolate, to keep the fires stoked.Come back with your bike or upon it.0 -
The fact that it happened when you were doing some exercise you don't normally do (pushing a bike uphill) might suggest that this is the reason ie using muscles differently to what they are used to. I wouldn't have said it was electrolyte imbalance if this wasn't anything out of the ordinary in terms of length of ride or intensity.
Did stretching your quads/hamstrings ease it off?0 -
Yep! Stretching did help. Although it was a bit of a bugger, when both the Hams' and Quads' were cramping at the same time.
Cheers.Come back with your bike or upon it.0 -
Pict wrote:Sorry, I didn't put my point over clearly,
Is there a home made way of making a sports drink cocktail?
I read this in the rough ride guide - credit where credit is due
(but this is from memory)
Mix a strong concentration of squash (like double your normal amount) and add a pinch of salt to the drink, cheaper than lucozade
That and a hand full (or two) of fruit and nuts and a banana can't be a bad thing 0 -
Man, I sometimes get real bad cramps. Not as often as I used to though, some times my muscle would bulge just under an inch more than it should out of my legs!
The only soloution I could find was to take the pain and shout alot.. I also found that punching it (not uber hard) slightly sorted it, but if your out on the trail beating yourself up and repetivly shouting, people will avoid you...0 -
Home made sport drink?
I used to buy fructose and glucose powder in cartons from Boots and mix them up with water in my bottle in a 3:1 ratio (glucose to fructose I think, but may have been vice versa).
That seemed to work pretty well, but I only drink water when riding now.0
