All going well... then *OUCH*

Ambermile
Ambermile Posts: 117
edited August 2008 in Road beginners
So, after about 10 miles today (and I have to admit I was going for it most of the time) I started to get a twinge, right inner calf near the top. OK I thought, I'll ease up on it a little (I was only a mile or so from home...) and since I have straps on the toeclips now it was easy to sort of go one-legged for a bit until the pain eased. It did after a couple of minutes and by now I am back in the village. I pulled in between a couple of parked cars to let a car past me and put my *left* leg down - *OUCH* !! Serious cramp in that calf muscle - so much that I couldn't move the leg at all for maybe 2 minutes of agony. Slowly, as these things do (but never fast enough) the pain eased and the muscle loosened enough so I could actually get off the bike and walk a bit. 200 yards and things are better so I get back on the bike and in a couple of minutes I am home. Still sore and I have that sense of if I move either leg a little too far in any direction it's coming back with a vengeance :shock:

Any ideas why, all of a sudden, I am getting cramps like this? Never happened before and this is week three of riding like this. I don't currently have a lot of salt in my diet I have to admit, and I mostly eat lightly for my size (maybe 1400 calories tops, usually less - I'm 6ft and 94Kg) so what do I need to add to stop these cramps in the future? Please - "electrolyte levels", "potassium substrates" and so on will make my eyes glaze over, and a sort of whooshing noise as they go over my head... :oops:


Arthur
The Beastie


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Comments

  • fizz
    fizz Posts: 483
    I'm not expert, but what do you drink if anything when you are riding ?

    I'm wandering if the cramp is being caused by de-hydration. You could try if you havent already an energy drink such as Science in Sport ones and see how you get on with that.

    The other thing to think about maybe is your position on the bike. Is the seat set at the right height. Are you relaxed when on the bike, does it feel comfortable. It only takes 1 or 2mm of adjustment to make a big difference in comfort.
  • Ambermile
    Ambermile Posts: 117
    ... err... water? I ride for about an hour a day - well, actually less now but maybe 10-12 miles anyway. I spent the weekend getting the seat/bars/me position comfortable since previously I had been sitting *way* too low (I'm now about 4" higher!)

    I had kind of hoped to get my weight down to what it was before I gave up smoking 18 months ago when I was a whippet-like 85Kg compared to 95Kg now. I didn't actually notice getting fatter until I went to but trousers one day and realised I was 4" bigger than I should be :shock: This is why I never considered energy drinks - the high calorie levels scared me off them!

    Arthur
    The Beastie


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  • keef66
    keef66 Posts: 13,123
    I'd second the dehydration theory. I never got cramp at all till a couple of years ago, now it gets me fairly frequently in the left calf. If I just ease off a bit and glug a load of drink, it seems to sort it out.
  • guv001
    guv001 Posts: 688
    You could try nuun tablets that you just add to water no added calories.

    10 miles seems a bit short to be suffering with electrolyte deficency, only my opinion mind, I have no expert knowledge on this...
  • milton50
    milton50 Posts: 3,856
    It does sound like loss of electrolytes/dehydration but if this is a sudden thing that has happened then might you need to consider that this is a natural injury of some kind i.e calf strain?

    If you were pushing near your threshold for 10 miles then these things do happen.
  • fizz
    fizz Posts: 483
    guv001 wrote:
    You could try nuun tablets that you just add to water no added calories.

    10 miles seems a bit short to be suffering with electrolyte deficency, only my opinion mind, I have no expert knowledge on this...

    Another vote for the Nunn tablets, also they dont give a sugary syrupy sweet taste that someof the other drinks do.

    If you are using water are you drinking enough. On a hot day when working hard you need to make sure you drink plenty.

    Also drink before, during and after your ride, do drink enough water / liquids normally, being de-hydrated before you start isnt a good idea either IMHO.
  • biondino
    biondino Posts: 5,990
    You're eating 1000 calories less than your daily allowance AND doing vigorous exercise and you expect to be able to pull it off? eat 2,500 calories, do the same amount of exercise and the weight will fall off. 1,400 max and you're literally starving yourself.
    My Focus / My Bob Jackson
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  • Gavin Gilbert
    Gavin Gilbert Posts: 4,019
    biondino wrote:
    You're eating 1000 calories less than your daily allowance AND doing vigorous exercise and you expect to be able to pull it off? eat 2,500 calories, do the same amount of exercise and the weight will fall off. 1,400 max and you're literally starving yourself.

    Not so I'm afraid. The 2,500 is the recommended for Mr Average. And he is a manual worker. Us poncy office boys need much less. Another factor is your Resting Metabolic Rate (i.e. your energy needs if you do nothing but sit very still all day). This is mostly genetic and can vary wildly for person to person. I am blessed/cursed with a moribund RMR.

    When I was laid up injured during the spring I was not doing much other than limping from my bed to the sofa, I was maintaining my weight on an intake of around 800 to 900 calories per day. A lot different to the recommendation. Mind you, it's the same low RMR that allows me to cycle a century with nothing but a couple of bananas in my back pocket.

    None of which answers the OP. It could well be cramp due to dehydration and like others here I sing the praises of Nuun. In this hot muggy weather I find it very hard to digest SIS drinks but find Nuun much easier to take down (and keep down).

    The other factors could be bike setup (try a Google search for seatpost height and saddle layback) and watch your pedaling style too - make sure you 'ankle'. The final factor could be simply very tight calves. Are you stretching after rides?
  • Ambermile
    Ambermile Posts: 117
    Hmm. Lots to think about... but I actually eat three bananas a day (and three apples and a load of salady-type stuff too) so I guess that cuts out potassium?

    I am thinking it's the liquid levels though since I do tend to not actually drink much although I do take a bottle with me which is sounding a bit silly now :oops: I should look into this Nuun thing I guess - can anyone suggest a UK seller or are they available in shops?

    Arthur

    **edit** OK, found some now - Kola flavour 8)
    The Beastie


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  • fizz
    fizz Posts: 483
    Ambermile wrote:
    Kola flavour 8)

    Thats the best tasting ones. Just try and drink a little more during your normal day and then drink little and often when you are riding, even if you dont feel thirsty. Once you feel thirsty its often to late and then you re de-hydrated.
  • chuckcork
    chuckcork Posts: 1,471
    keef66 wrote:
    I'd second the dehydration theory. I never got cramp at all till a couple of years ago, now it gets me fairly frequently in the left calf. If I just ease off a bit and glug a load of drink, it seems to sort it out.

    Ditto thought for me. Last time I had cramp it was a mixture of exhaustion and just not drinking enough. Stretching for 10 minutes and making sure I drak more (mostly) sorted it out, which is to say I was able to finish the last 50km of the event I was doing at a reasonable if not flying speed.
    'Twas Mulga Bill, from Eaglehawk, that caught the cycling craze....
  • Ambermile
    Ambermile Posts: 117
    OK, so today it was home from work and a few stretchy-type moves whilst chucking a pint of Robinsons blackcurrant (Lite, of course). Out on the bike it was a bit cloudy but no matter, I was careful to start slow and steady - after a couple of miles I had another drink (love that stuff) and leant down for five or six miles before slowing for another drink (that's about a litre in an hour :shock: ) then slowing down on the last stretch to make it a neat ten miles to the house in 45 minutes (but this is a mountain bike on c-class roads so I don't feel so bad!). Not a tweak from either leg at all, despite my misgivings that the pain was going to hit any minute! So, whether it was all down to the wet stuff or not I don't know - I do know it absolutely p'd down for the last couple of miles, I was too close to home to get the wet stuff on and surely if that instant cooldown didn't bring any unwanted spasms I should be OK? Please tell me I should be OK :?

    Arthur
    The Beastie


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  • fizz
    fizz Posts: 483
    You'll be fine. Its quite warm out today ( or it was here ) I was wet from sweating and being rained on. So no need to worry about the instant cool down from getting rained on.

    Glad to hear you had a ride with no cramp 8) The great trick to staying hydrated is to find something you like the taste of when you drink it.
  • judokev
    judokev Posts: 49
    Hi there Arthur,

    Got to throw in my ten bobs worth,

    I am about your size 5" 11" 89kg but have no idea how you can manage on less than 1400 calories. I train at three nights a week at Judo and ride when I can as fitness work come working recovery.

    I got my weight down from 97kg over two years through good eating cutting out the crap and lots of regular exercise, if your body doesnt get the amount of calories and energy you need then your body starts to store stuff so you will not be getting the results for the work you are putting in which is why most diets fail and people give up

    Google calories and see wot you find out.
    Keep up the hard work

    Judo Kev

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