Is this cramp ?

John C.

I've had cramp before in the back of my thigh , and I've ended up in agony on the side of the road, this was different, In Yesterdays Richmond Sportive after around 40 miles, yes I was pushing it a bit quick, I got a muscle tightness pain in my front inner thigh just above the knee, this came and went for the next 40 miles or so, I was fine pushing the big gears for mile after mile then stand up to do the smallest rise and I'd feel the muscle tightening and a cramp like pain starting, back off go down the gears and I was fine, Fleet Moss was a bottom gear spin job and then fine down the other side untill the little blips and I could feel the pain after 5-6 strokes of the peddle, looking down I could see the muscle contracting and the pain was more on the up stroke rather than down although the power stroke hurt as well. I was dreading Parkrash but I just took it steady and made the summit. Wind on my back and down hill I flew to the finish passing other riders as if I was in the scratch group at Croft.
So, was it cramp? why that muscle? how to avoid it.

skavanagh.bikeradar

Sounds like it was cramp. I got in on the Fred Whitton last year but weirdly on the inside of my thigh near the groin - never had it there before it came on suddenly at the foot of Hardknott. I ended up walking most of it and after that it was fine again. Weird. Usually I get it after going for it a bit more than normal.