Cramp.

woodstock1

Hi guys.

I have just joined the forum, mainly for advise. I have been road biking / doing triathlons for the last 10 years. I started late in life (45) but have gradually built up.

Up till this summer, I did 30 miles on a regular basis (some hilly, I live in west yorkshire)
This summer I am building up for a 100 mile ride in August. All was going well till last weekend. In the previous months, I did 50, 55, 60, 65 mile rides in consecutive weekends.

last Sunday I planned a 70 miler. The first 35 miles were a breeze. Coming back, at about 55 miles, if started getting twitches of cramp, in both upper legs. I had stops at approx every 20 to 25 miles, for a oat bar, then a gel. I had to stop at some lights on 64 miles and both upper legs seized up, for about 4 minutes ( it seemed longer ha ha ) when it went of, I carried on and stopped at 66 miles (a PB) I drank 3 litres of electrolyte drink, over the 4.75 hours. I am still confident that I can complete the 100 mile event. Do you have any types to ease the situation ?

ollyridesfirst

It's difficult, as once you get the signs of cramp on a ride it's normally too late to do much about. The energy gels and carb drinks will do nothing for cramp.....the electrolyte drinks are the thing to have and also bananas. There's 4 different types of salts that your body needs (can't remember them off hand) and bananas/electrolyte tabs provide them best.

Cramp normally occurs due to dehydration. As you are drinking anyway (maybe not enough, but 3L in 4 hours isn't the worst i've seen). I would advise that in the week coming up to your 100m ride then you should "overload" on water. Drink more than normal......rather than drinking loads the day before or even on the day and feeling bloated. Get your water/salt levels up well before and then keep them topped up on the ride.

Before the rides, warm up by spinning the pedals for 10-15 minutes in a high gear (cadence at an easy 90rpm). No real need to stretch your legs as you're not going to be putting massive loads on them and the warm up will loosen the muscles anyway - stretch the back though and either sit up and stretch every now and then or try to keep your back warm.

Good luck with it......

MountainMonster

Stretching before and after a ride is quite important, as well as a warm up spin for about 10 minutes, as said above.

Other than that, nothing much is going to help the cramps if/ when you do get them. I've been rather lucky and have not had many cramps, I almost always get completely dead legs right at the end of the ride though if it has been longer than 60km.

mbhuw

As the others said,
Eat bananas, and drink lots. Also make sure you warm up and down with a high cadence, so your not going straight into it.

Martincan

Any recomendations on electrolyte tabs?

MountainMonster

You don't necessarily need the tabs. I always take a bottle of normal water, and a bottle filled with 3 scoops of Maxim (I think it's called that) electrolyte mix.

mikeyboy12345

OllyRidesFirst wrote:

There's 4 different types of salts that your body needs (can't remember them off hand) and bananas/electrolyte tabs provide them best.

Sodium, Potassium, Magnesium, Calcium. I've also read that deficiencies in Vitamins B1, B5, B6 and E also contribute to cramp, but there doesn't seem to be a huge amount of actual evidence! Once I feel the muscles starting to go then I'm off the bike, a quick walk and a 15min stretch later and things are usu OK. I would guess your legs need a bit longer to get used to the longer distances. In the spring I would start to cramp at about 50-60mi, due to not doing any long winter rides, but it's not an issue now.

woodstock1

Thanks for the advice guys. I will defo start loading on water a few days leading up to the event. Should this be done with bananas or are you saying eat them during the ride ?

I also need to pace myself better. I struggle to do this LOL

slunker

Could also be bike position. Was always taking cramp and got my position sorted and no problems since.

gixer5

I was once told too drink tonic water prior to riding as it contains quinine which is good for preventing cramps. Have a look at this article http://www.buzzle.com/articles/tonic-wa ... ramps.html

Hope the ride goes well.

ollyridesfirst

woodstock1 wrote:

Thanks for the advice guys. I will defo start loading on water a few days leading up to the event. Should this be done with bananas or are you saying eat them during the ride ?

This would depend on your lifestyle i'd say. If you sit down all day at your job, then you're not going to sweat much and hence, you wont lose too much salt that can't be replaced with your normal eating pattern. If you have a manual job where you are likely to work up a sweat, then have a couple of bananas during the day too.

I tend to have a banana at about 11 to keep me away from the vending machine at work, and i have a thing set up on my work computer to remind me to go and fill up my water (750ml) bottle twice a day.

noidea123

I'm building up mileage for a london to paris ride and use high 5 tabs. Used to also suffer with cramp, but so far so good

optimisticbiker

I use the SiS GO powder. I used 3.5l on my 110mile round trip to cambridge last weekend. I usually carry 2 bottles, one with electrolyte, one plain water, and a small plastic bottle that holds 50g of the powder to make up another bottle as needed. Never suffered with cramps on the long rides, but a short 30 miler on a warm day where I forgot to drink enough and I did!