Awful cramp in left leg after ride
InconveniencedBadger
Posts: 51
Hello all,
So earlier today, I went out for a 36 mile training ride which had about 1600 feet of climbing and maybe 2 significant climbs. I did a few intervals as well, each with 2 minute recoveries following them, although most of the ride was not based around this. About 12 miles from home, I realised that a significant cramp in my left leg had built up - I've rarely had problems with this in the past and I was well hydrated as well as eating what I would usually eat for a ride of this length (a few energy bars and no gels). I did the first few intervals a good 20 minutes into the ride and I was definitely warmed up well at that point.
It just seems quite strange that a ride that should've been fairly routine ended up like this - any ideas on what may have contributed would be very welcome!
So earlier today, I went out for a 36 mile training ride which had about 1600 feet of climbing and maybe 2 significant climbs. I did a few intervals as well, each with 2 minute recoveries following them, although most of the ride was not based around this. About 12 miles from home, I realised that a significant cramp in my left leg had built up - I've rarely had problems with this in the past and I was well hydrated as well as eating what I would usually eat for a ride of this length (a few energy bars and no gels). I did the first few intervals a good 20 minutes into the ride and I was definitely warmed up well at that point.
It just seems quite strange that a ride that should've been fairly routine ended up like this - any ideas on what may have contributed would be very welcome!
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Have you actually strained a muscle? Or it could be something simple like the left cleat position changed slightly during the exertions, because the bolts have worked loose.InconveniencedBadger wrote:Hello all,
So earlier today, I went out for a 36 mile training ride which had about 1600 feet of climbing and maybe 2 significant climbs. I did a few intervals as well, each with 2 minute recoveries following them, although most of the ride was not based around this. About 12 miles from home, I realised that a significant cramp in my left leg had built up - I've rarely had problems with this in the past and I was well hydrated as well as eating what I would usually eat for a ride of this length (a few energy bars and no gels). I did the first few intervals a good 20 minutes into the ride and I was definitely warmed up well at that point.
It just seems quite strange that a ride that should've been fairly routine ended up like this - any ideas on what may have contributed would be very welcome!0 -
I'm pretty sure that it's nothing to do witht the cleats - they felt normal throughout and look normal now. I replaced them earlier this month too. Simple things such as walking up and down the stairs are a bother at the moment, so I'm all but certain that I have strained a muscle.Bottom briquettes wrote:
Have you actually strained a muscle? Or it could be something simple like the left cleat position changed slightly during the exertions, because the bolts have worked loose.InconveniencedBadger wrote:Hello all,
So earlier today, I went out for a 36 mile training ride which had about 1600 feet of climbing and maybe 2 significant climbs. I did a few intervals as well, each with 2 minute recoveries following them, although most of the ride was not based around this. About 12 miles from home, I realised that a significant cramp in my left leg had built up - I've rarely had problems with this in the past and I was well hydrated as well as eating what I would usually eat for a ride of this length (a few energy bars and no gels). I did the first few intervals a good 20 minutes into the ride and I was definitely warmed up well at that point.
It just seems quite strange that a ride that should've been fairly routine ended up like this - any ideas on what may have contributed would be very welcome!0 -
What puzzles me is why would you need to eat several energy bars on 36 mile ride. You wouldn’t need to eat for a 36 mile race.
Maybe the blood from your legs was aiding your digestion hence your cramp.0 -
Webboo wrote:What puzzles me is why would you need to eat several energy bars on 36 mile ride. You wouldn’t need to eat for a 36 mile race.
Maybe the blood from your legs was aiding your digestion hence your cramp.
I didn't have the chance to eat much before the ride (busy with other stuff) and that is often the case before I head out. I probably wouldn't eat this much if this wasn't the case although lately I have been getting into a habit of perhaps eating too much whilst riding due to wanting to avoid bonking - that is a topic for another forum though and it has never causes cramps before.
I would've thought that you'd at least have a few gels on a 36 mile race though - I only recently got a race license though so no expert.0 -
I can ride for 3 hours plus on water. There is no way I would need gels on a 36 mile ride unless I hadn’t eaten for the two days previously.0
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Webboo wrote:I can ride for 3 hours plus on water. There is no way I would need gels on a 36 mile ride unless I hadn’t eaten for the two days previously.
I could too if I had to. However, when riding shorter distances such as this quickly (like today ) I'll always burn calories far more quickly and I suppose feeling the need to eat has become more of a psychological thing. I wouldn't use gels for a ride like this either - I was just thinking possibly they'd come in handy when racing this kind of distance. Also, what speeds would you likely average if you were going 3 hours plus on water?0 -
About 16/17 mph which is also the speed I do if I eat something on a ride. I seem to average this speed no matter what ride I’m doing. The only exception is if I head up into the NY Moors then it plummets.0
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Your body stores calories from the previous days so on shorter rides you don't need to eat as you would on an endurance ride. Maybe you could eat something like the energy bar before the ride (and use an energy drink during), so your stomach is not full when going hard during the ride. Eating an energy bar before a climb is a good way to reduce performance... more so if going hard.
Who knows what caused the cramp, none can say for sure. It could be an overuse of the muscle, if it wasn't ready for that kind of effort, it could be you weren't well hydrated or that your system was stressed more this week based on your schedule. People think that drinking water on the ride will keep you hydrated, you need to be drinking the recommended ~3L of water the previous day as well as daily.
Try to use higher cadence on climbs, the difference on leg freshness is noticeable, but most people use the wrong gears that makes them grind on climbs. Do some leg stretches before each ride to warm the muscles, along with warming up on the bike.0 -
zefs wrote:Your body stores calories from the previous days so on shorter rides you don't need to eat as you would on an endurance ride. Maybe you could eat something like the energy bar before the ride (and use an energy drink during), so your stomach is not full when going hard during the ride. Eating an energy bar before a climb is a good way to reduce performance... more so if going hard.
Who knows what caused the cramp, none can say for sure. It could be an overuse of the muscle, if it wasn't ready for that kind of effort, it could be you weren't well hydrated or that your system was stressed more this week based on your schedule. People think that drinking water on the ride will keep you hydrated, you need to be drinking the recommended ~3L of water the previous day as well as daily.
Try to use higher cadence on climbs, the difference on leg freshness is noticeable, but most people use the wrong gears that makes them grind on climbs. Do some leg stretches before each ride to warm the muscles, along with warming up on the bike.
Yeah, my cadence when climbing is probably too low but either way, I'm more of a grinder than a spinner when climbing - especially on shorter climbs. Overuse of the muscle is a possible explanation as I did a 79 mile ride 2 days previously and I wasn't exactly hanging around during that in terms of pace. I was definitely well warmed up before I started going hard though - I made sure of that. However, I didn't stretch beforehand so I'll probably try this in the future, but as I'm 17 I would've thought that I could get away with it!0 -
Most of us are grinders and prefer that way since you can feel the legs working but spinning wins when you want to save your legs, despite that it uses more calories. Since you did a long ride the previous days make sure to replenish the lost fluid the days after (just remember to break it up and not drink a lot at once), I remember a team nutritionist on the pro peloton mentioning it's even more important than replenishing calories the day after hard rides.
Another thing that would help is to condition yourself by doing base training and since you are young you could benefit from a coach that would help you with a training schedule. Resting is very important with cycling in order to improve, going hard on all rides is the most common mistake cyclists do. Cramping is also genetics related so everyone is different.0 -
The only time I've got cramp on the bike was the Dragon Ride - it was because my legs tensed up on the first couple of descents and I didn't turn the pedals as I normally would on a descent to keep the muscles loose. I got the cramp while climbing a hill a little later in the ride.0
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zefs wrote:Most of us are grinders and prefer that way since you can feel the legs working but spinning wins when you want to save your legs, despite that it uses more calories. Since you did a long ride the previous days make sure to replenish the lost fluid the days after (just remember to break it up and not drink a lot at once), I remember a team nutritionist on the pro peloton mentioning it's even more important than replenishing calories the day after hard rides.
Another thing that would help is to condition yourself by doing base training and since you are young you could benefit from a coach that would help you with a training schedule. Resting is very important with cycling in order to improve, going hard on all rides is the most common mistake cyclists do. Cramping is also genetics related so everyone is different.
I wouldn't say that I go hard on all rides as I already quite often do base training (will probably do more of this during winter) and will also go on slower rides from time to time with friends or family. However, I was quite busy on Tuesday so I suppose I didn't get a proper recovery between then and getting cramp and soreness yesterday.
I'll just have to try to make my training more organised and take on board all the helpful advice from everyone on here. Hopefully I'll be back to normal by the weekend - quite annoyed that I'm missing a club ride today though!0 -
Zefs mentions stretching before riding. Everything I’ve heard and read states stretching before exercise is the best way to injure yourself. Post exercise maybe but even then there is little evidence it does anything for recovery.
However maybe things have changed.0 -
Webboo wrote:Zefs mentions stretching before riding. Everything I’ve heard and read states stretching before exercise is the best way to injure yourself. Post exercise maybe but even then there is little evidence it does anything for recovery.
However maybe things have changed.
Scientifically I see no reason why stretching would cause injury - perhaps certain types of stretching are worse than others (dynamic is meant to be better than static when warming up I've heard). By the way, what is it like riding in the North Yorkshire Moors? Living in the south, I rarely get to ride in those kinds of environments.0 -
Because you are stretching a cold muscle. I once was having treatment from a physio who was a serious runner, she said she never ever stretched however her running partner did religiously and he was always injured
North York Moors its hard to find a ride where you don’t see either 25% or a 30% sign. No place for an easy day.0 -
zefs wrote:Most of us are grinders and prefer that way since you can feel the legs working but spinning wins when you want to save your legs
Not all the time. I spent months and thousands of miles trying to improve my cadence. Hired a very well respected coach last winter and within a few training sessions he identified that high cadence is actually counter productive for me and spinning at about 70-80 on the flat and 55-65 on climbs is the most efficient.
No doubt in the pros high cadence is the best technique , but for amateurs it depends on the individual. For me, reverting back to 'grinding' as advised by my coach, produced one of my best ever seasons.
OP, as others have said, it could be variety of things, from fatigue from previous rides to not drinking enough etc. Just try to make sure you eat before you go out, and don't forget to drink when riding.0 -
I've heard about the stretching before ride thing but if someone is getting cramps it's worth trying to see if there is any change. I don't see how light stretching can cause injuries so experiment since not everyone has the same flexibility.
About the higher cadence, sure it doesn't mean it's optimal power wise for all, but I meant using it as tool so your legs get less fatigued during your weekly program, not using it as a tactic for races etc.0 -
Hope to be back on the bike tomorrow. I've tried to keep hydrated today and I'll probably eat a truckload at dinner to avoid having to eat lots while riding!
One other thing that could be of note is that I bought a new bike earlier this month and that although it is a phenomenal bike in almost every way (other than a pressfit BB which has already caused problems) it does have a different ride position which is different to the position on the bike that was my main one for several years and a larger frame. The gear ratios are also different and I've found that they encourage a grinding cadence more than my old bike. Despite riding a lot on it during the month, perhaps my issue also has something to do with my body not quite gelling with the new fit. Any thoughts on this?0 -
If you didn't transfer the old position to the new bike (assuming it was correct for you) it would play a factor to the overall feel. You could get a professional bike fit to be sure, since you are young and your body changes the fit will change through the years too.0
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zefs wrote:If you didn't transfer the old position to the new bike (assuming it was correct for you) it would play a factor to the overall feel. You could get a professional bike fit to be sure, since you are young and your body changes the fit will change through the years too.
I'm not so sure about how well the old bike fitted but I was 14 when I bought it and have obviously changed since then, so it probably isn't the best fit now. The new bike was meant to be a good fit and the main noticeable difference is the larger frame. I may also lower the stem at some point.
This morning I rode 50 miles with my club, averaging 18-19mph. I know that it probably wasn't the wisest move and I did notice my leg playing up towards the end - it also feels worse than in the morning currently - but I enjoyed it! I guess I'll just have to take it easy for another day or 2 now - perhaps a slower ride tomorrow.0 -
It sounds like you have an injury rather than cramp. You might be better off resting it for a few days then see how it feels. If it’s no better see a physio.InconveniencedBadger wrote:zefs wrote:If you didn't transfer the old position to the new bike (assuming it was correct for you) it would play a factor to the overall feel. You could get a professional bike fit to be sure, since you are young and your body changes the fit will change through the years too.
I'm not so sure about how well the old bike fitted but I was 14 when I bought it and have obviously changed since then, so it probably isn't the best fit now. The new bike was meant to be a good fit and the main noticeable difference is the larger frame. I may also lower the stem at some point.
This morning I rode 50 miles with my club, averaging 18-19mph. I know that it probably wasn't the wisest move and I did notice my leg playing up towards the end - it also feels worse than in the morning currently - but I enjoyed it! I guess I'll just have to take it easy for another day or 2 now - perhaps a slower ride tomorrow.0 -
Thanks everyone for all of the advice; I'll try to take it on board for the future. Hopefully will be back to normal early next week - I wouldn't want to stay off the bike for too long!
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Trying to continue training whilst injured and you might be off the bike for a lot longer than a few days.0
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I know you have mentioned about hydration however the lack of sodium and magnesium in your body before and during exercise can have an effect and are known to contribute towards cramp. This would be more prevalent if it was a hot day and you were sweating a lot during the ride.
Everyone’s body reacts differently to the same and also different conditions.0 -
No it does not. Myth.Tony Rymer wrote:I know you have mentioned about hydration however the lack of sodium and magnesium in your body before and during exercise can have an effect and are known to contribute towards cramp.0 -
Tony Rymer wrote:I know you have mentioned about hydration however the lack of sodium and magnesium in your body before and during exercise can have an effect and are known to contribute towards cramp. This would be more prevalent if it was a hot day and you were sweating a lot during the ride.
Everyone’s body reacts differently to the same and also different conditions.
Hi Nick...0 -
Webboo wrote:
No it does not. Myth.Tony Rymer wrote:I know you have mentioned about hydration however the lack of sodium and magnesium in your body before and during exercise can have an effect and are known to contribute towards cramp.
Not sure about the myth but I have suffered a lot from severe leg cramp and have found that indigestion tablets help keep it away. Chalky Rennies or Tums or Asda own brand at 19p a packet all seem to work. I've eaten them towards the end of a longish ride (Caledonian Etape) when I could feel my quads starting to cramp or had a handful immediately after a longish ride. Both kept cramp at bay.
It may work or it may be psychological but I'll keep doing it.0 -
9 times out of 10 cramp tends to caused by overuse of the muscle. Yes occasionally due to other factors such as hydration etc but mostly jut old fashioned overuse. Sounds to me like a possible injury (your comment about having issues with stairs) or just that you hadn't recovered from the previous days ride.0
