This thing called cramping...

[Batty Boy]

 

I always cramp on the thighs, right behind the knee. Two balls of knots...

 

Do a 110km ride and let your legs cramp the hell out of you. Then the following week do the same distance again.

 

I'll try that. Thanks.

 

I cramped so much even though I felt like I was going extremely well in the first of my attempts. Yet from top Smitswinkel to bottom Suikerbossie it had gone so bad that the medics strongly recommended abondoning the race. That was devastating and I could not accept. my legs had medium potatoes sized lumps all over with severe pain, excrutiating, actually. Nothing on offer helped me. the ice rubs and massages caused what now looks like graze wounds. I took a slow walk up Suikerbossie and almost freewheeled the rest, barring the little up at Camps Bay. as a new cyclist I would really like to know more about this matter.

 

I was half way up Suikerbossie, when the cramp hit me so hard, and so quick, I couldn't uncleat. I fell like a sack of potatos - now that I look back, it must have looked so funny. The best part of that whole experience was the immediate reaction from three medical marshalls who came out of nowhere to help. One of them said that I fell so "superb", they thought I had suffered a heart attack. Amidst the pain, I laughed with that chirp.

 

This Suikerbossie experience cost me ±45minutes. Unbeievable how a simple cramp can destroy your ambitions.

 

Thanks for the help and advice...Couldn't have asked for a better response from the Hubbers.

[djvr]

Serious? I drink 32Gi the whole way through, two bananas and maybe a chewie of some sort.

 

Try using other drinks. For some reason 32GI and my body doesn't work together. I really felt bad in races and got cramps, something I never got. Changed back to my regular drinks and problem was solved.

[Batty Boy]

Funny that my wife mentioned the same thing to me last night. Not that I'm dissing the product, I love the brand. But yes, I shall put that on list to tick and experiment with.

[gasworx]

Funny that my wife mentioned the same thing to me last night. Not that I'm dissing the product, I love the brand. But yes, I shall put that on list to tick and experiment with.

 

I also use 32GI & think it works ok, Tried nitrous once but I laughed so much that I fell off my bike

[arendoog]

blitzer, salt is NaCl, or sodium chloride.

Yup .Only realized last night .Fixed it

[arendoog]

I did read it indeed and even commented on it. I also never add salt to my food and I sweat a lot more than the average person.

That's why I asked (twice) which muscle(s) is/are cramping.

In my limited experience of cramping.... people who have an electrolyte deficiency tend to have wide spread cramping I.e. not an isolated muscle, where as if its due to over exertion it will most likely be isolated.

You are correct .My worst cramping episode even my hands ,face muscles cramped .Salt stat fixed it

[Pure Savage]

There are many things that contribute to cramp.

 

I had the issue when I got to 105km, regardless of effort level I would cramp, went on for about 5-6 months with no improvement. A running friend told me had similar problem on ultra marathons and he told me to turn of my distance on my garmin.

 

So, the next 2 months no distance on my garmin, just average etc and I had no cramps. I was doing 145 - 160km rides without cramp and no other change. 3 months later I turned the distance back on and it no longer bothered me.

 

I had a mental block that I would cramp at 105km, or just outside Bakoven... and without fail I cramped. So it may not always be physical.

 

I tried turning my speed on the garmin off, did not help me hill climb...

[walkerr]

There are many things that contribute to cramp.

 

I had the issue when I got to 105km, regardless of effort level I would cramp, went on for about 5-6 months with no improvement. A running friend told me had similar problem on ultra marathons and he told me to turn of my distance on my garmin.

 

So, the next 2 months no distance on my garmin, just average etc and I had no cramps. I was doing 145 - 160km rides without cramp and no other change. 3 months later I turned the distance back on and it no longer bothered me.

 

I had a mental block that I would cramp at 105km, or just outside Bakoven... and without fail I cramped. So it may not always be physical.

 

I tried turning my speed on the garmin off, did not help me hill climb...

 

Definitely a mental element as well as a physical one - every Die Burger, always used to cramp at the exact same spot (close to top of last ramp before the run down under the N1). Also, tended to cramp just over the top of hills - mental release. Some mind games can really help with that - like the turning distance off. The first Burger where I didn't cramp was the one I'd forgotten the Garmin at home!

[Maniax]

 

 

I always cramp on the thighs, right behind the knee. Two balls of knots...

 

 

 

I'll try that. Thanks.

 

 

 

I was half way up Suikerbossie, when the cramp hit me so hard, and so quick, I couldn't uncleat. I fell like a sack of potatos - now that I look back, it must have looked so funny. The best part of that whole experience was the immediate reaction from three medical marshalls who came out of nowhere to help. One of them said that I fell so "superb", they thought I had suffered a heart attack. Amidst the pain, I laughed with that chirp.

 

This Suikerbossie experience cost me ±45minutes. Unbeievable how a simple cramp can destroy your ambitions.

 

Thanks for the help and advice...Couldn't have asked for a better response from the Hubbers.

 

I think that was you. You were a couple bikes behind me when you dropped. I saw people running to your aid so I kept going. It was funny, yes, but I also know how you felt. It happened to me on krommerhee with the Burger, luckily I could get my cleat out. Everything went super tense and hurt like hell!

This time I took a load of Rennies with. I cramped a bit on Suikerbossie, but the Rennies sorted that out for me within a minute.

 

I'm glad you didnt get hurt after that swan-dive!

Edited March 12, 2014 by Maniax

[rudi-h]

i didn't read the posts, but i used to cramp whenever I hit 2.5 hours in the saddle. I also did all the right stuff, but as you explained, after 2.5 hours i'd cramp no matter what.

 

End of last year I increased my rides to 4+ hours when I started doing distance for Ironman. It only took 2 - 3 rides of 4 hours and my body got used to it. I can easily ride 4.5 hours now as hard as I can without any issues. Maybe just try to up your distance for a few weekends.

 

PS, drink an energy drink that contains lots of salts. I use oldschool Game, it works like a bomb

[porqui]

Have done 24 Argus's and always had serious "twinges" at about 75km mark that told me to ease up.

Last two none - I added +- 2ml pure salt per litre to my fluids.

Asked a doctor(who works mainly in rural Africa) about cramping and he said simple "add salt"

Loss of salt changes the chemical balance of your blood.

My normal diet is low salt.

When you sweat you loose a LOT of salt - all that white stuff on helmet straps is pure salt - taste it.

You need to replace that salt as you go along.

This worked for me so try it but there are other reasons for cramping too as in lack of training etc.

 

On any ride under 3hrs I "run" on water and salt only and nothing else.

Everything else is too much of a hassle and the gain too small.

 

In the past I used Arnica tablets on the ride to "cure" the cramps and it worked but I think that was more of a mental thing.

[Batty Boy]

I'm glad you didnt get hurt after that swan-dive!

 

I'm proud of that swan dive!

[arendoog]

i didn't read the posts, but i used to cramp whenever I hit 2.5 hours in the saddle. I also did all the right stuff, but as you explained, after 2.5 hours i'd cramp no matter what.

 

End of last year I increased my rides to 4+ hours when I started doing distance for Ironman. It only took 2 - 3 rides of 4 hours and my body got used to it. I can easily ride 4.5 hours now as hard as I can without any issues. Maybe just try to up your distance for a few weekends.

 

PS, drink an energy drink that contains lots of salts. I use oldschool Game, it works like a bomb

For long stages i now put game and rehidrat only in a camelbak if i MTB .I take along a sachet of rehidrat in my pocket for when the time comes

[SwissVan]

 

I always cramp on the thighs, right behind the knee. Two balls of knots...

 

 

In front on top of the knee (quadriceps) or behind the knee (calf / hamstring)

Both legs or only one leg?

[eddy]

I can do a LSD for 150km with no cramps(avg30-34km/h). Come race day and at 80km it starts. I don't train at 40km/h thats why. Only thing that works is rennies for me from km70.

 

I may be out of line here, but you cannot call yourself Jensie and then complain about cramps.

 

Cramps fear Jens. In fact, the only recorded instance of Chuck Norris having a cramp was when he challenged Jens to a fight.

[NeoOne]

Sorry to hear bud. I used to suffer the same as you. Here are my thoughts:

 

• Bike: you should probably ride a large but other factors will affect this. Spend the money (less than a grand) on a professional fitting (i.e. not a standard bike shop one). Don't know who does this in Gauteng but fellow hubbers will.
  

Good luck!

Hey Batty....have the Retul bike setup with Koos at Cyclelab Fourways or Ergofit from Jeroen Swarts

Do some high intensity intervals (HIIT), Hill Attacks and up the tempo on LSD or join a club/group and try graduate through the groups as your pace increases ALSO taper the week leading to race day