Cramping in Races

[Paul Hunter]

Hi Guys

 

I do a fair amount of training 8-10 hours a week.  However when I do any races I seem to always cramp.  Has anybody else had this problem and how do I fix it.

 

Thanks

Paul

 

[IanJ]

Magnesium supplement, I take Slowmag (or generic equivalents) 2 tabs at night and 1 in the morning.

 

[Marius]

Yess Paul, I have/had the same problem. When Mtb'ing season started I use to cramp in every race till my body got use to the intensity, now I don't cramp when doing Mtb'ing. But now, the road season started, my body is not use to the new pace, so I end up cramping, this will go one NO MATTER WHAT YOU TAKE till you body gets use to the new intensities.

[Velouria]

Beat me to it.

 

I agree with what Marius said - it is all about getting your body used to the intensity of racing, and spending long hours on the bike etc. Have a look at your training, and possibly increase the intensity.

 

 

Velouria2007-10-05 03:56:46

[Edition 507]

Your race intensity is probably much higher than your training intensity and your muscles are cramping due to fatigue. You might cope if you race enough otherwise up your training intensity.

[widget]

You may just be genetically prone to cramping. Simple, and not much you can do about it.

 

There is no single reason for the cause of cramps in any individual, and some people are just more prone to cramping than others.

 

Many folk just put it down to a lack of training or a lack of race training intensity - but although its a possible cause its very simplistic.

 

Certain medications like "Lipitor" will definately cause cramping in any athlete, low salt intake is also a suspect, iron and magnesium deficencies, blood flow (ie) your blood may be a little thick, to name a few, and of course,just genetically prone to cramping.

 

It may be worth while to take a blood analysis test and check with your doc if you fall within a "normal" range,then eliminate possible causes one at a time until you find your particular cause or reason.

    

[Marius]

What you want Velouria, more wisdom form my never ending pit of knowledge???  spot on CarbonBoy!

[NC_lurker]

Yup, afraid to my knowledge Marius has it spot on.

 

Various studies have been done around cramping in sport.

No conclusive evidence that anti-cramping suppliments have anything other than a placebo effort.

 

Bottom line is that your body just isn't used to the sustained race pace & subsequent fixed position that you put it into.

Try incorporate some race simulations into your training.

I'll try find the reference to some research.

[Jean-Jay]

I used to have this problem alot myself during my younger years.

 

I am not sure taking anything helped me, in fact i dont take anything for cycling, no mag supplements, nor iron tablets - nothing

 

In fact the only thing i take is a centrum a day every day. I dont have cramps anymore - not like i used to anyway. I think as you mature your bodies tolerance for endurance improves albeit at the expense of speed and other more specific disciplines like climbing.

 

With the amount of training you do (8-10 hours) which is quit a bit you should not be having this problem unless you have a deficiency of sorts in your body or are not eating properly or resting properly or you are not incorporating enough intensity in ur training diet.

 

If your diet is ok and rest is good, try dropping the amount of hours on the bike to less but more intense. see if that works.

 

[Windbreaker]

I suffer from cramps as well. Usually race intensity does have something to do with it but often I found that I started cramping AFTEr the intensity was off. Like after I went over the top of a hard climb - when the strain is off the muscles.

 

I tried everything from crampstop to magnesium supplements and a small amount of coarse table salt was the only thing that sort of worked. That is until I tried Eno's.

 

Yep Eno's! I am guessing that the fruit salts have something to do with it. There is nothing scientific about my tests but I haven't cramped during or after a ride where I have had a dose of Eno's before the ride.

[NC_lurker]

Ok, some of this is a bit technical, but I think they give an idea:

http://www.news.uct.ac.za/mondaypaper/archives/?id=6038

http://bjsm.bmj.com/cgi/content/abstract/38/4/488

http://ww.postgradmed.com/issues/1999/11_99/schwellnus.htm

 

From what I've heard/read cyclists are especially prone to cramping due to the fixed position that we operate in. Compare your training to racing, how often while racing do you stretch out of your "power" position?

Basically we hold our muscles in a "shortened" position for long periods of time which prevents them ever really releasing from a tensioned position. WHich then tires them out faster etc..

 

There's more to the old story of "the harder you train, the easier you race" than we often are willing to admit.

lurker2007-10-05 03:56:37

[SwissVan]

 

Mr Hunter I presume  

Marius is 100% right. Most cases of cramping during a race are a result of "racing" at higher intensity and longer duration than what you have trained at, the muscle involved is not used to it and then when it gets tired it say's stop - except the brain spells stop CRAMP...

 

Try and include some "quality" training sessions once or twice a week where you spend a short time riding at an intensity equal to your race efforts or just below race effort. Make sure you have recovered after these sessions before doing the next one.

 

Enjoy

 

 

 

 

 

SwissVan2007-10-05 03:58:41

[Odion]

I would also suggest training not only your muscles but also your body, to handle extremes regarding rehydrating and replenishment of nutrients, carbs etc.

 

It would be beneficial to slowly introduce long rides into your training whereby you only take water for the first 2 to 3 hours (only small amounts) and no food.

 

You body will become used to "fending" for itself and become more efficient in using the available nutrients.

 

Obviously you don't want to bonk and dehydrate, so make sure you do have some food with you just in case.

 

 

[FanieFiets]

In my long and illustrious carreer I did about 30 races and cramped in about 28 of them. But I never DNF, have to manage the cramp. No sprinting in the end though. 

[Paul Hunter]

Thanks all for your comments.  I have finished all the races but the cramps are a real pain "no pun intended ;-)" especially when the guys I train with don't experience any problems.

[Willehond]

I am also a cramper of note and have to concur that the drugs don't work.  In fact they makes things worse (sorry, couldn't resist!) in some cases. 

 

I think I am one of the genetically chosen crampers and I really think that the intensity is a mojor contributor during races as well as crucnching big gears.  I find that I suffer more when I have a low cadence.  I have cramped more on short intense rides and managed to survive the 230km Trans Baviaans without a single twinge, which prolly only proves that the intensity is what brings it on.  So I agree with Marius and co.  it's all about training to handle the intensity.  Oh, and blaming your parentsfor making you inherit their bad genes!