Muscle cramping in hot / hilly race conditions
I have struggled with cramps in a few hot HIM-distance races recently.
I never considered myself to have a major cramping problem but in then in 2011 at HIM Vegas I came off the bike and within a mile my quads cramped up to the point I had to walk portions of the run and stop many times to massage my legs. In that race I attributed the cramping to my lack of experience training/racing in extremely dry conditions, and therefore some sort of electrolyte management and/or hydration failure. I drank water on the course and not sports drink so I don't doubt I was short on electrolytes. A contributing factor might have been overcooking the bike since despite riding below my target power numbers, the course was very hilly so I figured I was working some different muscles.
This weekend just past at Kansas it was another hot race – 94 degrees and no shade. Because of the prior cramping experience I did two things to try and prevent a recurrence:
1. For 2 days before the race I hydrated with Gatorade (both G2 and regular) as well as water, but very heavy on the Gatorade
2. On the bike, instead of just taking in water, I brought a full 20oz bottle of Gatorade and drank that…finishing it over the first 45 miles or so. I also drank 2 bottles of water they handed out on the course. Once I finished the Gatorade I got a Perform from the last aid station but it was too sweet so I just couldn't drink it.
Unlike Vegas last year I finished the Kansas ride very strong and felt great coming off the bike. I rode IF of 0.843 on a rolling (and freakin' windy) bike course so it was challenging but not insanely so. Two miles into the run I could feel the beginnings of a quad cramp, in particular in my left leg. I stopped a couple of times to massage the leg and stave off a full-on cramp that would have effectively ended my race. I was successful in keeping the cramp at bay but it was always on the verge. After the race I hydrated (water and Gatorade and G2) and ate a lot, although I also got into a car for over 7 hours so I'm sure that was not the best recovery protocol. The next day my quads were very sore and hurt to the touch…as badly as if they had cramped massively the day before.
I'll note that my calves also cramped up massively, but not until right after the race. And they were also in incredibly bad shape the next day…hurt to the touch as if bruised, just like the quads.
I posted to the dashboard and got lots of helpful suggestions. I'll for sure be trying many of them. For the benefit of the team I'm listing all the replies I got here, since this may be useful to folks long after it scrolls off the bottom of the dashboard. If people have other suggestions please let me know and I'm all ears!
I was eating Endurolytes like skittles during Eagleman today. No cramping problems at all, and I was able to stay on top of my nutrition w/few GI issues... Highly recommend Endurolytes. Try coconut water beeps ore and during. Also I am using a new product called Base Electrolyte Salt developed by Chris Lieto and it works great. You can add it to your electrolyte drink. Also, I drink 16-20 oz of electrolyte drink before the race or exercise, sipping it slowly. I have been battling as well and these things are working for me so best of luck. Also compression tights after the fact for tired muscles. Ditto on the coconut water! Great solution to the electrolyte issue; I usually don't have to add the Endurolytes until my training gets really long and hot. Usually August here in LA. Skratch Labs drink mix? It is amazingly high in salt and electrolytes. Matt I take a magnesium supplement twice a day as well as loading electrolytes before races as well as during races (600 mg per hour).Since I started this approach I have never cramped. I sweat like a pig, so I have large electrolyte loss. I used to cramp every race, until I took S-caps every half hour. 1 on cooler days, 2 on hotter days. I have not cramped since, even on HOT HIM race days. On a side note, my brother swears by the magnesium sprays per a Ben Greenfield podcast, and it helps him not cramp. He also takes S-caps in addition. Matt, look into a topical magnesium, I used to get debilitaing crampd in my calves, especially at night, and I have not had one since I started using this stuff- serach ancient minerals magnesium on amazon. I use it after every workout, just put it on after you shower, it's magic, really!! MAgnesium is supposed to be really important for endurance athletes, it's pretty depleted in our food. |
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What did you take with you fluid-wise on the run, too? When I did AmZof, people did not understand my trusty Amphopod bottle (with diluted HEED) -- until the middle of the race, when there was bottle jealousy.
Cool. I also wonder if there's a possibility your not absorbing enough electroytes/etc. from Gatorade -- have you experimented with anything else?
I have an awful preference for running at lunch -- in the summer. Thursday long runs on hot days are EXCELLENT for testing nutrition.
1. Dehydration has been known to cause cramping.
2 Electrolyte imbalances have been known to cause cramping.
3. Using the muscles beyond its trained range( intensity) can cause cramping.
So for me it was a puzzle to solve. What I've found is that the sweat rate tests help me figure out hydration levels. I stay on top of my electrolytes, before during and after the race. And I ride/run within the tested abilities determined by FTP tests and Race Rehearsals. I did a lot of my early training/racing in South Georgia where temps were normally over 100 degrees. It took 48oz of fluids/hour to keep me weight neutral. I usually drank Gatoraide Endurance and added 2 Lava salts/hour on the hot days. If I try to ride a 1/2 over .75IF, I'm likely to cramp on the run.
So, everyone is different and I think it will just require some trial and error on your training days to determine the right combination of these to get your best result. Good luck, this can be a tough one.
“"Extended periods of exercise at even moderate intensity can cause significant losses of fluid through sweating. Electrolytes, including sodium, potassium, magnesium and calcium, are present in this sweat at levels that over time will cause your body to become depleted. Muscle cramping, loss of performance, heat stress and other symptoms can result from reduced electrolyte levels and dehydration."
With the full article here: http://www.slowtwitch.com/Training/..._1093.html
The article has some numbers to look at but they are talking about 400mg/h for a 143 lb guy not being enough. “
I would also ask are you a heavy sweater? Is your sweat salt ie are you crusty, does your clothing have white salt streaks? That also may help you determine your Na needs. Also a sweat test may help you determine your fluid and Na needs.
Additional in House links that might be helpful:
Sweat test directions ( http://members.endurancenation.us/Resources/Wiki/tabid/108/Default.aspx?topic=Sweat+Trial+Instructions )
Monitoring hydration statue ( http://members.endurancenation.us/Resources/Wiki/tabid/108/Default.aspx?topic=Monitoring+Hydration+Status )
Anyway I hope some of this is helpful and congrats on the Vegas slot. Hope you can get the cramping figured out by then.
I've read all the studies suggesting that electrolytes aren't the sole cause of cramps, etc. I've even tried actual pickle juice mixed with water. Seemed to help but not very practical. From my personal trial and error, this product made all the difference. If I hadn't found this product, I would've quit the sport. I should say Salt Stick worked to an extent and helped me to better understand how much I needed, but my sodium needs are too high for them to be practical. And for my sodium needs, using Endurolytes are like using a sprinkler to put out a forest fire. I don't know if your situation is a dire as mine was, but I think this is a great way to prevent cramps for anyone who has persistent problems.
I'll forewarn you, the website doesn't inspire confidence, but I'd be happy to tell you more about how much this helped me.
http://therightstuff-usa.com/faq.html
@ Paul I love the taste of straight pickle juice and often drink it after long Sat rides to help with my lytes. Never had the Pickle Juice Sport. Also another trick I've done is to chew a Salt Stick when the cramp starts and then swallow. For some reason that seems to relieve the cramp in ~ 60-90 sec. I've also heard of chewing Tums as well but never tried it.
Cold/cool is much better than warm or even hot-that's nasty!!
As has been pointed out, regular Gatorade has little electrolyte value when compared to Perform or Gatorade Endurance. I also would not recommend Endurolytes. They have a fraction of the electrolytes of Salt Sticks. Like Paul said, you might as well take Skittles. Why anyone wastes their money on Endurolytes is beyond me considering there are much better products out there for the same price.
@ Bob - I did put down 4 gels on the bike as my nutrition. None on the run. This may not seem like a lot but in fact it is 1 more gel on the bike than my prior races (I was experimenting), and I really had to force it down. And I paid for that with a side stitch that had me stopped for almost a minute at mile 3 of the run. In general this is consistent with training, where I might do a gel before the session or between two activities, but really don't eat a lot during the workouts. I had 2 gels in my pocket on the run but even thinking of them brought on a side stitch!! I should mention that I do a lot of pre-fueling, including over 3000 cal the day before the race and 700 cal on race morning after waking up at 4:30am (1 Ensure at wakeup, 1 Clif bar in the car to the venue, a Gatorade over the course of the morning, and a gel 10 mins prior to my start).
It's suggested that we go with 500-1000mg Na+ per hour.
I couldn't believe it. I usually sat around 200 per hours.
And without rehearsing it, I found myself setting up a plan that put 550-600mg/hr into my system, and set it up 2 days before my recent HIM.
I was worried. I usually cramp often on the run, especially in hot/hilly environments, so I was hoping this would be a breakthrough. I felt that I would either finish the race and shout from the rooftops about EN resources or I would be in the med tent with palpitations.
end result...first time in a HIM that I haven't cramped, at all.
However, I think Dave C's post is spot on for anyone trying to get on top of the cramp thing. Several guilty parties involved. Gotta work on each one.
The good news is that I have another 70.3 this season to try better NA+ management on.
Waiting for the next guy.
Anyone who is not a salty sweater can usually turn themselves into one by taking in a lot of electrolytes... they will get sweated out!
A 20 oz "serving" of Perform has 175 calories and 475 mg of sodium.
Cheers,
Matt