Real intense pain

Covenline

I cycled 25 Mile today at a 16 mile a hour average speed. After about 18 mile I had to stop at lights for traffic. I got this awfull intense pain up the inside of my calves which didnt go away untill i started cycling again.

When I got home I can hardly walk, climb the stairs with the pain. Any ideas what Ive done to myself?

Should I go out training tommorow? or should I rest a couple of days?

Is this normal?

Im a bit worried to saythe least, your opinions and recounts of your own experiance are very welcome.

maybe im training to hard.

Membrane

Covenline wrote:

I cycled 25 Mile today at a 16 mile a hour average speed. After about 18 mile I had to stop at lights for traffic. I got this awfull intense pain up the inside of my calves which didnt go away untill i started cycling again.

When I got home I can hardly walk, climb the stairs with the pain. Any ideas what Ive done to myself?

Muscle cramp can occur if you're not reasonably fit. Especially the bit about it kicking in when you put your foot down (stretching your calf muscle) sounds like cramp.

But then again cramp shouldn't linger long after you got off the bike. The way to cure cramping up is to build your fitness, but don't overdo it too quickly.

Collumbo

Sounds like cramp... sip plenty water and stretch gently (don't overstretch).
If you go out on the bike tomorrow, don't worry about intensity, just turn an easy gear until you know you are not injured.
If the pain is still there in a few days, I'd get it seen to.

Covenline

yeah 2 hours later and I can still hardly stand up or get up the stairs

Ill go out tommorow and go easy

roadmanmad

Cramp is typically caused by loss of electrolyies. Salt to you and me.

You need to drink on your spin I recommend 1cc per min i.e. a 10cc sip every 10 minutes minimum at the start, do not wait ultil you get thirsty. Consumption will increase during the spin.

Add a few grains (four or five) of table salt to the water ie 500cc. This will reduce the electrolyte losses you experience while you sweat. Sport drinks have a little salt in them.

Cramp can be very painful?.

watsgone

Sounds like cramp.

But like very thing if it persists go to your doctor, it could be a calcium def. It cause very painful cramp like pain in muscles

Membrane

roadmanmad wrote:

Add a few grains (four or five) of table salt to the water ie 500cc.

I've been making my own isotonic sports drink using the advice from http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/health_and_fitness/4289704.stm

It mentions a pinch of salt per liter.

Ba$tard

Was it stop/go/stop/go cycling? Had it been raining? Were your knees cold?

Were your trying to keep a constant pace (effort & heart) rather than mph?

Both legs sound like a health/bloods/electrolysis (as already mentioned) issue.
Were you drinking white wine or any higher than 10% alcohols the night before?

Keep your legs warm, have a bath, massage them softly, and stretch out and compress every hour or so (very lightly). Try to keep the legs horizontal (not up) if possible. If problems persist after 2 days, seek medical advice. Dont use heavy gears for a good week, make sure you spin.


for 2 years of my life, I used to train 600 miles per week and race on sundays during season, the only time this happened me was with one leg when I stopped at a crossing and compressed my calve as I sat on the cross bar for about 2 minutes to cross. As soon as I took off a pain shot up my leg, I stopped, put on the leggings and took it easy on the way home spinning away (light gears). A quick bath, with some massage and carbs slowly heating the water got rid of it.

Covenline

I was cycling flat out. As fast as possible, pushing my heart and stamina except in hard climbs where I shifted into a easy gear adn spinned up.

Leg is tsill sore, not as bad. Possibly a pulled muscle?

Covenline

ok its still knackerd. Im off to lanzerotti on holidays so Im just going to swim and rest up. Hopefullt It will have mended when I get back.

Im training to ride a century in 5 and half hours. Is there a training scedule where one can gradually build up stamina? becaue i think the way ive been going about it ( As fast as possible, as far as possible every day )is dangerous.