Cramps.. and the Leinster Loop..

Fender76

I've been getting cramps in my calves recently and they can be pretty severe..
Any tips on avoiding these...? Someone mentioned eating plenty of bananas..
On a different note, I am doing the S Roche Leinster Loop 120k in a few weeks.. how tough do you think this will be.. I feel I may have bitten off more than I can chew as I am not fully fit after a long spell off the bike.. will there be all sorts doing it or is it just for elite road racers...?

markcroninbsc

id say you just need to do a bit more trainin to get rid of the cramps. you say its a recent thing - have you changed anything recently? sadle position or new shoes or cleats etc. i used to suffer somethin fierce with cramps. the bananas help alright, if i know im goin for a long spin the next day i usually eat about 3 of them the day before and another 3 on the day. plenty of water too helps (in the bottle you could use hi5 zero, you can get that on chain reaction cycles.) if its lack of fitness great stuff to take is hornet juice its the best energy drink around i think, and usually if youve got energy you wont get cramps. http://www.hornetjuice.com

instead of the banans you could go on a course of magnesium and calcium, but i know nothin about vitimans and suplements, maybe someone else on here does


noone knows what causes cramps tho so if you get them all the time even tho you train alot your more or less ****ed.
http://sportsmedicine.about.com/od/legpainandinjuries/a/muscle_spasms.htm

Lumen

Fender76 wrote: »

I've been getting cramps in my calves recently and they can be pretty severe..
Any tips on avoiding these...?

One approach is to use your calves less by moving your cleats back and your saddle down a fraction.

This follows the theory that your calves are mostly used to stabilise your foot, and that this is a waste of effort.

Fender76

Thanks guys... I'll def be getting some of that Hornet juice,....
I'd say it probably is due to lack of fitness.. as I said I've only recently got back on a bike after many years off drinking and smoking and getting up to all sorts of nonsence...

neris

Extra stretching can help or even hop off the bike after a while and stretch again. Have found that when i was getting cramp getting off the bike for a minute and a stretch helped.

markcroninbsc

Fender76 wrote: »

Thanks guys... I'll def be getting some of that Hornet juice,....
I'd say it probably is due to lack of fitness.. as I said I've only recently got back on a bike after many years off drinking and smoking and getting up to all sorts of nonsence...

defo try out the hornet juice, its probably a little more expensive than some of the other stuff you can get but they do a fiver trial version i think and you'll notice a difference in the first go with it.

im the same i was off the bike for about 6 years up untill last year when i got back on it. went from 8 and 3.4 stone upto over 11 in them years, apparently the hornet juice helps with the weight loss too.

Fender76

Hey Mark,

Where would I get Hornet Juice...? Is it available on line only...?

markcroninbsc

Fender76 wrote: »

Hey Mark,

Where would I get Hornet Juice...? Is it available on line only...?

yea its only available online so you need to get the ould credit card out for it. i think i put the link in already but its www.hornetjuice.com

Moflojo

Fender76 wrote: »

Someone mentioned eating plenty of bananas..

Be careful with the bananas, too many of them can lead to serious constipation!

Fender76

So, regarding part 2 of my post... I am doing the S Roche Leinster Loop 120k in a few weeks.. how tough do you think this will be.. I feel I may have bitten off more than I can chew as I am not fully fit after a long spell off the bike.. will there be all sorts doing it or is it just for elite road racers...?


Any ideas...?

markcroninbsc

Fender76 wrote: »

So, regarding part 2 of my post... I am doing the S Roche Leinster Loop 120k in a few weeks.. how tough do you think this will be.. I feel I may have bitten off more than I can chew as I am not fully fit after a long spell off the bike.. will there be all sorts doing it or is it just for elite road racers...?


Any ideas...?

i dont know that one, but usually at these things you get a good big crowd of all levels. i did the sean kelly 160 last week, nearly killed me. but for most of those spins i would say if in trainin you can do about 75% the distance on your own so 90km ish in a reasonable time you should be ok, you should be at least able to get into a group of oud lads and hang in there till the end. id say if you could only do about 50% the distance on your own in training you probably still would make the whole thing but yad be ****ered after it.

aspender

Fender76 wrote: »

So, regarding part 2 of my post... I am doing the S Roche Leinster Loop 120k in a few weeks.. how tough do you think this will be.. I feel I may have bitten off more than I can chew as I am not fully fit after a long spell off the bike.. will there be all sorts doing it or is it just for elite road racers...?


Any ideas...?

Well I'm doing it and I am certainly not elite in any sense. This is my first sportive after only cycling for just over a month. I've done up to 75km so far without feeling too bad, but I've not done the amount of climbing that the loop involves in a single spin. To that effect I am planning to head up to the hilly part of the course this weekend to assess where I am.

neris

That hornet juice sounds interesting for low carb eating.

You should be ok for the L.L if you can do a large part of the distance in training. I did my 1st sportive a few weeks back a 135km around Wicklow. Hung at the back off the start and was cycling with guys of the same level. The guys at the front will tear off as such and if you try keeping pace you,ll be gone before your a 1/4 of the way around. The course doesnt look to difficult and theres only 20km in hills. Youve 3 weeks to get ready so this weekend do a longer distance then normal and next week go further. you,ll be fine its a sportive not a race

Fender76

Nice one guys... Thats reassuring that there will be some guys of my ability doing it aswell...

Might arrange to meet up aspender..?

aspender

Fender76 wrote: »

Nice one guys... Thats reassuring that there will be some guys of my ability doing it aswell...

Might arrange to meet up aspender..?

I'd be up for that. Was planning to start in Carlow, head up N80 to the N78 and pick up the loop route from there. Will likely have a work colleague with me who is also doing the event. Think we plan to head off early afternoon on Sunday.

Fender76

Cool.. I'm around on Sunday...

Give me a txt (086 3853004) if u are still up for it..

How many k's do ya reckon that would be..?

aspender

Something like this:

http://ridewithgps.com/routes/168178

60-odd km

BGT

Fender76 wrote: »

So, regarding part 2 of my post... I am doing the S Roche Leinster Loop 120k in a few weeks.. how tough do you think this will be.. I feel I may have bitten off more than I can chew as I am not fully fit after a long spell off the bike.. will there be all sorts doing it or is it just for elite road racers...?


Any ideas...?

Rode the hilly bit last week, tough enough in parts but generally do-able, I think. Would be interested to hear how ye find it. We were on the small front and 23 on the back for the climbing bits and managed to keep the pedals spinning. We averaged 24km p hour on it. 2 brilliant descents on it.

SMacX

I suffer from terrible cramps due to excessive sweating. I find 2 sachets of Diarolyte (over the counter medicine used to treat symptoms of diarohea) in a 750ml bottle over 100kms keeps the cramps away.

Leinster loop, well Kildare is pretty flat, but remember the dips in the road :rolleyes:

aspender

Well I did the hilly bit today and found it ok. Tough enough for a not-so-fit novice like me, but as BGT said, it's do-able. I'm certainly looking forward to the actual event.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/47690605

WUFF

Sorry to jump in on thread...but does anyone know if you can just rock up and enter on the day? cant see anything on the website.

BGT

aspender wrote: »

I'd be up for that. Was planning to start in Carlow, head up N80 to the N78 and pick up the loop route from there. Will likely have a work colleague with me who is also doing the event. Think we plan to head off early afternoon on Sunday.

Wondering if you did that route on Sunday and what did you think of it?

BGT

WUFF wrote: »

Sorry to jump in on thread...but does anyone know if you can just rock up and enter on the day? cant see anything on the website.

Heard Stephen Roche on local radio here KFM yesterday about the cycle. Sounds like you could, but they seem to be pushing to get bookings done in advance, with registration on the Saturday evening (think he said 4 - 8, but not sure) and again on the Sunday morning. I turned up for one in Naas last year (real rush job) and swore I'd book in advance in future. We were left behind and spent 45 mins catching up (& panicking that we might not, the indignity!).

aspender

BGT wrote: »

Wondering if you did that route on Sunday and what did you think of it?

see above!

aspender wrote: »

Well I did the hilly bit today and found it ok. Tough enough for a not-so-fit novice like me, but as BGT said, it's do-able. I'm certainly looking forward to the actual event.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/47690605

Not a lot more to say. Hardest bit for me was the drag just after turning left before Castlecomer.

MWalljobs

Fender76 wrote: »

I've been getting cramps in my calves recently and they can be pretty severe..
Any tips on avoiding these...? Someone mentioned eating plenty of bananas..
On a different note, I am doing the S Roche Leinster Loop 120k in a few weeks.. how tough do you think this will be.. I feel I may have bitten off more than I can chew as I am not fully fit after a long spell off the bike.. will there be all sorts doing it or is it just for elite road racers...?

I used to wake with calf cramps that would then hurt for days after, then a friend of mine explained to me how quinine is a natural muscle relaxant and is used to treat malaria patients in Africa, a muscle attacking decease. Quinine is the taste in tonic water. (gin & tonic brigade were actually after the tonic not the gin) now I drink maybe 6 little bottles (lidl) a week (without the gin) when I think of it and not a cramp since !!!! it works for me. you can also get quinine tablets on prescription but a bit to concentrated for me.
hope this helps for you.

BGT

In answer to Fender76, 3 friends of mine are signed up for the 120 and they are by no means elite or even close to it. Based on other sportives of similar length, I'd say there will be a good spread of abilities, and you will always find a bunch that matches your level. Should be good.

ashleey

I'm signed up for the 120 which starts at 9.30am and can't make Saturday evening. What's the registration times for Sunday please?

BGT

According to local radio, its 4pm to 8pm on Sat, and from 8am on Sunday.

MWalljobs

Fender76 wrote: »

So, regarding part 2 of my post... I am doing the S Roche Leinster Loop 120k in a few weeks.. how tough do you think this will be.. I feel I may have bitten off more than I can chew as I am not fully fit after a long spell off the bike.. will there be all sorts doing it or is it just for elite road racers...?


Any ideas...?

I've done around 90 of these tour events both here and abroad, this one, looking at the map and knowing the roads will have a lead out car till castlecomer when the climbing begins, it will break up then with the whippets gone up the hill, riding the ridge then till descent towards tinryland, good chance most will get back together at 70 km stop on wexford road and then it will be till Tullow (9km) of loosening the legs again and mad pace back home then, should be tailwind on that big road from Castledermot to Ballytore, speed will be in the 40km/h there. Fastest will be back between 1 and 1.30. oh yeah nice little pull about 3 km from the finish, Pat Leigh's hill . enjoy.

ashleey

Thanks for the info regarding registration. Now let's hope the weather is good. Accuweather reckons sunny for Sunday at the moment. Reckon that forecast could change though.