Calf cramp/spasm only during races

viperlogic

Hi all. Hope ye can provide some guidance. During duathlon, aquathlon, triathlon, and TT races I'm getting v strong cramps/spasms in the calfs at the top half on inner side.

Here are some data points / observations
- Runner for years and never had cramps/spasms issues
- Started duathlon, aquathlon, triathlon, and TT at the start of this year
- I'm always well hydrated (and electro/salts etc)
- Only happens in races, never happened (yet) in training, such as intense brick or threshold sessions
- Never happens during the swim or run to T1 but can happen when trying to take off wetsuit eg pulling one leg upward
- Happened once during bike leg and since I know the feeling of when it is about to happen I ease off the power a bit and drop the ankle which I find prevents it from happening
- As above but during a bike TT, no swim or run.
- In T2 when talking off the bike shoes (haven't mastered the flying dismount bare foot yet) it can happen, again when pulling one leg upwards using the arch of one shoe against the heel of another
- When does happen, it goes into a spasm state for 30 seconds or more and no slapping/punching it will release it
- I've never had a thorough bike fit so that may be one of the causes
- Monthly get rubs downs but no knots or issues found unless its straight after a race when had a calf cramp/spasm

Any suggestions most welcome. Thx

tunney

viperlogic wrote: »

Hi all. Hope ye can provide some guidance. During duathlon, aquathlon, triathlon, and TT races I'm getting v strong cramps/spasms in the calfs at the top half on inner side.

Here are some data points / observations
- Runner for years and never had cramps/spasms issues
- Started duathlon, aquathlon, triathlon, and TT at the start of this year
- I'm always well hydrated (and electro/salts etc)
- Only happens in races, never happened (yet) in training, such as intense brick or threshold sessions
- Never happens during the swim or run to T1 but can happen when trying to take off wetsuit eg pulling one leg upward
- Happened once during bike leg and since I know the feeling of when it is about to happen I ease off the power a bit and drop the ankle which I find prevents it from happening
- As above but during a bike TT, no swim or run.
- In T2 when talking off the bike shoes (haven't mastered the flying dismount bare foot yet) it can happen, again when pulling one leg upwards using the arch of one shoe against the heel of another
- When does happen, it goes into a spasm state for 30 seconds or more and no slapping/punching it will release it
- I've never had a thorough bike fit so that may be one of the causes
- Monthly get rubs downs but no knots or issues found unless its straight after a race when had a calf cramp/spasm

Any suggestions most welcome. Thx

pickle juice

http://www.slowtwitch.com/Opinion/The_Wild_Pickle_Chew__5130.html

catweazle

No solutions here but will be watching this one I have been getting them for years. Very similiar to your problems

• I can sometimes feel them coming on during the swim particularly middle distance not so much sprint, I have to pull the feet back in towards the shin to try and stop them while continuing on to alleviate them
• If coming out of shallow water from the swim I have to walk or I am guaranteed to get one
• Nearly always get one taking off the wet suit
• Usually ok on the bike - but next danger point is putting on running shoes
• I can get them on the run

Once I tend to get a really bad one that forces me to stop running altogether, I stretch and wait for it to go, luckily so far that's then the end of it

I have tried quinnan in the tonic water which seems to work over the shorter distances but it always gets me in the end in the longer

JohnBee

Just a note on the quinine: the doses in tonic water are quite small, and unlikely to consume enough to have an effect. Additionally it only tends to work when taking consistently for a few weeks. This is from a medic.

I would suggest you identify what is different on race day that is bringing these on. Some people change their race day/pre race nutrition eg never worry about nutrition and pre race load up with carbs, and special drinks, or take caffeine boosts pre race. Just mentally review this again. Also, I find on race day, there is a significant time from transition close to swim start and perhaps taking an electrolyte drink with you which can be dumped just before swim start might help.

I know the feeling though, nothing more fun than exiting the water and hobbling up to transition!

It sounds like you are well prepped with brick sessions though so there must be some other differential on race day that is causing this.

Podge83

This is an interesting one for me. Last year I was suffering greatly from Calf cramps - but mine occurred principally during swim - several races were ruined 10 minutes or less in. Ended up in both HOTW and CK presenting my foot to a canoeist with gesturing to stretch back my toes/foot while I screamed in pain. Other races were effected too. Managed to go on and finish but times were destroyed by this.

I was taking magnesium and potassium (and Cal/Mag tablets). At the time I was also taking a Pharmaton tablet every day. Nothing seemed to work. The cramps have improved a lot this year the only difference I would say is that I stopped taking all supplements and the Pharmaton. Also have watched hydration closer. Whether something in the supplements or not was causing things to get worse I don't know but this year things are much improved. The other change I have made is calf and glute strengthening exercises which seem to have helped also.

Went to Doc and he did some tests which seemed to point that all levels of required minerals were ok.

Stress/ worry, I was told, can bring them on (not sure about this one). The cold water was also blamed. Someone else told me to cut my wetsuit at the knees.

Maybe also I was overtraining last year. This year, other that days after a heavy session of training or if I have a few jars they can be bad the next morning (maybe suggesting a touch of dehydration).

Just my experience. Hopefully I'm over the worst - but its always in the back of my mind, particularly on OW swims which unless I'm close to shore cant do alone. (shouldn't do alone anyway!!)

Edit - I was also taking electrolyte (Dioralyte) every day which didn't seem to help. Have stopped taking this too this year.

viperlogic

JohnBee wrote: »

Just a note on the quinine: the doses in tonic water are quite small, and unlikely to consume enough to have an effect. Additionally it only tends to work when taking consistently for a few weeks. This is from a medic.

I would suggest you identify what is different on race day that is bringing these on. Some people change their race day/pre race nutrition eg never worry about nutrition and pre race load up with carbs, and special drinks, or take caffeine boosts pre race. Just mentally review this again. Also, I find on race day, there is a significant time from transition close to swim start and perhaps taking an electrolyte drink with you which can be dumped just before swim start might help.

I know the feeling though, nothing more fun than exiting the water and hobbling up to transition!

It sounds like you are well prepped with brick sessions though so there must be some other differential on race day that is causing this.

Main difference on race day is that I give it everything, empty the tank as they say. I typically cross the line empty reaching!

Regards pre race, I do take a pre workout 15mins before races, never during training. I may see if that's having an effect.

I think its a combination of...
1) little to no swim brick sessions, but starting an aquathlon series and also some regular OW swims where will practice T1 and then onto run/bike.
2) bike fit as feel it coming on in TT races, so there is no external factors such as swim etc

tunney

I found that this happens to me, and athletes I know, if they race while not as fit as they think they are. Race fit I mean. Time, experience and more focused training

ray o

tunney wrote: »

I found that this happens to me, and athletes I know, if they race while not as fit as they think they are. Race fit I mean. Time, experience and more focused training

Nail on the head there Dave. It was certainly the case for me.

joey100

I found that this happens to me, and athletes I know, if they race while not as fit as they think they are. Race fit I mean. Time, experience and more focused training

And me.

RJM85

tunney wrote: »

I found that this happens to me, and athletes I know, if they race while not as fit as they think they are. Race fit I mean. Time, experience and more focused training

Yep

JohnBee

tunney wrote: »

I found that this happens to me, and athletes I know, if they race while not as fit as they think they are. Race fit I mean. Time, experience and more focused training

Agree also. I think the taper is important here. Pre race week should be easy, not a time for last minute improvements! Entering a race well rested.

tunney

JohnBee wrote: »

Agree also. I think the taper is important here. Pre race week should be easy, not a time for last minute improvements! Entering a race well rested.

Going to disagree in the bit in bold but thats another discussion.

JohnBee

tunney wrote: »

Going to disagree in the bit in bold but thats another discussion.

Please elaborate! Just in relation to cramps? Or do you disagree that you should be well rested?

viperlogic

Update: 2 months on and no calf cramps until a sprint tri at the weekend, wasnt a full on cramp but it was about to! Have been doing plenty of intensense sessions and aquathlons to see what triggers it and nothing has replicated it other than the slight feeling its about to happen on some all out bike TT races. Booking a bike fit in the next couple days.

@ catweazle have you had any sucess since?

catweazle

viperlogic wrote: »

@ catweazle have you had any sucess since?

I got the calf cramps again on the one race i did this year

It was wading up to an Australian exit that caused the issue but the way the race panned out I just had to get on with it, got shoved around the bend and by the time I got going back in the water again it was gone

It wasn't an issue after that for the rest of the race - so I suppose I will put it down as a success

Oryx

The two points in my training life when I suffered horribly from legs cramping were when I was undertrained and took on too much (stressed, tired muscles cramp) and when I was doing too much and overtrained (again, a different type of muscle stress, but still cramping).

I wouldnt be looking at the smaller picture of what you did that day, but the overall picture of your training year and the lead up to the problem races.