Pickle Juice on Long Rides

[Rolf]

I've struggled with cramps on longer rides recently. Interestingly, "they" no longer attribute exercise-induced cramps entirely to dehydration, but rather a nerve response to muscle exhaustion. And the solution? An immediate hit of pickle juice or just straight vinegar:

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/06/0 ... le-cramps/

Okay, doctors, weigh in...

[jeremy]

Dr. Jeremy here, I've heard that coconut juice is awsome for replacing elctrolytes/sodium, much tastier than pickle juice.

[Brian S]

EWWWWWWWW! And isn't there enough acid in the mix?

'nuf said?
If you really need higher sodium intake, try eload--higher sodium sports drink. Very palatable flavours, and available at peninsula runners, or lifestyles markets. A chunk more expensive than gatorade, and the downside is that no races will ever carry it on course, so you are bringing it yourself. I used it for longer summer training for a while, but for that reason switched back to plain old gatorade. As an alternate for really hot sessions, I used sodium supplements, endurolytes. Other products include minerals and other goodies. As well, there is lots of sodium in power gels.

As you said, lots of talk about fatigue related about muscle exhaustion/fatigue--that means train more but do keep up with the energy/fluid/electrolytes regardless.

[Rita]

From what I understood from the article, it may not be the sodium that helps to reduce the duration of the cramp, rather something else since pure vinegar did a good job too.

[watwin]

I agree, probably not just the sodium, maybe it was the distraction of pain from your taste buds? Actually I think hydrogen ions from vinegar (acid) could be used to make an osmotic gradient that pulls water in the gut lumen, just like salt is. I think I'll be sticking to gatorade though...

[Rolf]

Well, since a pre-mix of pickle juice and coconut milk would probably ruin my water bottle for good , I'm going to have to get custom bottle-cages that will fit a pickle jar on the down tube and a pre-drilled coconut on the seat tube.

On second thought, maybe I should just get off the bike and go find a pub... I hear that's pretty good for cramps, too.

[shawnc]

Another good way to relieve cramps is to pedal harder and/or faster.

[barton bourassa]

Rolf, one solution that I found works for me is a Cal Mag Potassium supplement, taken preferably at night. According to some, absorption works better at night. But you have to be consistent. I had been experiencing cramping in the calves that ceased and have not returned after taking this stuff. I like Inno Cal. I am also very careful with hydration and reasonable salts intake the day or two before any long intense effort.

Barton.

[Vegan Dave]

Hey all y'all, hope you don't mind me invading your space. =)

I've read a fair bit on cramping, and as the NYTimes article says, cramping is unlikely to do with electrolytes or dehydration. (Or pickle juice, if you read the article. There's no way it can get to the muscle in the time that it had an 'effect'.)

Fatigue is the most likely culprit: going harder than your muscles can sustain, and this is their way of saying 'stop what you're doing'!!

Here's one example from Joe Friel:

http://www.joefrielsblog.com/2010/05/mu ... heory.html

I can corroborate some of this, as i used to get really nasty cramps in my calves, generally in the middle of the night...lurvely... I've since adjusted my seat height so i end up using less calf (they would be sore after rides, hardly any more), and these have literally vanished.

I'm using the muscle less, and the cramps have vanished, imagine that!

Enjoy the pickle juice, but it's not really helping in this regard - and if you're racing me, please do fill your bottle with it. =)

[Rolf]

Figures it would take some pickletalk to lure the Master Cucumber out of the (dill) weeds. . Thanks for sharing, Dave - and to everyone else who gave helpful responses above.

That doesn't include you, Shawn.

I heard the same thing when I asked for strategies on hills in my 3rd week: "Pedal harder and/or faster."Jeez. Isn't the whole point to go faster with *less* effort? Isn't that why y'all ride plastic bikes?

I'm off to chat with my buddy Fabian about a motor...

[Vegan Dave]

Master Cucumber? haha..what does that even mean??! =P

I think it was Lemond that said: "It never gets any easier, you just get faster."