Leg cramps - especially at night

[Claire]

What's up with these leg cramps? It seems almost every time I turn over at night, something seizes up - usually my lower leg (outside - not calf) but also occasionally a calf or an inner leg/adductor. Also, my intercostals frequently cramp when putting on socks... That's been the case since I was a runner, too, though.

But this nighttime leg cramp business - what gives? Am I short on some kind of vitamin/mineral/electrolyte? Employing some weird pedaling technique? Just too much of a hammerhead? In need of regular, therapeutic massage? (if so... sponsor wanted!)

Help please!

[barton bourassa]

Pickle juice?!

Calcium Magnesium Boron?

Or maybe just some rest from hammering every day? I don't know!!

[Stéphane Tran]

Hi Claire, I would try drinking an electrolyte drink with sodium in the afternoon and generally drink lots of water. Hope that helps!

http://velonews.competitor.com/2007/04/ ... lves_12039

[roadflasj]

Very light recovery ride in the evening (easier on a trainer), easy stretching and lots of fluids. I've also found a quick ride then muscle rollering can help.

[Fozzy]

Tonic water is also good (without the Gin though!!!)

[Rolf]

Hi Claire,

Back in my first year of riding with Tripleshot, I too suffered from cramps. Which led to this post (incidentally, the post that led to "General Banter's" thread description.) It also reminds me of my first race report, earlier that Spring.

But never mind me and my resurrection of the ghosts of posts past. Cramps can be a sign of imbalances like dehydration and such, but they can also be evidence you're pushing your body beyond its conditioning. The real reason you're cramping may be that you (or those with whom you ride) are taking The Rules too seriously again—probably no. 5 in particular.

[Bosie]

Hi Claire,
I tend to agree with Rolf: Google "Overtraining"-
Restless sleep, sore muscles are fairly common side effects....
(Been there, done that in a previous life....)
Craig

[Paul C.]

Massage is hocus pocus b.s. I know cause Alan Casels told me so.

Probaby hammerhead theory.

I don t know .....try herbs or crystals..??

[Claire]

Apparently I'm no good at conducting a controlled experiment because yesterday I soft-pedalled home from the ride, took a cal/mag supplement, and foam-rollered my legs before bed. No cramps! But now I have no idea what helped... Maybe just talking about it has made my legs realize I'm onto them and they're smartening up on their own.

Thanks, everyone, for your mostly-helpful input. And to Rolf, of course, for using my post to promote his own historical ramblings and achievements (again). Was that the old Gary Lund road race? Or does it have a different name now...? I'm glad I never had to do that one in those wintery conditions. Brrr...

[Rolf]

So glad to be of help, Claire. Or at least, to help you cramp my style.

Just a reminder that with 26,201 posts and counting, the Tripleshot Forum is a pretty comprehensive repository of collective riding experience. The search function is fairly awful, but it's worth popping in a keyword now and again as questions arise...

It was the Russ Hay's Sooke Classic Road Race, part of the usual Victoria cycling weekend with the Friday TT and Sunday Bastion crit. Winners of the men's and women's elite races that day earned the 2010 BC Road Race Championship jersey. The elite men did Sooke-Renfrew return in nasty wind, rain, and cold (140K). I was grateful in Cat 4 to do the women's distance of 90—it also mostly cured me of any appetite for racing I may have once had.

[Paul C.]

Alan C. .....
What do you think: ibuprofen, oxy, vitamins, dandilion flowers....or something from our new "medicinal stores"?

[Claire]

It did occur to me to comb through (or "search" as you say) old forum posts. But being that 1) I'm pretty lazy 2) I'm scared of the possibly-brittle nature of this old beast and 3) research, ideas, trends and fads wrt "science," sports and the like change on a regular basis and I wanted access to the latest, breakingest information on this hot topic... I opted to start a fresh thread of my own. Oh, also I'm narcissistic.

[Lund]

Oh, also I'm narcissistic.

Barely able to contain her giggles, Claire confided to me that she's never actually experienced a leg cramp. She just wanted to see how fast and how far other Tripleshotters would scramble to deliver solutions to a fabricated issue.

Naturally, as a fellow narcissist, I applaud her.

[Paul C.]

S.L. I wouid expect by now there would be some poetry for this important topic.
...A.C.where are you?!

[Alan]

Paul, if you must know, I'm here, in Hamilton with no time to poetize. Scroll down, I'm the 'event'.
http://fhs.mcmaster.ca/main/events.html

If you can catch an early, early flight tomorrow to Toronto and a quick taxi ride to McMaster, in Hamilton I'll see you there.

As for cures for leg cramps, I have no idea what magic potion works. Stop confusing me with someone medical who knows what he's talking about. The systematic reviewers, however, at Cochrane say Magnesium is a bust. As is quinine, so don't overdo it on the G&Ts thinking it's good for cramps.
http://www.cochrane.org/CD009402/NEUROM ... cle-cramps

Me? I never get cramps, but if I did, I'd drink pickle juice, not on the basis of evidence but on the basis of 'expert opinion' (Rob Hasegawa and Barton swear by the stuff, even though they are likely influenced by the pickle lobby).

On the road, I am quite happy, mostly because I have been rereading Ambrose Bierce, who's Devil's Dictionary still remains a satirical classic. A few definitions (please fill in your own blanks about who I'm thinking of)

"Happiness,n : an agreeable sensation arising from contemplating the misery of another."

"Bore, n: a person who talks when you wish him to listen."

And Steve, don't call yourself a narcissist, you are, more precisely, an egoist. According to Bierce:

"Egotist, n. A person of low taste, more interested in himself than in me."

[Paul C.]

Alan ...I knew you would come up with something.Claire must be busy with all these health experts in the club.

I can t make in to Ontario as I will ride 1km in a.m. for coffee with. the F.T.

Apperantly your buddy did about 24 000k in 2015. I would like to say we miss you...but I can 't do that.

Cheers pc
P.S. B3 did miss your bell lastTuesday

[Stéphane Tran]

Did somebody say pickle juice?

http://www.bicycling.com/food/hydration ... ile-riding

[ghomer]

Or Bourbon...

http://cyclingtips.com/2016/01/alex-how ... f-bourbon/

[Paul C.]

Are you people crazy...pickle juice!??

All you need to prevent cramps and also to help you survive a120k Metchosin ride is a stop at Sooke A&W.I have studied nutrition.

Midride fuel;
Teenburger :includes 4 ..., no thats 5 servings of vegies-tomatoe,lettuce,onion,pickle and bacon.
Large fries: Very good carbs.more sodium.
Large rootey rootbeer or my preferance , a classic coke. Contains potassium.

A tripleshot coffee will top this off.
You will be faster ,fuller and happier and ......have no more cramps.Really works!

p.s. If this does't work for you try the A&W in Langford.

[owen]

I always opted for McDonalds cheese burgers since they fit into jersey pockets better and still have two servings of veggies (pickles, ketchup) per burger!