wheelyyy@aol.com
My life's nemisis are leg cramps. I suffer from them almost every race. I have done a lot of reading about them and talked to doctors and no one can really say with any certainty why they happen. We know the mechanisms that allow for muscle contraction and release, and there are many factors that influence that. Heat, prolonged excercise, cold, dehydration, electrolytes etc. I have also found that each person is unique in what triggers cramping, what works for one person doesn't work for everyone. I usually cramp the worst when I am feeling the best and am riding at threshold for extended periods of time. The engine is good but the tires go flat.
This is what has worked for me, not 100% but enough to keep me racing.
ELite electrolyte mix, you can find it on the internet at crampsnomore.com I use this mix instead of water, it has tons of potasium but is also heavy on the salt. It is salty to the taste but you get used to it and it keeps you drinking.
I then use a shot flask with about 5 to 6 rolaids for (magnesium and calcium), potasium gluconate tablets (6-7) and then mix that with a little honey and the rest water. This mix has no sodium in it because I get so much through the Elyte drink. I have found this to be a great super potion late in the race when you start feeling the tinge.
You also need to keep in mind if you are a heavy sweater. If you are then you need to be drinking up 2 bottles an hour. This can be very hard in a race.
As for a plug on the hammer products, I love the perpetum drink and I have been using the e-caps powder which has all the magic electrolytes in it. Although at Hornings Hideout I cramped pretty bad, but I also had to run half the race!
So I would experiment with electrolyte mixes ( be careful with potasium because it can shut down your heart if you get a mega dose of it, which is why you can only get 3%DV pills). Pay attention to how much you sweat and drink accordingly.
Good Luck!
Chad
-----Original Message-----
From: will
To: obra@list.obra.org
Sent: Mon, 7 Apr 2008 12:29 pm
Subject: [OBRA Chat] cramp busters - Ideas?
I've had 2 DNFs the last 2 races because of debilitating leg cramps. Brian
Johnson told me the Margarita Shot Bloks have 3-times the sodium and would be
worth checking out. Aside from taking Potassium Supplements (which I do for the
heat of late summer races), anyone have any good concoctions/potions/mixes/etc
that work well for them?
I'd rather DFL than DNF so any help is appreciated.
-will
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