Hello everyone,
I recently completed my second Ironman in Cascais a few weeks ago, following my race in Nice in June 2022.
During the swim, I faced challenges due to rough conditions, which slowed my time to 1.27. I also struggled with swallowing water.
On the bike leg, I initially performed well but started experiencing stomach cramps around 40km into the race, which persisted throughout. Despite trying different positions and consuming nutrition (High5 energy gels and SiS Beta Fuel with a salt tablet), the cramps didn't subside. I even made a pit stop on the second lap but couldn't alleviate the issue.
Towards the end of the bike leg, I managed to eat two SiS Beta Fuel Energy Chew Bars, which improved my comfort slightly, but my second lap was significantly slower than the first.
I'm seeking advice on what might be causing these cramps, considering I've faced a similar issue in a different race (Nice), which I initially attributed to hot conditions. My nutrition has been consistent, so I'm curious if the seawater or other factors could be responsible.
Thank you in advance for your insights!
I recently completed my second Ironman in Cascais a few weeks ago, following my race in Nice in June 2022.
During the swim, I faced challenges due to rough conditions, which slowed my time to 1.27. I also struggled with swallowing water.
On the bike leg, I initially performed well but started experiencing stomach cramps around 40km into the race, which persisted throughout. Despite trying different positions and consuming nutrition (High5 energy gels and SiS Beta Fuel with a salt tablet), the cramps didn't subside. I even made a pit stop on the second lap but couldn't alleviate the issue.
Towards the end of the bike leg, I managed to eat two SiS Beta Fuel Energy Chew Bars, which improved my comfort slightly, but my second lap was significantly slower than the first.
I'm seeking advice on what might be causing these cramps, considering I've faced a similar issue in a different race (Nice), which I initially attributed to hot conditions. My nutrition has been consistent, so I'm curious if the seawater or other factors could be responsible.
Thank you in advance for your insights!