Dry January is for Other People (the Fish Thread)

CANNOT stop getting foot/calf cramps!
and not like some little thing… these are shutting me down.

only 3200 today with basically our decision to do 2 all out efforts.
I chose to do 100s.

first one I was pace for a 56(ish) until the last turn… then wham… both calves locked up. 59.5 — so much pain
15min easy to loosen up and get ready again. Stretched on deck etc…

57high on the second one. Cramps were there, but not locking me up.

Its so frustrating. Feel like I have a 55 in me, but… cannot get the legs to cooperate.
And I take magnesium and potasium, vit d, vit c, creatine … but wow… cannot move past these.
daved

Last swim for January. Total of 52K for the month which is good for me @ 3 days/week

3800 SCY
400 (5:46)/200 IM K
8x150 on 2:30 (2:04-6)/200 K
Pull 2x[300(3:57-58) 200(2:38s) 100 (1:17-1:18) all on 1:30/100 base
200K
8x50 IM stroke on 1:00 (38-48)

Well I dont see salt tabs in there, I take them every morning and right before my noon swim. But foot cramps can be funny, happen for no apparent reason, but the calfs, that is a normal cramp that should be able to be dealt with. It does seem to get worse the older I get, and my statins also contribute. But the salt stix pills do the job really well, especially in the hot water I have to endure most days. Good luck, let us know how it goes(maybe pickle juice)

4th day in a row and just did some easier stuff with a few sprints:

5x(3x100buoy@1;40/50frog@1;10/50swim@;50) buoys(1;29 to 1;22)frogs(57 to 53)swims(36+/36/34+/33/32)
2x(3x100p@1;40/200frog@4;30)pulls(1;19 to 1;16)frogs(3;52/51)
3x50 dolphin(zooms)(51/50/52)50SD
3200SCY in 60 minutes

super jealous of your pool time… I skipped this am. Big dinner last night and didnt sleep well.

Its a great point Monty… the salt. I start each morning with 12oz of water and 2 scoops (they are super small) of BASE salts in my cup. And I do gnaw on a salt tab as I drive to the pool. THe flavored salt stick ones. And 9 times out of 10 I have a water bottle w me a the pool w skratch or similar in it.

Not trying to be combative. Your point is well taken and salt is a part of my daily intake

daved

No worries Dave, thanks for clarifying about your salt intake. So no new statin or other drug that might be the cause? And of course I’m sure you have factored in any increase in running or cycling that isn’t normal…

I’m sure you know this, but a comprehensive blood test while you are experiencing these might be beneficial, only make sure you are in that state. Cramps are so hard to pin down sometimes, many factors and folks like to glom onto one to the exclusion of others…

Last swim of the month
1/31 3550 SCY via
2x500 WU
2x(200 IM, 150 Free) 2x(100 IM, 50 Free) on ~ 25-35s rest
4x(100 free, 75 IM, 50 free, 25 IMO) on 1:40 1:20 :45 :30
5x100 last 25 fast on 1:40
50 ez

So happy to be at my sea level pool that is only 83 this morning. Still hate the morning swims, but dam I do feel great when its all over before 8;30am. Just kind of a grinder with good rest again, beginning to feel stronger:

2x(6x100buoy@1;40/2x100frog@2;00)buoys(1;26 to 1;22–1;25 to 1;17)frogs(1;55/52/50/49)
2x(6x100p@1;40/2x100frog@2;00)pulls(1;17 to 1;08–1;16 to 1;07)frogs(1;50/48/52.50)
2x(3x50p@;50/1p@1;10/50stroke@1;20)pulls(38/37’s)fly(34+)back(41)50kick
3750SCY in 67 minutes

Maybe try strengthening your tibialis anterior

Worked for me

Thanks! yes I have been working w a PT for some hip stuff and she was a dancer and believes in strong flexible and usable feet. So I have been doing lots of this stuff.
I appreciate the heads up tho. I also had a pretty consistent and massive 4 weeks here to start the year. So combining all I have been doing vs focusing on the self care and diet… clearly the DOING is taking up too much and I need to shift to more focus on the others.
Plus I just got the chest cold my kids had for the past 2 weeks… so that is super fun. (NOT)

daved

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Yeah… 100%.

Feels like I have just been on edge for a while and now I just got the sickness from my kids… nature wins!! I need to slow it down a bit. ha

daved