I’ve done quite a few sprint and Olympic distance triathlons the past 8 years, but over the last year I did two 70.2s. Both times I’ve had pretty good cramps and I’m sure I’m probably blowing the nutrition or hydration (races were in Lake Havasu, AZ, so fairly warm, even in November). The first time around my calves started cramping pretty good half way through the run (and I was only doing 11 or 12 min miles). The second race I had pretty good thigh cramps the last 15 miles of the bike, and those lasted the whole run and I was stopping about every mile to stretch the quads. Honestly I don’t get enough running in - some minor osteoarthritis, so when the knees start hurting I take it easy on my run training. So maybe it’s just a lack of enough training. But I also wonder if I’m not getting enough electrolytes or sodium or something. Both years I tried to keep the fluids going pretty often, and make about half of it gatorade or Hed (or whatever the race was handing out). This last race I tried to get a few more salty foods in the day before, but I’m not sure that helped. I do plenty of biking and didn’t feel like I was particularly pushing the pace for my abilities (20 mph average), so I was surprised to cramp up a bit on the bike. Any thoughts from people who’ve had similar issues? Salt or electrolyte tablets, more hydration before the race, more training (that’s always a nice one if I can fit it in). I felt like I couldn’t stomach anymore electrolytes this past race and did mostly water during the run plus some electrolyte tablets at one of the rest stops.
Based on your post, it’s unlikely that the issue was nutritional and more likely fitness related. Train as much as your body will allow and execute better during the race (I.E. Slow down on the bike ride.)
Upon reading the responses it may well be not enough training is the main issue, but I keep thinking I do need a better nutrition plan during long races. For those who asked, rather than try and post my training plan (or lack thereof), it’s probably easier just to have you look on Strava, where I record everything. (http://www.strava.com/athletes/3472233) If you can’t find me (Cade Walton) let’s just say the past 4 months I averaged 5 hours a week total, with maybe 2 shorter runs per week. Looking back the past 4 months I really haven’t gotten enough running in, or swimming for that matter. Work and family obligations were a bit heavy lately. I started bumping up the running 2 months prior to the race, but about a month out from the race my knees started bugging me (actually hurting a bit) and I cut the running down the month leading up to Havasu (race was Nov. 8). So it’s a given I need more training.
But on nutrition, if my sweat tends to be saltier (and I’ve cramped before on longer bike races too) are there some sports drinks a bit more geared to prevent this or other things to do before or during the race?
I haven’t studied it in depth, but I heard on a podcast, that the 2 main studies that link muscle cramps were poorly executed and from the 1930’s and 1900. Then later studies performed by companies selling us sports drinks in the 1970+.
I believe there’s no link. It’s neurological in nature and related to the fatigue of muscles. It may partly be chemical, but more associated with training adaptation, not a lack of a particular nutrient in our bloodstream. I don’t believe they’ve found a clear root cause. But I will say that I’ve heard of athletes passing out from dehydration… they never cramped up. So how could the 2 realistically be related. I’ve had cramps while almost perfectly executing a nutrition plan in my 1st IM. 120oz of fluid in 5 hours, plus 2-3 cups of liquid every mile, 350 calories per hour on the bike, almost 300/hr I estimate on the run. Plenty of salt in all of that. Hamstrings cramped anyway. I did NOTHING related to nutrition, just rubbed them out, altered my stride and I ran another 12 miles only going about 0:15-0:30/mi slower than my average before…mostly I think just from reduced run economy. No other muscles cramps. If it was more systemic, I would expect my prime movers, my quads, or even my calves to cramp. Nope.
Check out The Right Stuff. It uses Sodium Citrate instead of Sodium Chloride so you can absorb more, more efficiently without your stomach being tied up in knots.
That’s odd: the CDC seems to take the exact opposite position on sodium intake. On what studies do you base your assertion that most healthy people do not take in enough sodium?
As for the OP, Tim Noakes has a reasonably good compilation on the data behind cramping, and I don’t see any evidence linking it to electrolytes (sodium or other) or other dietary issues. Cramping seems to be neurological, and I have not seen any reasonable fix on exactly why they happen. Someone enlighten us.
Check out The Right Stuff. It uses Sodium Citrate instead of Sodium Chloride so you can absorb more, more efficiently without your stomach being tied up in knots.
I do not reference any study in my comment or suggest an increase in sodium to the OP. Based on my own personal experience coming from a no-to-low salt diet which I have changed to a diet with more salt and not having experienced cramping since.
Pretty funny. Yes, I was spacing when I wrote the post. Ironically, the swim was probably 300-400 m short, so the race may well have been a 70.2 (or 70.1). See my other recent thread on ST.
I went searching through a number of different articles. During long endurance activities they recommend sodium citrate over sodium chloride. They said sodium chloride during long endurance races tends to cause GI stress. I was drinking gatorade (contains both sodium chloride and sodium citrate) during both my 70.3’s and was definitely having some GI stress and during the run was mainly drinking water (couldn’t stomach any more electrolyte drinks). I’ll have to research some different sports drinks to see which ones have mainly sodium citrate. From a quick search it seems like most contain a mix of both sodium chloride and sodium citrate.