Today was my first race. It was a sprint race (very short sprint), with only a 300 yard swim, 11 mile bike, and 3.5 mile run. I did better than I expected in the pool, decent on the bike (for not having a tri bike), and then I got stomach cramps from hell at the beginning of the run. I prepared myself very well, eating plenty of potassium and drinking plenty of water while carb loading. During the race, I didn’t eat anything, but I did drink water, I just didn’t feel like the race was long enough to have to eat during. Does anyone have any suggestions for combating these cramps? I could have dropped a solid 7 or 8 minutes off my overall time without the cramps.
Also, keep in mind this was my first race, and the first time I have gotten off the bike and had to run. What are some good ways to relieve the tightness in my legs before I start running? Thanks for any help…
I have been there in my first race as well, not fun.
What did you eat the night before and then for breakfast and prior to start , sounds like something ya ate that didnt sit well. I would guess the stomach cramps arent electrolyte based but from what you ate. How long before the start did you eat?
For me personally, I perform better with very little in my stomach and consuming very little the morning before a race or training (i know you saw my post so this is probably repeat info) so you might have ate too much in the morning?? I stick with an odwalla bar and glass of milk before any race doesn’t matter if it’s triathlon or 1/2 marry. Maybe something you ate the previous day? something out of the norm? Also for me and I know for some other people out there too, water while training and racing gives me cramps, I need a sports drink of some kind with sugar or else i get major cramps so it could be that unless you train with water and your fine, then thats probably not it.
Tightness in your legs before running, maybe brick train more?? How much of that did you do before your first race? I know I needed to do more after my first race and now have my sprint and olympic running times down to sub 7min/miles
every time you ride your bike in training, run for 5-15 minutes after. You’ll quickly get used to that heavy feeling. Also, race more.
Sounds like you ate too much or too soon before the race. During the hard effort of the race your body diverted blood away from the stomach to the working muscles and after that your stomach protested w/ cramps. happens to the best of us. Eat no later than 3 hours prior to your race, and really no reason to “carb up” or “salt up” for a sprint race. Just eat your normal breakfast with plenty of time for digestion. Maybe avoid fats and fiber if you’re a slow digester.
a cup of coffee in the morning really gets my system going… that may help you too.
every time you ride your bike in training, run for 5-15 minutes after. You’ll quickly get used to that heavy feeling. Also, race more.
Sounds like you ate too much or too soon before the race. During the hard effort of the race your body diverted blood away from the stomach to the working muscles and after that your stomach protested w/ cramps. happens to the best of us. Eat no later than 3 hours prior to your race, and really no reason to “carb up” or “salt up” for a sprint race. Just eat your normal breakfast with plenty of time for digestion. Maybe avoid fats and fiber if you’re a slow digester.
a cup of coffee in the morning really gets my system going… that may help you too.
good luck.
Yup. The only thing you have to worry about in a race this short is doing too much. I don’t think it is possible to not have enough. Hit the start line hydrated. Food, carbs and salt in not an issue. You really do not need much of anything. Water on the bike is fine. If you go with a sports drink just make sure that it is isotonic.
I don’t eat anything the morning of a race and if the race is early, ie starts before 7 am and is short, I will make sure I don’t eat anything late the night before. Also, too much water can be a problem. For a sprint, drink plenty of water the night before and then only a few ounces in the morning.
You don’t need to drink water, eat potassium, or carb load for a sprint.
You probably gave yourself cramps by shoveling too much crap down your mouth the day before/morning of.
And you ar eright, you don’t need to eat anything during the race, OR drink anything.
Today was my first race. It was a sprint race (very short sprint), with only a 300 yard swim, 11 mile bike, and 3.5 mile run. I did better than I expected in the pool, decent on the bike (for not having a tri bike), and then I got stomach cramps from hell at the beginning of the run. I prepared myself very well, eating plenty of potassium and drinking plenty of water while carb loading. During the race, I didn’t eat anything, but I did drink water, I just didn’t feel like the race was long enough to have to eat during. Does anyone have any suggestions for combating these cramps? I could have dropped a solid 7 or 8 minutes off my overall time without the cramps.
Also, keep in mind this was my first race, and the first time I have gotten off the bike and had to run. What are some good ways to relieve the tightness in my legs before I start running? Thanks for any help…
In addition to all the other good suggestions, it may just be a function of race pace v. training pace. If you were going balls out in the race and you don’t train that way, your body can cramp up including your stomach.
On a race this short, I would just stick to your normal routine leading up the race (eating, drinking, sleeping). Then race morning again stick to what you normally do before a training session. My personal choice is half of a whole wheat bagel with peanut butter and a propel. Then during the race I just drink water.
The night before, at about 7, I ate a bowl of spaghetti with marinara and 2 meatballs, and then had a banana before bed. At 6 in the morning I had another banana and a glass of water. The race started at 8:30… Help at all?
no, not a brick workout, and not every time. There’s a difference between a transition run and a brick workout. A brick workout has objectives throughout the whole ride and run with the intent of adding fitness, pushing yourself a little farther than you’ve gone before, and typically happens more and more as you get closer to race day. trust me, it won’t be long before you’ll forget all about how hard it is to run off the bike… you’ll be thinking about the last 500m instead of the first.
But I will say that I run off the bike almost every time I ride, but not every run off the bike is a brick.
A transition run is just a 5, 15, even 30 minute easy run depending on your fitness level… all you’re looking to do here is cool down from your hard bike ride and get some muscle memory for transitioning from bike to run. There are more systems than just your muscles transitioning… nerves, aerobic pathways, what your stomach goes through… these can all be different from bike to run. At the very least, it’s an easy way to get a few miles in on warm, loose legs. Done right (easy pace) it will help you transition better at a race and get a few miles in injury free and keep your run frequency up.
Now that your next race is in three weeks, you could be doing race pace intervals or above swimming, on the bike, and run workouts mid-week and then weekend hard bike/run combos, maybe starting easy, moderate in the middle, hard at the end transitioning to the same on the run… easy at first steady middle fast finish. Once or twice a week.
Don’t forget to get your bike tuned up and give yourself some time to rest a few days out and eat a good dinner two and one night before and eat a good breakfast 3 hours prior.