Does anybody else get this or is my stomach just really sensitive? After all of my open water swims I get these massive stomach cramps, I think it’s because I take in too much water, but this is really starting to cause me some concern. It happened to me last year during my first 1/2 IM, I felt it all through the bike and then it stopped me in my tracks during the run, which turned into alot of walking.
I know my stroke isn’t perfect, but it is what it is and it’s too late to start trying to change it now, so any help would be great on how to beat these cramps. thanks
This used to happen to me regularly in my first few years of triathlon. Not always, but regularly.
You don’t mention it, but I also noticed that it was always accompained by gas. I always felt sorry for the people behind me on the bike, but figured it was good draft prevention. This made me think I had been swallowing air while breathing, and since I’m not the world’s best swimmer, I get a little over-excited when open water swimming with crowds. I figured this was causing me to breathe incorrectly and swallow air that my body was trying to deal with on the bike.
I learned to relax my breathing technique and guess what - NO MORE CRAMPS.
My guess is the same as Schwinding’s–gulping air instead of breathing. If you are a little hyper about open water mass swims, try to kind of get away from the crowd a little, relax, and focus on breathing out when your face is in the water, and only breathing in when you turn your head. That kind of slows down your breathing, you are not rushing to breathe out/in real quick while your head is turned. Long, slow exhalations underwater followed by a quick “sip” of air–and relax!
Now that I think about it, you guys are probably absolutely right. I notice that when I get in the open water I start gulping in air and not breathing…In the pool I can relax and breath correctly so I never have these issues…SWEET!!! Now I can work on this before my big races coming up…thanks guys!!!
I used to have that problem, turns out I was swallowing in between breaths. Made a conscious effort not to swallow, problem went away. Probably was swallowing just enough air over the course of a workout to cause problems.
I also have the same issue with stomach cramps. I normally get them also when I am training. To avoid the stomach cramps, specially at the races, I will take a couple Gas-X or Gas-Aids about 30 minutes before the start. The pills help with the relief from bloating and gas pains.
I have the exact same problem, that I am slowly getting worked out. Two things seem to be helping a great deal:
Like everyone else said get all of your air exhaled under water. DON’T hold your breath or keep you lungs partially inflated. Get it all out.
I was a leg dragger. Not sure if blood was pooling in my legs because I was barely moving them or not, but since I have incorporated a little kick to get the legs moving, the cramps have really subsided.
Good luck!!! Hope we get some more ideas on this too.
Do you mean taking in too much of the water in which you are swimming, or water before you swim? If it’s prehydration water, put some salt in it. If it’s swim water try some of what has already been suggested.
I swallow some air (not sure why.), so people had better not try to draft on me in a tri. (although I’m not sure why they would, since it’s easily the worst of my disciplines.)
I have/had the exact same problem. It’s probably air getting into your stomach. As has already been mentioned, Gas-Ex alleviates the problem quite a bit. I take a couple of tablets before the swim and have another 1 or 2 in my bento box. It helps quite a bit…so much so that I’ll end up belching the air back out a few times underwater during the swim. If I don’t take it, I’ll be stopped dead in my tracks on the run. I’d like to figure out a better solution, but until I do, gas-ex is the answer.