Cramp Help

Go PRE

Member Since 2008

posted: 3/8/2010 at 7:20 PM

During my last marathon (5/2/09) I got pretty bad cramps in my calves, I have been training pretty steady since the first part of Semptember for another Marathon on 5/2/10 without any problems. Last weekend I ran a 10 mile race and really pushed myself about as hard as I could go. I started getting cramps in my calves again towards the end of the race. During the marathon I didn't get them until around mile fourteen, and It was miserable. What am I doing wrong? What should I be doing? Any suggestions? I am hydrating properly, eating lots of bananas. I really want to get a handle on this before the Eugene Marathon. Any help will be greatly appreciated.

bhearn

posted: 3/8/2010 at 7:58 PM
modified: 3/8/2010 at 8:00 PM

Bottom line is, nobody really knows for sure how cramps work. But one thing that is clear is that fatigued muscles are more likely to cramp. Racing is about pushing your body as hard as you can over a given distance -- i.e., as close as possible to it breaking, without it breaking. But not all parts break at the same point, and unfortunately, calf cramps can kick in well before cardiovascular exhaustion. You have to either limit your pace, or strengthen your calves. An extra calf-stretching regimen and calf-specific exercises will help.

Useful reading:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/14/health/nutrition/14BEST.html

Personally I buy into the neuromuscular-control model of Martin Schwellnus, mentioned in the article, and not into the electrolyte-depletion idea. However, I will say that once late in a 50-mile race, when I was standing frozen with locked-up quads, someone gave me a salt tablet, and 30 seconds later I was running (reasonably) comfortably again. But then, you will find arbitrary anecdotes like that that support this or that hypothesis. You have to find out what works for you.

"When I got too tired to run anymore I just pretended I wasn't tired and kept running anyway" -- Ennay's 7-year-old daughter

zoom-zoom

I du! (+CX +Mtn.)

posted: 3/8/2010 at 8:13 PM

Wow...that article points to 2 factors that could explain my own cramp issues...asthma meds and hypothyroidism (I was never aware of those things). My thyroid levels are a tad on the low side...not enough that my PCP wants to treat me--yet. He's having me tested again in the next couple of months and if my #s drop a bit I may end up on Synthroid.

In the meantime, no more marathons. 3 tries, all with the same result (twinges by mile 16, full blown cramps 4-5 miles later, even if I started walking to try to delay them), regardless of the sort of training/miles I completed going into race day or my pace. 25k seems to be my limit.

Kirsten

'07: 1324.5 ••• '08: 1561 ••• '09: 1810.9 run ~ 208.7 bike ••• '10: 1,000.3 run ~ 3513.5 bike ••• '11: 710.3 run ~ 4157.9 bike

'12 Goals:

run 750 mi

bike 3500 mi

• more off-road

• gain proficiency @ CX mounts and dismounts (ie stop leap-frogging w/people who ride slower after every obstacle -- finish further up the field)

Cramp Help (Read 254 times)

'12 Goals: