Bacon, from my experience as a First Responder at work, in a steel mill where we work in extremely hot and humid conditions, cramps are a sign of dehydration. Bananas have a lot of potassium which will help. I also recommend drinking Gatorade sometimes too. I don't know about the pickles but I have heard/read somewhere that pickles, or pickle juice will relieve cramps almost immediately. I haven't tried it though because I usually don't get cramps.
Baconista, congrats on the weight loss! Slow and steady is the way to go.
The rationale behind bananas or pickle juice to prevent cramps is the potassium (from the banana) and salt (in the pickle juice) supposedly keep your electrolytes in balance. You probably don't *need* either unless you are excercising/sweating profusely for hours a day. That said, a banana isn't going to hurt. I'd think carefully about the pickle juice; the typical American diet has more than enough sodium.
Make sure you are drinking plenty of water throughout the day. The leg cramping will probably ease up as your legs get stronger and accustomed to running. I had more cramps in the first six months of running than I do now. Now I only get them occasionally, usually when I'm trying to stretch my limits of distance or speed.
You might want to look into getting "The Stick" for rolling your calves. Or just use a rolling pin.
Smaller By The Day
I finally started using the training log (we'll see if I can keep it up) and made it public.
Improvements
Weight 100 pounds lost
5K 31:02 Sept. 2012 / 23:36 Sept. 2013 (Same Course)
10K 48:59 April 2013
HM 2:03:56 Nov. 2012 / 1:46:50 March 2013
MARATHON 3:57:33 Nov. 2013
uʍop ǝpᴉsdn sǝʇᴉɹʍ ʇI
Awood: Good stuff, bro. You are really beasting it lately. I think mine is on there, as well, but I am not getting the mpw you are.
Bacon: Pickles for cramps? Never heard of that one. My massage guy told me bananas, kiwi, and (if I remember correctly) baked potatoes. Like PF said, drink a lot of water, not just on run days or the night before, but all week.
Jack - Your log isn't public.
Baconista - I don't know if it helps, but pickle juice is delicious!
Return To Racing
Hazards of running in Chicago. The guy lives a few blocks from me. There is also a 500 post thread under General Running.
http://www.myfoxchicago.com/story/22188823/too-close-to-tracks-jogger-cited-for-running-near-railroad
That's insane Jerry. I guess the city really really needs money.
Hazards of running in Chicago. The guy lives a few blocks from me. There is also a 500 post thread under General Running. http://www.myfoxchicago.com/story/22188823/too-close-to-tracks-jogger-cited-for-running-near-railroad
Got me another 3.5 with some of it around 8:00 mm and a stride in the mid/low 7's.
Sloooow.
4.1 slow miles in the pouring rain, it was awesome! Slow going because it was dark, raining, frogs everywhere, glasses fogged up, lol. But it wasn't blisteringly hot 12:02 overall pace.
Skirt Runner
Kristin - can you switch to running after work or at noon?
Unfortunately I get home between 8:30 and 10:00pm most nights exhausted and starving....and my lunch break is only a half hour and that is the only time I can eat, check my phone and email, and catch up on paperwork. Running before work, most days is my only option. I will get used to the earlier wakeup eventually I hope!
PRs: 5K- 28:16 (5/5/13) 10K- 1:00:13 (10/27/13) 4M- 41:43 (9/7/13) 15K- 1:34:25 (8/17/13) 10M- 1:56:30 (4/6/14) HM- 2:20:16 (4/13/14) Full- 5:55:33 (11/1/15)
I started a blog about running :) Check it out if you care to