Cramps/pain on longer(for me) rides and races

[benparker79]

Hi Guys and Girls,

As in the title. I seem to be suffering from what i think is cramps or muscle fatigue in the quads almost every time I ride longer than 35km. Im pretty lean, 178cm, 71kg and like racing 50km races and have been doing pretty well lately but I am still suffering around the 35km mark sometimes a bit after. I prepare well with carb loading and what I think is suitable food and drink for the race.

Is there any training I can do to help?

Unfortunately time doesnt permit me to ride 50km or more every weekend. I do have a tacx trainer but I am not sure what program will help my problem

Any help will be much appreciated

THanks

 

[pharmaboy]

Doesn't really sound like cramps if you are continuing to ride, either way despite the various theories that all remain without evidence, more training.

Though i suspect that when riding hard and long pretty much everyone starts getting painful muscles sooner or later.

I can't imagine a trainer would help - that's for cardio training, endurance workouts on a trainer require a very special individual - look up "triathlete" for one of these kinds of individuals

 

[richie_gt]

Eat banana's pre ride, banana's are meant to help avoid cramps...apparently

 

[DMan]

We've sorted of discussed this before in threads. I'm the same weight/ height as you and had the same issue. I'd get to 25km and bang, start cramping even though I was feeling good. No matter the riding it was 25km. I've been taking magnesium supplements (Ethical Nutrients) for a year and they've helped me greatly. Plus I use endura (I think it is) mag/ electrolyte instead of water. Now I just tired from riding itself and being old, instead of constantly cramping for what I felt was no reason... Might be different reasons for you though..

 

[Ghostee]

You should definitley be looking at adding a magnesium supplement into your daily routine, and certainly loading pre race wouldnt hurt either...
I would also look at supplementing an amino acid called beta alanine, this helps with lactic acid dispersal so can certainly be beneficial for endurance based sports. The longer you use this, the more effective it is too...

For me, I can't go past a quality gel either during rides to keep glycogen levels in the muscle consistent too.
My choice would be a brand called "Science in Sports"
They are more liquid than a typical gel so do not actually require any fluid intake to be effective, unlike most like endura where you need a set amouint of water (200ml ish i think) to help with viscosity once you have ingested.
They also dont leave that yucky gel feeling in your mouth like others and they are delicious.
One at leaset every 30 minutes, even every 20 if the intensity is very high.

 

[Calvin27]

Cramps to me are like sticky problems. I used to ride long distance and high intensity and then one time i pushed it too far on this year's 90km dirty gran fondo. About half way (furthest from feed zone, and also mid climb of about 12%) my whole leg cramped up. For weeks after I would cramp up on even the softest rides 25km boulevard climbs, lysterfield up the comms games track, anything would set it off bar really slow riding.

I tried everything from mag pills, to salts, banana, massage, stretching, i threw everythign at it and it would not go away. In the end what fixed it was pure luck when I got diagnosed with sacroiliac dysfunction and had to take a week off. No riding whatsoever. After the rest period it went away. Yeah this probably has no science and all anecdotal, but worked for me.

 

[benparker79]

Thanks for the replies. Some things to try for sure. Mag supplements I'll give a go. Bananas I'm allergic too. On a 50km race I would consume 3 gels and a muesli bar one bottle water, one bottle nuun electrolyte. Maybe I need more on race day. I go longer in team races even when each lap is flat out. No pacing at all.
Thanks again for your help.

 

[BLKFOZ]

Do you have a HR strap? I'd be interested to see your racing HR compared to your training HR.
I have the same issue where I'll start to cramp about 3/4's into any race I do regardless of distance if I'm not careful. I think I'm racing within myself and pacing well but then I get the cramps and my pace goes way south. Looking back at my HR data, it was way higher than a normal ride.
It comes down to how hard I'm pushing without realising it during a race - HR is an OK indication of this (power probably better but I don't have a PM).
I have cramped at the 35km point of a 50km, at the 3hr point of a 4hr, on the 4th (of 5) lap of a clubbie, at the 70ish point of a 100km etc.
One of my last races was a 3hr and I took the SS for shits and giggles. I held back a little as I'd only done about 5 SS rides to that point and was consistent throughout with no cramps and also didn't bother stopping for fresh bottles, so not hydration related. I had 2 bottles of weak staminde, a few gels and some dried mango for the 3hrs and felt fine. Also had a cheese and bacon roll before the race.

One thing I read a few years ago was to not expect to do on race day what you don't in training............

 

[lordofthechainrings]

Do you ride with clipless pedals, if so the position of your cleats could be effecting muscle recruitment and you could be over relying on your quads.. The setup of your bike could also exacerbate this. Have you tried using a foam roller to loosen up your quads?

 

[Dirtydan]

I'm not super keen on massive endurance stints but something I found has worked for me recently.

I buy the powerade powder from woollies/Coles, bout $10 to make 15L I think.

Night before drink a 500mL, strong batch, plus plenty of water through the night.

Day of, drink the same. I normally cramp at around the 2hr mark, last ride went for 3hrs at a good pace no cramps. Didn't even feel close, you know how you get the muscle tightening before hand.

 

[benparker79]

Yeah might need to load a bit more in that department.
I have had a bike fit. Where it was discovered my right leg is 10mm shorter. That's been rectified to some extent with spacers between my shoe and cleat. Physio said my glutes aren't getting enough use and my hips don't have enough stability. My foam roller doesn't get used enough. Lots of off the bike work to do. I'd rather be on the track.

 

[mtb101]

you need a Heart Rate monitor and teach yourself to ride to threshold, suspect you're overdoing it for too long i.e. heart rate too high for sustained power output.

nutrition wise that's got to be a lifestyle thing, think 'you're always training' not just before races, so your hydration and food intake are consistent.

try doing a easy warmup and start slow and build and build and you'll see better results and it will teach you pace judgement.

 

[Calvin27]

Yeah might need to load a bit more in that department.
I have had a bike fit. Where it was discovered my right leg is 10mm shorter. That's been rectified to some extent with spacers between my shoe and cleat. Physio said my glutes aren't getting enough use and my hips don't have enough stability. My foam roller doesn't get used enough. Lots of off the bike work to do. I'd rather be on the track.

I have pretty much the same problems. Right leg 10mm shorter and as a result sacroiliac disfunction (aka hip is stuffed). The foam roller is good but initially I would recommend some deep tissue massage and a little time off the bike to just to reset.

For off bike stuff I rekon you need to set time aside to actually do it. My non-bike regime goes something like this:
- 1 swim session (usually after a hard ride)
- 15 minutes stretch and foam roller before bed every night (this is mostly because my lower back demands it, but I throw some ITB and other stuff in too)
- 30 minute stretch session 2 times per week (this is more for my achilles problem)
- 1 gym session all arms, no legs

 

[benparker79]

Great replies guys.
Last few rides I have made sure I arrive on time and warm up at least 20 minutes. Unfortunately these races have only been 25km so it's before my usually 35km fail.

I had some problems with my Achilles but no so much now. I did some hot yoga which really helped it. I might draw myself up a training and stretching weekly program. Then try stick to it.
Thanks again for your suggestions.

 

[4x4family1]

Great read this one. Im in the exact same position and have been reading about it all as well. A couple of people have said it, training like you race seems to be the best long term. Pushing your muscles in a race more than you have trained them seems to always end in cramps. Now just got to do it and wait for the next race :heh:

 

[cborwn92]

Hi Guys and Girls,

As in the title. I seem to be suffering from what i think is cramps or muscle fatigue in the quads almost every time I ride longer than 35km. Im pretty lean, 178cm, 71kg and like racing 50km races and have been doing pretty well lately but I am still suffering around the 35km mark sometimes a bit after. I prepare well with carb loading and what I think is suitable food and drink for the race.

Is there any training I can do to help?

Unfortunately time doesnt permit me to ride 50km or more every weekend. I do have a tacx trainer but I am not sure what program will help my problem

Any help will be much appreciated

THanks

Ah cramps suck!!!! If I am going for an intense or long ride i tend to use electrolytes in my drinks, as well as carry a gel, otherwise salty snacks such as mixed salted nuts can keep them at bay. Also stretching properly and not going to hard in the first 30 mins of the ride will help. Also try to not over load on the carbs that can give you a killer stomach ache if you are not careful. Hope it helped mate.

 

[cborwn92]

Ah cramps suck!!!! If I am going for an intense or long ride i tend to use electrolytes in my drinks, as well as carry a gel, otherwise salty snacks such as mixed salted nuts can keep them at bay. Also stretching properly and not going to hard in the first 30 mins of the ride will help. Also try to not over load on the carbs that can give you a killer stomach ache if you are not careful. Hope it helped mate.

 

[ryan_]

As a sufferer of cramps (cycling, swimming and skiing) the other supplement I find that really helps is Vitamin B. Without popping a Vit B supplement I find cramping comes on much sooner. Works for me anyway.

 

[Lurkin]

I've found ice baths to be a particularly uncomfortable but effective means of reducing the damage incurred during intense exercise. Combined with rest and eating mostly raw foods has been the best method of being able to conduct high exercise and recover faster.

Massage and pressure can also assist with muscle damage as can mixing training with impact and non impact training, i.e.. running followed by swimming, weights followed by non intense cycling. This encourages using different muscle groups and allows for lower intensity/impact training to stretch and relax muscles, rather than continuing to beat on them and achieve a world of pain.

 

[SneakyBacon]

possible its position as well as food

25km isn't really that far to be getting cramps related to food intake, but everyone is different.

I would have a look at you bike position in relation to the strain on your quads over your hamstrings.
if it is food/drink related sodium is the most important to be replacing. You can get sweat testing done to see what you sweat and sodium loss is to hydrate more specifically.

best bought race nutrition I have tried and now stick to is TORQ.
It tastes excellent, they have neutral taste options too and you can eat/drink them all day without issues. the recovery stuff is brilliant.
I also make rice cakes for start of race nutrition (food zone portables)
Also once the pace picks up and your heart rate is high your body can't take alot of solids in properly, this is why in long races you eat solids at the start and gels towards the end when the pace is higher and your body is being pushed alot more.