Well, today sure was embarrassing for me.

[Tom]

After a series of 200-250 mile weeks, four days off the bike to start the week. Two not so hard rides Thursday and Friday. Wouldn't I be all fresh for a brisk 60 mile group ride today?

Hell no. Felt great for 35 miles. At about 40, I started getting tiny cramps. It was a pretty strong group and I knew the warning signs, if I push too hard those cramps are gonna get worse. I told the ride leader I knew where I was, don't let the group wait for me. I'll find my way home no problem.

At about 42 the last three guys took me seriously (I had to keep insisting they go on ahead... nice guys but I hated making them wait and slowing them down.)

Good thing they left. About one minute later I got the full-on leg lock up cramps, the kind that makes you steer for the soft grass and fall over, there's nothing else to do. Both sides front and back. It took about five minutes for them to go away.

I wasn't dehydrated, though... I was still sweating a lot. I finally came off the hill about ten miles from the house and knew I simply couldn't make it. I called for my wife and the broom wagon. Man, that stinks.

You'd think I'd be rested. I've been drinking a fair amount of water every day this week and drank four bottles on the ride and I was sweating like there was no tomorrow even as I was standing there waiting for the latest bout to go away. I have no idea what it was, it's been years since that has happened.

[palincss]

At about 40, I started getting tiny cramps. It was a pretty strong group and I knew the warning signs, if I push too hard those cramps are gonna get worse. I told the ride leader I knew where I was, don't let the group wait for me. I'll find my way home no problem.

At about 42 the last three guys took me seriously (I had to keep insisting they go on ahead... nice guys but I hated making them wait and slowing them down.)

Good thing they left. About one minute later I got the full-on leg lock up cramps, the kind that makes you steer for the soft grass and fall over, there's nothing else to do.

Sorry, but it seems to me that is exactly the wrong thing to do when you are feeling ill on a ride. It's a wonderful thing it was just leg cramps and not -- oh, maybe a heart attack? -- but let's just imagine for a moment that it in fact was the start of a heart attack you were feeling.

Scenario A, you tell the boys you are not feeling well, they stay with you, the MI hits and they're there to call 911, maybe even do CPR.

Scenario B, you are all anone when you go down in a heap on the double yellow line, and maybe 5 minutes later, or maybe an hour later, somebody comes along.

(This not made up, it happened to a group I was riding with a couple of years ago. I was going to spell it out in detail, but I decided to delete all that.)

You guess who would have the better chance of making it. (In our case, he didn't, although we certainly tried.)

And just in case you don't give a damn about yourself, consider your friends for a minute. Imagine if that happened, how your riding buddies would feel. Do you think they could ever forgive themselves for leaving you?

[sunninho]

A leg cramp is a far cry from signs of a heart attack. Let's not jump the gun and consider ourselves one step from the grave :eek:

Tom, did you stretch or warm up at all before the group ride? Was there a dramatic change in temperature between the start of the ride and when you first felt the cramps? It may not have been dehydration as much as your conditioning at that point.

[slowgoing]

This is just a guess, but maybe you needed electrolytes in addition to just water to ward off those pesky cramps.

[Dude]

I'd agree with Slowgoing. Same thing happened to me twice last week. I don't have AC in my house to i am constantly drinking water, but I cramped up on a ride. Try Hammer's Endurolyte capsules or E-Caps or any other kind of electrolyte drink. Just make sure you use it.

[weisan]

Tom-pal, glad to know you made it back safely to the house in the comfort of the "broomwagon."

I am big sucker when it comes to leg cramps. No matter what I do, I keep getting em' and for years I suffer like a pig during high-intensity workouts, not mentioning the fact that I never fulfill my "full potential"...:rolleyes:

Anyhoo..I started taking eCaps for the last three rides. NO MORE CRAMPS...end of story.

[Tom]

I've been using frozen fruit juice. It's OK, but apparently doesn't have the mineral salt octane I'm needing. I happen to be ordering some electrolyte drink and maybe I add the e-caps and see how they work.

Believe me, I know when I'm in danger of dropping dead and when I'm not.

[gasman]

Tom-
glad to hear you are OK. It does sound like some electrolytes would help. I take clacium and magnesium supplements because i drink very little milk and it seems to help.


I do think palincss did have a good point even if it was put a bit harshly.

If you feel crummy and are with a group don't just say "See you later " if you have any hint of something serious happening to you. Sometimes it is hard to know if it is serious.

[97CSI]

Ain't no fun...got one in the calf on a recent sprint. Ouch!! First one in a few years. Try taking salt tablets. Get them at REI or most any outdoor store or CVS/Walgreens, etc. If you are sweating that much the sodium is running out of your pores. Salt tabs replace same. Swallow one per 16oz. bottle of water. Most sports drinks contain sodium for that reason. Better luck next time out. Almost forgot....one of the last two issues of 'Bicycling' addressed this issue and recommends salt tablets.

[Tailwinds]

I like e-Load (http://www.eload.net/eHome.htm). It's supposed to have the same ratio of electrolytes that we lose in our sweat, and it can be customized (according to temperature and how heavily you sweat) by adding their Zone Caps to the powdered drink mix. You can also just take the Zone Caps separately, but I just break them open into my water bottles along w/the drink mix.

I used to have to order it from a place in Canada, but now bikeworld.com carries it. Good luck.

[beungood]

Would a Gu pack have helped in a situation like this?

[sirroada]

Chiropractic physician here. Hydration is one thing, sweating out all your available electrolytes is another. Make sure you are drinking something with electrolytes in it as well as water. There was recent research done where they discovered 15% of upper level runners who ran a marathon out east (can't remember which one) were actually over hydrated and created a condition called hyponatremia. This is a condition where you develop low sodium stores relative to the amount of total body water you have in your system. This can be a potentially fatal condition. One of the signs of hyponatremia is neuromuscular hyperexcitability otherwise known as cramping. If your sodium stores get low enough relative to your total body water it could kill you. So please remember that it is of absolute importance that you plan ahead and take electrolytes with you when you ride, especially if it is hot outside. Drink the electrolytes in addtion to drinking water. Also, if you are not feeling good on a ride, listen to your body and make sure you've got someone with you. We all say it won't happen to us until it does. Be responsible, ride safe and listen to your body.

[Tom]

Yeah, got religion on the food intake. I reviewed what I've been eating and I've been living on dog food. You'd think that I'd get enough salt but I guess cranking a gallon of sweat a day will soak it out of you.

My neighbor the retired cardiologist called me an idiot and told me next time drink Coke. He says it has a lot of potassium. I loaded up on the salt and drank a ton of OJ on Sunday, which tasted unreasonably good.

I ran out and bought better vitamin supplements that have a lot of trace minerals in addition to the customary vitamins. I also plan on loading up on some of those silly electrolyte energy drink mixes. If I am going to eat like a moron, I have to make it up somewhere else I guess.