Stomach Cramping

you lack training? or how long before your ride had you eaten? eating is good but sometimes too much is bad

I don't think I lack the training as I have a pretty well structured training regimen. I ate 3 slices of bread about two hours before I rode, then two packages of oatmeal about 45 minutes before I rode, and then a powerbar a half hour beforehand. I know that sounds like a lot, but at my size I can eat quite a bit of food (6'0", 198). The thing that got me is that I didn't start cramping until 15-20 or so miles into my ride, so that was a solid hour and a half after eating anything.

crb189 said:

I was doing a ride yesterday with a lot of climbing, and on the second climb (about 15 miles into the ride), I started to get severe stomach cramps as I approached the top of the climb. Could someone please explain the possible causes of stomach cramping?

Thanks in advance.

This happens to me sometimes as well and I still don't know the exact cause, but I think that not warming up completely before climbing may be the main one for me.

crb189 said:

I don't think I lack the training as I have a pretty well structured training regimen. I ate 3 slices of bread about two hours before I rode, then two packages of oatmeal about 45 minutes before I rode, and then a powerbar a half hour beforehand. I know that sounds like a lot, but at my size I can eat quite a bit of food (6'0", 198). The thing that got me is that I didn't start cramping until 15-20 or so miles into my ride, so that was a solid hour and a half after eating anything.

I'm not a sports scientist or nturitionist but I've suffered my fair share of gut rot (energy gels at 5-00 am are a mixed blessing) and found the following info useful in finding a solution.

How much water did you consume with your pre-ride food? Digesting carbs requires water otherwise your body takes it from other tissue (the blood?) - hence the need to drink water with energy gels.

The other possible cause is going too hard before you've digested that hefty amount of carbs you consumed pre-ride. If it happens again try easing up to see of the cramp passes.

It's a case of trying different things to see what works for you. I adopted the little and often philosophy and found that works for me.

Thanks for the recommendation. To make sure I understand you, you take energy gels at 5:00 am, even though you might be riding 12 hours afterwards? If so, which gels do you recommend?

Oatmeal can take a long time to digest. Maybe eating 1 packet would be a better idea?

crb189 said:

Thanks for the recommendation. To make sure I understand you, you take energy gels at 5:00 am, even though you might be riding 12 hours afterwards? If so, which gels do you recommend?

No, my midweek riding is early morning before the kids wake up. If I relied on solid food I'd have to get up around 4-00am to avoid stomach cramps, so I start drinking a weak carb drink (Powerbar Hydro at less than half the recommended concentration) or water (depending on how warm it is) as soon as the ride begins and then take a Powerbar Gel within 15-20 mins and every 20-40 mins after that, depending on how I feel (my rides are no longer than 2 hours mid-week).

Bananas are also great first thing if you can stand the smell. I can't.