Bad leg cramps

lbdragon1 said:

hi there, last weekend i went for an 80 mile ride. along the way i drank water every 15 min. and had a tube of gue every 45 min. right as i reached the 67 mile mark i experianced some leg cramping. my lower back, butt, and hands were a little sore but the leg cramping forced me to get off the bike and rest. after a short break i got back on and was on my way. i kept experiancing the cramping off and on the rest of the way untill i reached the 77 mile mark and cramped up again. this time it was worse causing me to end the ride. could someone please suggest what i can try for the next long ride to avoid this type of problem? thanks...

May need to do some more stretching...

I had been riding a lot in the last few months, then did a race 2 weeks ago...
I may have been a bit burned out but had been eating and drinking well...

I woke up in the middle of the night and my right calf went into an excrutiatingly painful cramp... I didn't ride for the next 2 weeks and both my calfs feel tight and ready to cramp... I know I don't stretch enough... if they weren't so tight in the 1st place I don't think they'd cramp as easily as they want to lately...

Have been doing more stretching, drinking water and increased my salt as well... the hot humid weather here probably makes things worse as well....

Going to do some weights and stretching with my legs tonight...and get back into regular (light) riding till my holidays start in Aug....

Are you in the summer or winter where you are?

Sweating all day and night will make you cramp if you're run down...

cramping is often caused when your electrolyte levels are depleted, or when you lose too much water. sounds to me like you didn't take on enough of the proper food and fluids. I would try filling one of your bottles with an electrolyte sports drink (i.e. one with plenty of sodium, potassium, and magnesium), and also try to drink more fluids in total. Also, you could try downing a full bottle of sports drink right before you leave.

if the problem continues, try weighing yourself immediately before you leave for your ride, and immediately after you get back. this will tell you if you are getting dehydrated so you can make adjustements accordingly.

i also agree with all of Japan's comments about stretching

lbdragon1 said:

hi there, last weekend i went for an 80 mile ride. along the way i drank water every 15 min. and had a tube of gue every 45 min. right as i reached the 67 mile mark i experianced some leg cramping. my lower back, butt, and hands were a little sore but the leg cramping forced me to get off the bike and rest. after a short break i got back on and was on my way. i kept experiancing the cramping off and on the rest of the way untill i reached the 77 mile mark and cramped up again. this time it was worse causing me to end the ride. could someone please suggest what i can try for the next long ride to avoid this type of problem? thanks...

Ride slower/less and put electrolytes (potassium, magnesium, sodium (salt)) into your drink if you aren't already.

-bikeguy