Leg strength

Cramping can be any of a number of things: hydration level, exertion level, electrolytes, etc, etc...

You'll need to experiment (ideally before your event) to determine what will work for you.

Dave

Hydration, electrolytes and food are certainly important, but also you may simply be going too fast on Day 1. Suggest you try slowing down and taking it easy for the first 50 miles, then pick up the pace for the second half.

dhk2 said:

Hydration, electrolytes and food are certainly important, but also you may simply be going too fast on Day 1. Suggest you try slowing down and taking it easy for the first 50 miles, then pick up the pace for the second half.

That's what I meant when I included "exertion level" 😉

Dave

Yeah, saw you included it....just wanted to expand a bit. From personal experience with cramps, I've learned to take it a bit easy for the first half of our hilly century rides. With a big gang on the start line, it's tempting to get into a pace line that's just a bit too fast...then end up paying the price when cramps start at the 60 mile point.

Thanks for the feedback.

I hydrate very well with electrolytes and always warm up for the first hour for every long ride. What is strange is that the 2nd day of the ride is much more difficult in terms of climbing, but my legs feel fine. I did a three day ride in Washington last year (Courage Classic) and had the same experience, day 1 cramps at the end, day 2&3 not a hint of a cramp, and this ride had 11K of climbing (the MS-150 has maybe 4k at best.) My thinking is that the break or rest that I take leading up to the ride is not helping but hurting me, maybe I should be riding all the way up to my rides. Could I be getting "stiff" by resting? The only other thing that I can think of is that I'm not drinking enough the days before the ride, but I usually increase my normal 8-10 glasses of water a day to 12-16. George

Can you give us a little more detail about your training schedule?

What are your long rides like before the MS150? I take that with 1000 miles you didn't really get a chance to do a lot of long riding.

If day 1 of the MS150 is anywhere more than 10% longer than your longest ride in the month prior to the MS150, then I wouldn't be surprised if you start cramping up.

The general rule of thumb for endurance training is that you don't increase the longest ride of each week by more than 10% each week. Have you been following that?

Ahh, I see the light. Genedan I believe you have the answer I was looking for. The longest ride I did before the MS-150 was 64 miles. Did not know about the 10% increase rule, that is great to know going forward, I appreciate the knowledge very much!

iPAQsRock said:

I typically get in around 1000 miles of training between January and the ride in the middle of April.

Double this, at least, and include some intense efforts as well.