Yesterday was quite the day. I woke up to horrible cramps in my right calf. I have been battling cramps now for two weeks! It all started with the Winter Survival Race in Dubuque when I started getting cramps at about mile 3-4. Then, I have gotten them off and on ever since, but yesterday morning I could barely walk for the first hour or so I was awake. I will admit, I have been taking creatine for the last two months so I am going to take a break from it as I think it must be the contributor as cramping is a side effect.
I didn't get to my ride until about 3:30 or so and I was feeling a lot better. I decided to go north towards highway 20 approximately 30 miles up the road and then ride back. It is part of the GRAID route so I decided I better check it out a bit. It wasn't even 10 miles or so into the ride that I started cramping again, and at the 15 mile mark, in Jewell, Iowa, I just about turned around for home. I continued to drink my Boost, PB sandwiches and Gatorade. I pushed on towards Blairsburg and once there I turned around and headed home. The last 15 miles weren't easy as I was a cramping mess and had to talk myself into going one mile at a time. I ended the day with 64 miles in 6 hours total.
Some things I learned:
1. I need to invest less time into running and lifting and ride more. I am not in good riding shape at all.
and
2. Take a break from the creatine and see if my cramping problems go away.
It was a good ride, but I also know I am in poor shape. When riding level ground and it looks like you are going up hill in both directions then you know your screwed.
Happy training.
4 comments:
You are probaby correct on thinking that the creatine is your problem.
Check out this question at Hammer Nutrition. You will find it interesting.
http://www.hammernutrition.com/za/HNT?PAGE=ARTICLE&ARTICLE.ID=677&OMI=10089,10071&AMI=10089&RETURN_URL=/za/HNT?PAGE=EXPERTS&OMI=10089,10071&AMI=10089&RETURN_TEXT=Ask%20the%20Experts
(Sorry for the long link mess, couldn't get it to just do a nice hyperlink for me)
I would have to agree, when I was taking creatine and racing a lot in Tejas I continually had problems with cramping. I found even large doses of liquids did not do the trick.
Good luck with the training!
Don't feel too bad about the slow going. I've been lucky to get my average over 14mph lately. Maybe its the road conditions, I hope.
DG
Right now I would be pretty happy averaging 14. I need to through on a different cog as what I have just isn't fast enough for me right now. We will see if it makes a difference or not.
Heck, I think all of the clothes slow us down too! My coat is like a sail out there!
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