In my triathlon yesterday I got a major cramp in one calf only (not both) about 2/3 of the way into the swim - after maybe 15-20 minutes of swimming. In the leg that I never get calf cramps. I remember thinking "What is THAT all about!?" I usually think of nutrition or hydration with muscle cramps, but I really think my nutrition going into the race was solid and I was drinking Gatorade and Ensure right down to 15 minutes before the start.
I'm thinking it was more a mechanical issue -- toes pointed too long without the calf getting the stretch they usually do from pushing off the wall while swimming in the pool.
Needless to say, I'd like to avoid this in the future! It was painful and slowed me down until I worked it out. It's sore today - it seems there was a bit of muscle damage there. Do any of my readers have experiences, avoidance tips, or words of wisdom to share?
7 comments:
Way to go!!! You took a huge chunk off from your last year time. All your hard work has payed off.
No tips from me, but if I had some I'd share them.
Can't wait to see your full Tri report!
YOU ROCK!!!!
:-)
mother always said wait 1 hr after eating before going in the water...you didn't lsten
I've gotten calf cramps while swimming before. The only two preventative things I know of are making sure you stay hydrated since cramping is a sign of dehydraton. The other is eat bananas because they are loaded with potassium and a lack of that causes cramps too.
That same thing happened to me last week in the pool. I don't know WHY it happened but I was limping around for about five days afterwards. I didn't massage or touch it too much afterwards. Someone told me to put HOT packs on it rather than ice. All I could think of was I hope this never happens to me in a race or I'll drown!
I think the mechanical cause Nancy mentions is very likely. Toes are pointed and there is water-resistance from the kick exaggerating that. When I get the threat of a calf cramp swimming I stop kicking long enough to stretch my heel down and point my foot/toes up towards my knee for a few seconds. Stops it in its tracks. Sometimes on a long swim I have to do this a couple times. It works.
Thanks for the confirmation, Ellie! I was pretty certain that my nutrition was good going into this race, although I'm going to be a little teensy bit more careful with magnesium and calcium before Eagleman. I think it also has to do with the taper - too much glycogen in the muscles and not enough warmup, because occasionally I get bad calf cramps at about mile 1 of races that I go out too fast at. This would be close to the same timeline.
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