cramplike pains in gluts and quadriceps.
Dear bike colleges
First of all, sorry for my incomplete English
I'm riding road and mountain bike in Denmark, most road, and have been doing it for about 15 years now , more ore less intense. I have a recurrent problem, especially when my form is peeking, and it has held me back from getting any mentionable results in local bike races.
General I'm in good shape, I ride my road bike 3-4 times a week, usually 50-90 km with guys in our local bike club. 2 times a week I work out in a gym to get my torso and arms worked over as well.
The problem occur when my form is peeking, and I am doing more sprints and hill interval training. After a rest period of 3-5 days, usually associated with holidays, ore travels. The Symptoms set in when I get back on my bike, usually feeling very motivated to work out, and fresh after some days off. After only a few 100 meters and at a hart rate at only 120bpm, gluts and quads begins to cramp. Not like ordinary cramp that occur when you are out of sugar and water after 100km bike race. Usually you can stop and stretch, and get some liquid, and energy, and the cramps disappear again. This is different. The pain is the same, even more intense, and I cannot stretch it away. It feels like an acid dispersing in the muscle tissue. Usually this is followed by 2-3 weeks where the pains are returning in the gluts and quadriceps. Some times even during sleep, and so severe, that I can hardly walk, when worst the muscles are swollen and very sore. I have had taken blood tests during these periods, and they show CK (Creatine Kinase) levels approx 50 times higher than normal, indicating extensive muscle breakdown. After 3 weeks I can start biking again, but of course the condition is poor. However I quickly regain muscle strength. My doctors here in Denmark has not been able to give any explanation yet. Over training could be an explanation, but what mechanism causes this total breakdown after some days rest. We have been speculating in some genetic disorder like CPT2 or some other problems associated with metabolism. The accumulation of metabolic by-products or fats in the muscle tissue. However the symptoms always set on after a period of rest, where the muscles should have been able to restituate. The symptoms have been most severe when the shape is very god, and seems to be enhanced by supplement of creatine phosphate. I've stopped using creatine phosphate several years ago because I was suspecting this to be the problem. But I have had the symptoms several times since without creatin supplement. I've also speculated that some important nutritions could be missing, but I'm usually keeping a healthy diet with plenty of fruits, vegetables and fish, combined with mineral and vitamin supplement, so I don't find that plausible.
Have any one experienced symptoms like this, or have some of you any ideas what could cause these symptoms.
Hoping for answers
Best The Dane