Long Distance Competition/Ultracycling, Randonneuring and Endurance Cycling - Ankle Pain after Century

So I did my first century of the season, I started doing centuries last year and completed 4 total. This past weekend I did a 102 mile supported event, (new personal best of 6 1/2 hrs total time!) it was cold and rainy most of the ride and while I kept up well with my food intake, my hydration was off. I wound up having major leg cramps around mile eighty forcing me to do most of the remaining miles standing.

After hydrating and messaging my legs are fine but starting the day after the ride my right ankle began having sharp pain when I walk. Nothing terrible, but certainly confusing. Has this happend to anyone else? Any Ideas what could have caused this?

Thanks,

Can you tell us where the sharp pain is in the ankle? It might be helpful for further comment.

If you did ther emainder of the ride standing, and the pain is in the achilles tendon area, then you will need to rest it. Achilles tendon injuries have a reputation for taking a long time to heal to the point of no pain. Just ask me.

If it's not the achilles, then you've probably tweaked something else.

Have a look at your saddle height ... is it possible that your saddle is too high? If not, it could have been the standing.

If the ankle doesn't feel better very soon, get it looked at by a sports Dr. Achilles tendon problems can get significantly worse and they can take forever to heal.

It is a sharp pain on the inside of the leg. Starts at the ankle bone and goes up to mid shin. Very weird, I feel it the most when climbing the stairs at work. Which makes me think that it is related to the amount of standing that I was doing, since stair climbing seems to be very similar motion to standing biking. Definately not in the same area as the achilles.

I suffered from Achilles pain (bad pain) early on when getting into century plus riding. Basically I ramped up too quickly and had bike fit issues. For me it was that my saddle was too far forward. Basically my knee was extending too far forward over the foot and cause an overuse stress injury. After two bike fits the problem went away and have not returned three plus years later.

In short I would recommend a good professional bike fit. Ask around and find someone good. My last fit was with a shop that use the Specialized Body Geometry system.