MONGO!

So yesterday I set out on a ride, 50 miles total, 7-8 miles warm up then 5 miles of solid climbing ~1100ft in 5 miles.

At the top of the climb and just riding rollers my left calf starts cramping so bad I could see it, worst it's ever been.
I am susceptible to left calf cramps but not this bad, I had to stop and stretch it out, then nurse the rest of the ride (35-ish miles)

I ate two endurolyte pills before the ride plus a chewable Hammer Perpetuum pill and drank most of a bottle of HEED.

Admittedly I haven't been riding that much but what in your opinion caused such a big muscle cramp?

RenzSouljohnson

most likely just plain ol' muscle fatigue.

oldbobcat

I used to cramp my calves swimming, but never on the bike. At least since I stopped using toeclips that were too short for my clodhoppers.

How's your foot position over the pedal? Toes should point more or less straight ahead, with the ball of the foot a bit ahead of the spindle. Try moving your cleats back a bit.

MONGO!

I haven't changed my fit since last yearwhen I was racing and doing centuries with no problem

Beaker

Very hard to diagnose over the internet. I went through this in short, intense hilly group rides earlier in the year, and concluded that it was a combination of conditioning (not fit enough early in the year for intense rides) and too much toe-down riding. Of course YMMV.

Machka 

How is your hydration ... in general and on the bicycle?

You say you drank one bottle of liquid in 50 miles while riding ... probably not adequate given the exertion of the climb and the length of the ride. But what about the night before and during the day?


Yes, I know that some research indicates that hydration may not have much effect on cramping, but there sure seems to be a correlation between any lack of hydration on my part and cramping. The first thing to cramp on me is my feet ... and if I haven't consumed my usual amount of liquid during the day at work, my feet will cramp that evening, ride or no ride.

Beaker

If I understand the OP's description, it sounded as though this occurred after only 12miles or so, which seems a little early to be a hydration problem, but if he's starting dehydrated maybe?

surgeonstone

My drink of choice is half a bottle of OJ the rest ice. Figure the potassium in the OJ can't hurt.

kenji666

Probably muscle fatigue. Need to ride more to get those muscles used to the effort.

gregf83 

You rode too hard for your current fitness level.

Machka 

That's what I'm suggesting. If I don't drink enough during the day at home or at work, my feet can cramp while just walking up the street or while sitting on the sofa. I don't have to be exerting myself at all. But if I didn't drink enough during the day, and I go for the "usual" 25-30 km ride after work, I'm pretty much guaranteeing that I'll cramp.

Sylv

I strained my left calf today as well. We're like calf-cramp-mates.

I blame the d-bag ride leader who decided he wanted to change up the "Recovery B" ride, to a "Hilly Paceline A" ride because HE didn't feel like riding in the rain on Sunday. Rode a hard 80 on Saturday, and 45 Sunday... my body wasn't digging it today.

Ridinmurray

I've been having similar issues & had similar advice off the 50+ site. I've decided it's muscle fatiuge, mainly.
I have only had problems when I've been off the bike for a while or have pushed above my normal riding. Had problems on a very hilly 50 last fall & had problems on 38 flat ride we had a 19 mph average few weeks ago. I had missed 6 weeks riding due to surgery before that ride, not enough time to get in shape.

Nachoman

ha! I had my first cramp in a few years yesterday. Wow are they painful and temporarily debilitating. I can see how people could easily drown if you cramp in water.

oldbobcat

That would do it, too. I once had thunderous calves til I got better fitting shoes and turned into a heel-dropper.

foresthill

Personally, I need sodium to avoid such cramps. None of the supplements you mention have a significant amount of it. As much as I love Hammer as a company (by all accounts, they treat people and athletes really well), I can't use any of their stuff because it has almost no sodium.

Beaker

I've noticed that, but I've recently started using the endurolyte fizz tabs, that get you a nice dose of sodium per bottle.