Thread: Cramps! Help.
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Old 04-20-09 | 02:54 PM
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KidTruth
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Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 512
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From: Houston, Texas

Bikes: 2008 Specialized Allez Elite, 2007 Trek 7.3 FX, 2005 generic Schwinn Mountain Bike.

Cramps! Help.

Alright. The entire time I've been cycling, all two years of it, cramps have been the way I end any ride that is overly long or stressful. I've never bonked or ran out of energy, but I do start to cramp bad. Usually in my quads, for obvious reasons. I have started stretching before rides, I usually drink water and on my last 60 mile ride I went a little bit fast, but I took 3 10 minute breaks and ate a powerbar after 30 miles. I drank 4 bottles of water over 3 to 4 hours or so and averaged 16 mph in the wind - and my last 10 miles were mostly a painful crawl due to cramping

Why do I always cramp up? Are my quads just weak? Am I pushing myself too hard? Or is it a diet/nutrition thing? I'd always feel like I have plenty of energy and could ride further, but once I have a cramp it's like I can feel it coming on for the rest of the ride, and I have to be conscious of it and stand up in my pedals or take it easy the whole way. Sometimes I get stuck down at 12-13 mph because I can't pedal hard without starting a thigh cramp (this is when I seem to have gone too far, at 50-70 mile range)
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