Recovering from cramps

[airsoft510]

During my race yesterday my legs cramped up. Both of my legs from ankle to waist cramped up. calves, thighs and all. I was intent on finishing the race even though I could barely push myself up the climbs.

My question is today i can barely walk let alone stand. My legs are in pain all the time.

I keep stretching. squatting hurts a lot (as if stretching beyond what you can do).

I'm asking how the best way to recover from cramps are, not how to prevent cramps. (reason is i didn't eat enough, drank 8-9 bottles in 2.5hrs).

Should I ride? will drinking water help?

[HäddaFahn]

Did u train alot in the past..mostly hard or long with very low recover..and no recover week after 3 weeks of hard training as it should be?

Sounds like typical overtraining to me. I had this 2 times in my life. Horrible cramps not only while riding ..eveen walking. The only way is...take 1 week off the bike. Do nothing. Your body will recover and dont worry, u will be better as before.

Its mostly not a lack of magnesium or minerals. If u want to check do a blood test.

Good recover

[conti]

The best way for me, is to take a easy ride and drink alot...Fill up with carbs and proteins, and do som easy strething.

[Willier]

maybe BCAA

[Mr.Gib]

maybe too much water and not enough salt.

[John979]

maybe too much water and not enough salt.

That might be the case if all the fluids he consumed were just water, but generally cramping from hyponatremia is rare. The real most likely cause is simply the race was very hard; second most likely cause glycogen depletion. How much food did you consume during the race?

[airsoft510]

Thanks for the responses. I know what the problem was with my race and why I cramped. It was because I ate too little. I only had two cliff bars and some (2) cliff blocks. The race was 50mi. in 2.5 hrs.

I had cytomax along with water.


But my question was what is the fastest way to recover. I didn't ride the day after, and rode on saturday (thursday was the race). I rode again on sunday and felt a lot better on sunday. my ride on saturday was painful.

Has anyone used Epsom salt to put in the bath and soak?

[John979]

Thanks for the responses. I know what the problem was with my race and why I cramped. It was because I ate too little. I only had two cliff bars and some (2) cliff blocks. The race was 50mi. in 2.5 hrs.

I had cytomax along with water.


But my question was what is the fastest way to recover. I didn't ride the day after, and rode on saturday (thursday was the race). I rode again on sunday and felt a lot better on sunday. my ride on saturday was painful.

Has anyone used Epsom salt to put in the bath and soak?

#1) Carbs right after the race. Depleted glycogen really stresses the body.

#2) Ibuprofen, again immediately after.

[HäddaFahn]

Thanks for the responses. I know what the problem was with my race and why I cramped. It was because I ate too little. I only had two cliff bars and some (2) cliff blocks. The race was 50mi. in 2.5 hrs.

I had cytomax along with water.


But my question was what is the fastest way to recover. I didn't ride the day after, and rode on saturday (thursday was the race). I rode again on sunday and felt a lot better on sunday. my ride on saturday was painful.

Has anyone used Epsom salt to put in the bath and soak?

There are alot of thing to help recover quickly.
1. Eating carbs and a good amount of protein after race.
2. Cooldown ride after a race.
3. Legs up for 10 min after every ride
4. Stretching once daily

I would strongly recommend a recover ride the day after a race or hard training session, and after this day..take a day off.

[MaaseyRacer]

30 mins easy on the trainer after you eat dinner after the race. 30 mins on the trainer the following day (usually later in the day). If you are still in pain, take a complete rest day. Usually from there I can return to schedule.

[airsoft510]

thanks for the responses guys.