Dealing with Severe Leg Cramps on the Bike

No, not Krampus. CRAMPS.

Some days, I'm surprisingly ok with failure. My thought process usually follows, "I tried something, it didn't work, I learned from it and moved on." Then, other things, I'm not ok with. Not completing a ride, for example, usually gets me royally pissed off.

It's been almost 2 months since I last tried to ride to Mountain Top and back, and I've been patiently awaiting my second attempt. Since then, we've had snowstorm after snowstorm, with temperatures dipping below 0 for several days straight -- not the kind of weather I'd like to be in for a 36 mile round trip. But now, things are getting better. The sun is staying out longer, we're days away from pushing the clocks ahead and the temperatures are slowly rising into the 40s and 50s. We're not quite there, yet, but it's close. Close enough that, on Tuesday, I saw my second chance at a successful round-trip ride to Mountain Top.

Apparently, I'm woefully out of shape. I went for a nice 12 miler on Saturday, and even with snow pelting my face and a wickedly cold head wind that chilled me to the bone, I felt good enough that an extended ride didn't sound too crazy. And, judging how I felt when I got to the NEPA Geeks office in Mountain Top, I was right. 18 miles? No problem! The ride back, however, was like a ride into Hell. My body was simply not ready for a 36 mile round trip, and dealing with severe leg cramps on the bike was the price I had to pay.

I guess I needed a stern reminder about hydration, electrolyte and carbohydrate replenishment, because I still haven't learned my lesson from the last time this happened.

Let's look at what I think I did wrong:

• Didn't eat before the ride.
• Didn't eat during the ride.
• Didn't rehydrate.

And I might as well add "Didn't train enough beforehand," to the list. Jumping from 12 miles to 36 kicked me square in the ass and dumped me on the curb to sit and think about it for a while, almost literally.

As my calves cramped up and involuntarily convulsed, I did my best to sit on a guardrail and keep them at heart-level. (For some reason, I thought keeping them elevated would help, and it did.) Then my quadriceps joined in the chorus of pain. Less than a few miles from home, my right hamstring pulled taut and sent me into the dirt. At least I was only walking at this point, so I didn't hurt myself more than I already had. It was a bad, bad scene.

As prime riding season approaches, it's definitely worth taking some time to acknowledge the fact that I need to ease back into this sport, do plenty of stretching before I ride and make sure I have plenty of water and food during the ride. I've also read from a few sources that eating Tums with calcium can help ward off cramping. Not sure about that one, but if it happens again, it might be worth a shot. Keep your eyes peeled for Krampus, and here's to hoping that it never happens again!

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What I eat to help me ride 50 miles

Stopping for a mid-ride meal at 25 miles.

Yesterday I got a little nuts. Seizing the opportunity to push myself even farther than ever before, I rode for 50 miles. Trip time: 4 hours and 14 minutes.

It's amazing to think that, only a few weeks ago, 30 miles seemed so long. I remember charting those first few rides and getting giddy at the idea of riding so far. Now, I don't think twice about it. 30 miles seems like a cakewalk.

One of the biggest differences in determining how far I could go was to change my eating habits while on the bike. For my first few rides, I didn't eat anything while on the bike. Re-reading this post from August 20, is it any wonder I wound up in so much pain? Lessons were definitely learned.

Since that time, I've wondered, "What should I eat during a long bike ride?" I read a number of articles on the subject, like this Bicycling.com article that states: "The American College of Sports Medicine recommends 30-60 grams of carbohydrate per hour of exercise."
The article is actually warning against over-eating, but it provides a good minimum to prevent under-eating, as well. I've since stocked up on several bars that I like to eat while riding, and it's definitely helped me go the distance.

One food I like, in particular, is Kashi's Honey Almond Flax.

I open a packet, stick it in my pocket and nibble off a quarter of a bar every 15 minutes. Depending on which route I take, that time interval is usually right after I go over some big hill, so I need to replenish the energy dished out to get me over the top.

Another favorite is Nature Valley's Oats & Honey bars.

Here, it's the same thing. Open a packet, stick it in a pocket for quick retrieval and munch on it while pedaling. There are 2 bars per packet and both need to be consumed within the hour to get the full 29 grams of carbohydrates.

Going back to the article, it's suggested that an athlete eats at least 30-60 grams of carbohydrate per hour, so I also pack along a peanut butter and jelly sandwich to eat mid-ride while taking a short break and sipping on a sports drink. There's also a water fountain conveniently located at the Rockport Road trailhead access in the Lehigh Valley Gorge, so I make sure I refill with water before heading back home.

The before and after meals are also very important. I like to fuel up with a bowl of oatmeal or other whole grain cereals before I head out. It helps get me off to a good start. Meanwhile, a post-ride recovery meal of carbs and protein helps get me back on my feet. I haven't had a situation like this one in several weeks, and it's because I became a lot smarter about what I'm eating while riding.

I wrote this post not as a warning or a suggestion, but merely to highlight some of the steps I've taken to keep myself healthy, and it's worked so far. Comments, criticisms and suggestions are very welcome.

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