Potassium and vitamin D supplements help. Even just eating a banana with a glass of milk before the event is useful in warding off the leg cramps.
I am sold on muscle milk taken right after a race. I used to be I could not walk straight until Thursday. Not sure if that would help the leg cramps though. I tried some stuff called e-lyte but I think this could be snake oil. Bananas are always good.
You may want to read up this thread on ThumperTalk: http://www.thumpertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=987785 As I posted there:
After a race, or at a gas stop if it's an enduro, I down some pickle juice. That seems to work best. Banannas are great, oranges too. I have Cytomax in my camelbak, that seems to help too but I can only mix it at half concentration as it has jacked-up my tummy before. But like I said, seems like pickle juice is the best of anything I've tried. Has to be the super high sodium content.
No caffine (or any diuretic) and hydrate at least 3 days before. Cycling 3 times a week (steep hills are best, clipless pedals so you can pull up). Stim-o-stam, banana's before. Pickle juice after. I hate Cyto-gut....woof!
All the above sounds real good...for me its the banana before the event then lots of water..before I go to bed water and a potassium supplement.
Quinine sulfate is the best .. It use to be a over the counter item then junkies found another mixure for it and then it became prescription item.. It is used alot for older people that are bed ridden and cramp constantly and need lasting or immeadiate relief.. a pill in the morning and one after a race and you won't cramp up during, after , including the drive home or that nights sleeping.. There is some lemon tasteing tonic water with quinine in it..(look on the front label it will be bolded ) This is carbonated It will pressurize a camel back system.. I leave the air out of the bottle so it goes flat. Then in the pack with ice and troubles are gone.. Pickle juice is next.. Chow, Carl
TUMS. I cramp bad. Always have, probably do to dehydration since I never drink enough. TUMS have really helped me over the years.
before a race I alway's take a packet of cheap powder aspirin Mr.Goodies then water,prevent arm pumps and cramps,that work the best for Me.
i was told pickle juice works for hangovers too lol banannas is what ive always heard to help with the cramps.
Clipless always seemed to be the wrong term. Clip-in seems more accurate. hey, I got some new clipless pedals. What are they good for? You put your shoe in the clips and you can pull up.
Yeh, I agree lol...always was kind of an oxymoron. "SPD" would be a better term... Get some Egg-beaters, and some Diadora's, slap 'em on and don't look back...mreeep!
It's like so many people that say "assless chaps." All chaps are, by definition assless. Or they'd be pants! I think they're trying to make some kind of gay reference to the assless pants that David Lee Roth wore in those old Van Halen videos. He just cut out the ass to show his cheeks because he was so ugly, he was desperate to try anything to get chicks...
I get them too and they hurt like heck. Never during a ride but usually in the car driving home. It is irregular for me, either hot days or cold but not every ride. Its a bugger.
