If anyone can help with this I would be really grateful ? I ride 2 – 3 times a week all year round; about 20 – 25 miles XC per ride. Annually I do a charity event that is 32 miles and always end up with cramps in my thighs at 24 ~ 26 mile mark. I hydrate regularly with a SIS drink (about 3 litres for the 3 hours riding) and have even started eating salted peanuts before and during the event.
Previous years have left me in agony unable to move my legs and after recovering for about 15 minutes am able to limp the last 6 miles back to the finish
This year when I felt my legs starting to go I dropped down a couple of gears and was able to continue but at a slower pace
Anyone have any idea on how to combat this so it doesn’t happen again?

As it happens when your racing its likely because in the race/event you are pushing harder than you normally would. Try doing some harder rides at race pace to condition the legs to work at that intensity.

+1.

You’re not fit enough, hence the cramp. More training needed.

Quinine is supposed to help. Certainly helped a friend of mine who started getting cramps a couple of years ago.

Scweppes tonic water has it in and the new Fevertree tonic has even more.

Quinine is supposed to help. Certainly helped a friend of mine who started getting cramps a couple of years ago

Drink it before or during the event and is it ok to add Gin to it? 😉

Yes maybe no.

I’m sorry but I also think it’s a fitness thing. You cramp at the point where you go beyond what you usually ride. Happens to me when racing, if I’m pushing harder than usual.

Quinine is supposed to help. Certainly helped a friend of mine who started getting cramps a couple of years ago.

I have first hand experience of this. I couldn’t swim for an hour without getting cramps bad enough to make me stop. A bottle of tonic water got me through Ironman Wales swim. Tried it out of desperation and it worked for me. Have since trained (swimming) without it and cramped and with it and haven’t.

Don’t know if it’ll work for everyone, but it’s now on my kit list before any event. Half a bottle the night before and the other half on the morning of the race seems to see me through.

Not sure about the gin though……..

try and make some of your year round rides 35 miles. not every week but at least 1 per month.

I also think in your particular case it is lack of preparation for your event. You need to recreate your riding event in your training ie with intensity and duration. This means doing longer rides at a low intensity and shorter rides or intervals at higher intensity to get your muscles used to the build up of lactic acid and dispersing it.

if you can ride for 25 miles, you should be able to ride for 32 miles without a problem. Are you really getting cramps +/- 1 mile than you ride “2-3 times a week” – seems unlikely.

3 litres seems like too much to take on board. try 500ml per hour.

sounds like a kidney problem, and you could be retaining fluid which is stopping good blood flow in the legs, its not to be confused with cramp.

sounds like a kidney problem, and you could be retaining fluid which is stopping good blood flow in the legs, its not to be confused with cramp.

?? Sounds serious – do not appear to have any other problems at any other times!

if you take a week off riding and do no physical activity, you need to check if you get any swelling of the ankles. if so then you will need to see a doctor.

if you take a week off riding and do no physical activity, you need to check if you get any swelling of the ankles. if so then you will need to see a doctor.

Thanks Sancho – had 2 weeks in Florida a while back and no swelling! phew had me going for a bit then!

no worries i thought i was getting cramp, turns out its a kidney infection.

Thanks folks – it is as I thought – need to ride more, longer and harder 🙂 at least I can now tell the wife its all your fault ;0)