Help! I swam my first open water 5K this past weekend and was significantly slowed by a recurrent foot cramp along the bottom of my right foot especially affecting my big toe. I could stretch it out and go on but it would happen again 10-15 minutes later. I have had this in the pool from time to time but thought it was from pushing off the wall. Any thoughts on future prevention of this?
Thanks for the advise:)
Former Member
That's interesting. I have had the same thing a couple of times also in a 5K. It happened both times as I rounded a buoy sharply. I think I just kicked too violently with one leg as I reached around the buoy. After those I became much more aware and have not had it again.
Thanks much! I come from a running background but my coach says I show pretty good leg form and flexibility at the ankle. I guess I just have to work with those fins more and quit relying so much on my legs to make up for my swimming technique deficits.
If it is re-occuring, I would suggest that its because your muscles are not used to that amount of exertion from flexing your feet.
I myself struggle with not only foot cramps, but calf cramps as well, ever since I graduated from college swimming to masters swimming. I had a three week period where I woke up two or three times a night with calf cramps. I noticed significant improvement when I started to add more kicking to my workouts and strengthen those muscles, something I have tended to slack on since getting out of college swimming to focus on ultra-distance. Fins seem to be especially helpful. As with just about anything it is likely to get worse before it gets better.
I have the same problem when I do long distance. I am training for a 10k and my last mile I get them bad. But I also found to eat a banana before helps cause of the potassium to fight the lactic acid build up
