OWS Race: Cramp, Cramp, Cramp! What gives?

RE: OWS Race: Cramp, Cramp, Cramp! What gives?

Gary P — Fri, 02 Sep 2016 11:30:07 GMT

Regular pool swimmer here, and occasional open water racer. I would regularly get cramps in my calves for the first 6-9 months after I got back into the sport, but hadn't really had any problems in the pool for the last year +. But I got a pretty bad cramp at the USMS 2- Mile Cable National Championship earlier this summer. I was able to finish, but it really ruined my race. I was quite aggravated to walk out of the water and not really feel winded. Cost me two places in age group at a minimum, maybe 3. Upon reflection, I realized I was quite tense in general because of the high density of traffic, and because the course markings weren't as obvious as I had envisioned. (There was no "cable," just small, spherical buoys every 10m which were difficult to see over all the bodies). I also realized I was drastically over-kicking to compensate for poor sighting technique. The next weekend, I went to another open water event. I was much more mindful of staying relaxed, of not over-lifting my head to sight, and of not drifting into an extreme loping stroke. I had no cramping, and swam much a much better race, finishing 2nd overall.

RE: OWS Race: Cramp, Cramp, Cramp! What gives?

dadis — Thu, 01 Sep 2016 09:51:19 GMT

Thanks for the tips. Next year I'll forego the (1) beer for dinner and watch what I drink the morning of the race. I drank green tea this year. Perhaps just water next time.

RE: OWS Race: Cramp, Cramp, Cramp! What gives?

mmlr38 — Sun, 28 Aug 2016 02:02:32 GMT

Some of the most common causes of cramping are: 1) Overuse of a muscle 2) Dehydration 3) Electrolyte imbalance 4) Alcohol consumption 5) Inadequate blood flow to the legs- In your case, #1 seems unlikely. And if you hydrated properly in the morning before the race, #2 also is unlikely. #3, #4 and #5 are the ones I've had the most experience with. Even just a couple of beers the day before a long-distance race can make it more likely for me to cramp. Also, I've worn suits that were very tight that I didn't have any trouble racing in when in the pool on shorter stuff, but that led to extreme cramping on longer swims. I now normally take a calcuim/magensium (500mg/1000mg) supplement and it has dramatically reduced the amount of cramping I experience on longer swims and longer workouts. This is the one I use: www.amazon.com/.../