Cramping at longer distances

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 Levy_danny 08 Nov 2021

Hi All,

I've recently done a road half and yesterday did a fairly gentle but boggy fell half, both pushing myself hard and pretty much exactly the same time around the 12 mile mark started to get some twinges of cramp in my calf muscles. By altering my running style slightly I managed to not get full on cramp thankfully but I've got roaches on Sunday (circa 15 miles and then tour of pendle (I think about 18) and am worried it might develop into full on cramps (this happened on the Kentmere horseshoe race and slowed me right down towards the end). Does anyone have any tips or advice? 

 DaveHK 08 Nov 2021
In reply to Levy_danny:

Start slow. Lots of folks look for nutritional or hydration solutions for cramping when very often it's caused by trying to race at a faster pace than you've trained for.

 Yanis Nayu 08 Nov 2021
In reply to Levy_danny:

The fitness you’ve just gained will help. Whenever I get cramp in cycling races it’s because I’m not quite fit enough. 

 Marek 08 Nov 2021
In reply to Levy_danny:

I always used to get calf cramp in hilly ultras, usually on fast downhill sections in second half. Eventually tried calf compression footless socks (decathlon) and the problem went away (largely).

 Nic Barber 08 Nov 2021
In reply to Levy_danny:

Whenever I get into the cramp zone I make a more concerted effort to try and keep my stride as smooth as possible to lessen the chance of cramps. Tends to work, though may not when you're stood at the bottom of Big End at Pendle! As mentioned, starting a bit more conservatively might help.

If the cramp does set in, have a mouthful of something to eat or drink. It won't have an effect on the metabolic level to solve the cramp, but the body goes 'I'm getting something' and (in my experience) will sort itself out. Did this at the bottom of Crag Fell  at the end of Ennerdale earlier this year when a few twinges came out of nowhere. My last mouthful of water sorted me out pretty quick (though I'd lost all momentum to get running over the last hill)

 Nic Barber 08 Nov 2021
In reply to Levy_danny:

Whenever I get into the cramp zone I make a more concerted effort to try and keep my stride as smooth as possible to lessen the chance of overly excentric movement that can seed a cramp. Tends to work, though may not when you're stood at the bottom of Big End at Pendle! As mentioned by others, starting a bit more conservatively might help. I'd add make sure you're not overworking muscles that will cramp later when tired, as it can seem to target weak areas.

If the cramp does set in, have a mouthful of something to eat or drink. It won't have an effect on the metabolic level to solve the cramp, but the body goes 'I'm getting something' and (in my experience) will sort itself out. Did this at the bottom of Crag Fell  at the end of Ennerdale earlier this year when a few twinges came out of nowhere. My last mouthful of water sorted me out pretty quick (though I'd lost all momentum to get running over the last hill)

 The New NickB 08 Nov 2021
In reply to Levy_danny:

A mate of mine was crippled by it for years on longer races like Y3P, Tour of Pendle or some of the Lakes classics. He found that a magnesium supplement got rid of it completely. 

 climberchristy 08 Nov 2021
In reply to Levy_danny:

I used to calf cramp regularly at longer distances. Tried calf compression sleeves and never looked back. I run every run in them now whether short or long. Fwiw I use these ones

https://mytriathlon.co.uk/compressport-r2v2-calf-sleeves/

 petemeads 08 Nov 2021
In reply to Levy_danny:

The American ultra and trail runners seem to swear by pickle juice to cure cramp. There has been some inconclusive research done but on the whole it seems to be a benefit. The cramp eases far too quickly to be a metabolic response to salt/vinegar, it appears to be the brain response to the taste, altering nerve signals. I have not tried it myself...

 SouthernSteve 08 Nov 2021
In reply to Levy_danny:

It's definitely not a simple thing to cure. Have a look at this https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6901412/

HTH

OP Levy_danny 09 Nov 2021
In reply to Levy_danny:

thanks for all the help everyone, I'm going to try the calf sleeves for longer distances but don't think I'll be able to for the Roaches this coming weekend where I plan to go off slower. It's interesting about the training element as I thought I was well trained but thinking about it I've not been training at such a fast (for me) speed so that could be it as well. 

 yorkshireman 09 Nov 2021
In reply to Levy_danny:

> thanks for all the help everyone, I'm going to try the calf sleeves for longer distances 

I've seen this mentioned a lot, and ultimately so long as you're happy with your choice it doesn't really matter but I think again there's limited evidence that they make that much difference.

I've been running ultras since 2013 and have never worn them. I used to get cramps in the later stages of longer, hillier (eg. harder) races but now it's not an issue. Years back I used to get cramp in a 85km/4500m race whereas this summer I ran 170km/10,000m with no cramp whatsoever. The only difference is that I'm now fitter and more used to the distance, and my race strategy was better and I kept my pacing under control. 

I'm pretty sure it's simply down to over-fatiguing your muscles - you're simply not trained enough to run at the intensity and duration that you are - so either train more or run slower. Get that fundamental nailed and then start looking for marginal gains.

Good luck at the weekend!

 Marek 09 Nov 2021
In reply to yorkshireman:

The problem is that we're all 'samples of one'. In contrast to your experience, I used to run the same ultra every year for over a decade (obviously local), some times well trained, a few times with very little running in the previous months. I always got cramp at the same point (start of long steep downhill) - until I tried compression socks and then never got cramps again (till much, much later in the run). I guess the causes and triggers of cramps are many and varied and everyone has to find out what is the main contributor for THEM. No easy answers.

 yorkshireman 09 Nov 2021
In reply to Marek:

> The problem is that we're all 'samples of one'. 

Absolutely, hence my disclaimer at the beginning of my post about whatever works for you. 

However I think there's often a case of causation and correlation being conflated since few people start out with compression socks, but add them later, which will naturally coincide with having run more and being better trained. 

I will say though that the psychological benefit isn't to be discounted. If you feel better you will likely run better. 

 Tom Briggs 12 Nov 2021
In reply to Levy_danny:

In contrast to some of the posts above, I’ve suffered from cramping on long, hilly fell races and thought it maybe down to muscle fatigue. Though a gel or similar would keep it at bay. Then this summer I shelled out for Precision Hydration electrolytes and used them before and during the Welsh 3000ers. Result - no cramping. Now maybe it was due to moving more slowly than on, say, a 25k fell race but thinking back my worst cramping was on the Holme Moss fell race (very humid, in July). Not really had as much of an issue in winter when I’m sweating less. Worth a try in my view.


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