Cramp!

[bigmoose]

Hi,

I get cramp/spasms in my calf muscles when running hard on the hills. Does anyone know what might cause this, and how I can stop it happening? Or is it just a lack of practice on the hills?

It generally happens when I have to stretch or jump to get over something, then I need to stop and stretch the muscle right out. I then complete my run at a slightly slower pace, with the fear that it might happen again, possibly leading to me landing like a sack of potatoes on the ground as my leg gives way underneath me!

[hopey]

Not sure if this should go under injuries or not.

But on long runs I struggle with cramp.

At Borrowdale at the weekend I drank plenty of liquid before the race (over 2 litres of SIS Electrolyte) and the cramp kicked in climbing bessyboot, on route I drank 2 litres of liquid. At the finishing after crossing the river the cramp was that bad I was struggling to walk to the finish!

Any suggestions on how to stop cramp?

[Ady In Accy]

http://forum.fellrunner.org.uk/showthread.php?t=1123

Some interesting stuff in above thread.............

[hopey]

Cheers for that

[Calf]

Not sure if this should go under injuries or not.

But on long runs I struggle with cramp.

At Borrowdale at the weekend I drank plenty of liquid before the race (over 2 litres of SIS Electrolyte) and the cramp kicked in climbing bessyboot, on route I drank 2 litres of liquid. At the finishing after crossing the river the cramp was that bad I was struggling to walk to the finish!

Any suggestions on how to stop cramp?

Cramp at bessyboot won't be related to loss of salt thru sweating was too early in the run!

Make sure your eating enough potassium all the time!

Might just have been the steepness of bessy. There ain't no climbs like that where we normally run!!

My chest muscles (what little I have) were killing me after that climb due to all the hands on knees stuff I'm not used to!

[hopey]

Cramp at bessyboot won't be related to loss of salt thru sweating was too early in the run!

Make sure your eating enough potassium all the time!

Might just have been the steepness of bessy. There ain't no climbs like that where we normally run!!

My chest muscles (what little I have) were killing me after that climb due to all the hands on knees stuff I'm not used to!

Without meaning to sound dumb, what foods are best for potassium?

[detritus21]

Without meaning to sound dumb, what foods are best for potassium?

Bananas

[Calf]

banana's!!!

Might be worth a visit to the docs you could be running low!!!

I had a bit of cramp when I'd finished and didn't really look forward to the drive back but took one of them salt tabs and was fine!!

might be worth popping one of them before races???

[hopey]

I had a banana before I set off as well?

Would the doc do anything, my experience with docs and runnning, I would expect him to say 'well don't run as far then'.

You where supposed to give me a salt tablet? Where do you get them from?

On the old thread someone mentions Nuun tablets?

[Huw]

Without meaning to sound dumb, what foods are best for potassium?

http://www.algaecal.com/potassium-foods.html