Was this a fueling issue?

Yesterday I rode 48.5 miles. It was 18 miles longer than what I have ridden since early last fall. I felt pretty good until mile 37 when my thighs started cramping and I felt like I had the beginning of a charlie horse in the tear-drop muscle of my left quad.

I had been sipping on water and Hammer Sustained Energy (started about 45 minutes into the ride) and at the half-way mark I stopped for a quick break, refilled a water bottle and ate a bread roll.

Is it possible the bread roll slowed absorption of the Sustained Energy and that is what caused the cramping to start about ten miles later?

It was weird. I've "hit the wall" before and that felt like my legs wouldn't work or as if they were really heavy and my speed dropped significantly. Yesterday my second half was riden at the same pace as the first half and aside from the muscle cramping I felt like I had energy to spare. But it really hurt so I didn't push to get all the way to 50 (would have had to go out of my way but it was only 1.5 miles!!).

Today I am a little sore/stiff but I've definitely been more sore from running.

Any ideas on what caused the weird cramping? I'd like to avoid it in the future if I can! :rolleyes:

(It was still an awesome ride. :D )

How many hours did you ride and how much fluid did you drink during that time?

Also, what time were you riding? I rode 32 miles yesterday. It was warm enough to not need leg warmers when I started out around 3:30, but during the last 1/2 hour or so I was cold.

For me, cramping typcially has less to do with fuel and more to do with electrolyte replacement and muscle conditioning. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think the Hammer product you were using is an electrolyte replacement. How warm was it yesterday? You were also outside your current level of conditioning so it's also possible that your quad just got overfatigued. Have you changed anything in your bike or cleat set up?

Also, for 50 miles I would probably ingest at least 600 calories during the ride.

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Originally Posted by ny biker

How many hours did you ride and how much fluid did you drink during that time?

Also, what time were you riding? I rode 32 miles yesterday. It was warm enough to not need leg warmers when I started out around 3:30, but during the last 1/2 hour or so I was cold.

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Started my ride at 3:30, kept to a very easy pace of 12/13 mph (with a couple fun sprints but never pushing hard) since I was going 18 miles more than what I've done since September, ended at 7:30.

By the end of the ride I had almost two full water bottles and the Sustained Energy. Plus the bread roll because I knew I'd get hungry for dinner by 6pm.

Without knowing any more, IME three things can cause cramps: fit, simple overuse/muscle fatigue, and electrolytes.

If you've been riding this bike all along and haven't made any tweaks, it's not likely to be your fit.

Overuse is a possibility since you rode almost half again as long as you have in a while.

If the weather is warmer than it has been, you're probably sweating out more electrolytes than you would be if you were acclimated to it. Hammer Sustained Energy gives you a small amount of sodium and calcium, but not really as much as you may need in proportion to the calories, and no magnesium at all. How many scoops of the Sustained Energy did you have over the four hours? Were you doing anything else for electrolytes?

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Originally Posted by OakLeaf

Without knowing any more, IME three things can cause cramps: fit, simple overuse/muscle fatigue, and electrolytes.

If you've been riding this bike all along and haven't made any tweaks, it's not likely to be your fit.

Overuse is a possibility since you rode almost half again as long as you have in a while.

If the weather is warmer than it has been, you're probably sweating out more electrolytes than you would be if you were acclimated to it. Hammer Sustained Energy gives you a small amount of sodium and calcium, but not really as much as you may need in proportion to the calories, and no magnesium at all. How many scoops of the Sustained Energy did you have over the four hours? Were you doing anything else for electrolytes?

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No, I didn't even think about electolytes. I would have if this were Summer. Rookie mistake, I think. It was one packet (comes in the box of six) mixed in a bottle of water.

The bike was fit to me last summer but I do think I need to go back in for tweaks. Still, it felt good and the cramping was not normal.

Eat more on rides. One roll is not going to do much. I drink (big gulp) every 5 minutes and take a bite of something (usually a powerbar or banana or nuts) every 15 minutes. Don't wait until you are depleted to eat. After rides, I like to have chocolate milk, although I may have to find an alternative since I'm seeing how it goes to give up sugar.

Make sure you drink water after your ride, too, including the next day.

I don't know what sustained energy is. But two water bottles over 4 hours is not enough.

Temps were in the mid-60s yesterday, but it felt noticeably cooler as the sun started to get lower. Did you add any layers during the last 60-90 minutes of your ride?

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Originally Posted by ny biker

I don't know what sustained energy is. But two water bottles over 4 hours is not enough.

Temps were in the mid-60s yesterday, but it felt noticeably cooler as the sun started to get lower. Did you add any layers during the last 60-90 minutes of your ride?

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No, and I definitely felt like I needed another layer on my core (and my legs even though I had on long/winter riding tights).

when i start bottoming out it is usually because I haven't eaten enough before the ride or during. I also tend to cramp more easily and charlie horse whenever I end up short on potassium so I am careful to eat a banana before I ride, and possibly a second one during the ride. Around here I tend to go through more water when it is coo and dry, because I know I don't notice the sweat and don't get thirsty. I carry two bottles, one with FRS (my version of electrolytes) and one with plain water. In case I have to refill, I carry extra FRS tubes and start with the FRS bottle.

Sounds to me like a combination of not enough to eat or drink and not enough layering combined with an increased mileage which may or may not have been a big bite to chew.

marni

I second what has already been said. The first warm days can catch us off-guard. On longer rides like this it's always better to over prepare with plenty of food and some Enduralytes or other electrolytes at the ready. And keep drinking lots of water too.