Muscle cramps during night AFTER a ride

[easterbird]

I've read some stuff on a few forum about cramping but most of it seems to apply to during or immediately after exercise. Last Sunday I did 70 miles for the first time. Felt great,could have done more, ate appropriatelt and drank about a gallon of liquid before ,during and immediately after. Used some of the liquid as gatorade enduarnce mixed w iced teas(splenda stuff). Finsihed ride at 3 pm and had pizza and salad for dinner with lots of salt. When I settled down to sleep at about 11 pm the cramps started in my thighs(where I felt no tiredness or any sign before WHAM...cramp). I read all kinds of stuff, more salt(I ate more by 1/2 tsp full!),took Tums for Cal/mag,drank ovaltine in milk. After about 2 hours I was able to sleep.
Today worked in garden for several hours hauling mulch and weeding, then rode 39 miles. Drank lots of liquids including the gatorade endurance stuff, Had a salty mexican dinner and just settled in to bed ...WHAM my thighs are cramping. I can't believe it's just salt that's doing this delayed cramps. I will order some endurlyte tabs or something but just wondering if anyone has pinpointed for themselves which chemical induces this late night stuff?

[Duck on Wheels]

I've read some stuff on a few forum about cramping but most of it seems to apply to during or immediately after exercise. Last Sunday I did 70 miles for the first time. Felt great,could have done more, ate appropriatelt and drank about a gallon of liquid before ,during and immediately after. Used some of the liquid as gatorade enduarnce mixed w iced teas(splenda stuff). Finsihed ride at 3 pm and had pizza and salad for dinner with lots of salt. When I settled down to sleep at about 11 pm the cramps started in my thighs(where I felt no tiredness or any sign before WHAM...cramp). I read all kinds of stuff, more salt(I ate more by 1/2 tsp full!),took Tums for Cal/mag,drank ovaltine in milk. After about 2 hours I was able to sleep.
Today worked in garden for several hours hauling mulch and weeding, then rode 39 miles. Drank lots of liquids including the gatorade endurance stuff, Had a salty mexican dinner and just settled in to bed ...WHAM my thighs are cramping. I can't believe it's just salt that's doing this delayed cramps. I will order some endurlyte tabs or something but just wondering if anyone has pinpointed for themselves which chemical induces this late night stuff?

Soaking in a hot tub might help. Blood pumping to the surface to give off heat, cleaning up lactic acids and feeding muscle cells with oxygen along the way ...? (UK elephant or her bf may correct me here; they know lots of physiology). Whatever the mechanism, I find it deals with cramps well, often better than stretching. And it's relaxing and sleep-enducing.

[EvilTwin]

My BF taught me the trick of cold water in the shower. After your nice, hot relaxing shower, turn the water flow as cold as you can stand it and direct the flow onto your legs... thighs and calfs, front and back. I don't know the reason this works, but it does help prevent cramping and sore muscles. A cold dip in a pool, or some such body of water will do the trick too. Good luck.
Barb

[Beth-Ro]

My DH gets cramps after a really long ride. The worst are the innner thigh cramps. He says there seems to be no "opposite movement" to work them out. In desperation, he tried an old country folk type remedy his dad had told him about - 2 tablespoons of vinegar. Since I keep apple cider vinegar in the kitchen, he used that. Amazingly enough, it worked! He has used that remedy a couple times since then and the vinegar consistantly worked to take care of the cramps. He had eaten bananas and consumed enough water and gator aid to float a boat. He also eats pretzels and salty peanuts (because he is a salty sweater). Yet he still gets the cramps. Vinegar is his new friend.

Has anyone else ever heard of this?

[Geonz]

Cramps waking you up in the night are common (or a few hours later at the meeting when I suddenly can't get out of that chair). I've never tried the cold treatment - next time! Vinegar, too... (maybe that's what was behind the "Jogging in a Jug" product that was basically vinegar - and the only thing that *ever* went unconsumed on our school's faculty "open foraging" table where we brought food to share and sometimes cooking mistakes...)

[brok]

Try increasing your potassium intake also