Great job of hanging in there and finishing! It sounds like a brutal course.

What did you have for breakfast? How long before the race? What was your pre-race hydration like? Did you take in any electrolytes or carbs during your warmup? What did you do for your warmup?

My thoughts based on your report and not any of the answers to those questions are:

1) You were not warmed up enough. I'd think it's doubtful that you'd already be needing more electrolytes and water by the first hill after a neutral roll-out unless you were severely dehydrated to begin with. Aside from electrolytes and water, cramping that early to me signals improper warmup. In other words, you tried to go too hard too soon, or you did that after not having adequate recovery from your last ride. I don't necessarily think this is a fitness issue, unless you haven't been climbing hills at all. I mean, you obviously thought you were ready for your first race and for this terrain. If you weren't fit enough, then the pace would prove to be too high once racing began, or you'd eventually blow up and get dropped somewhere farther down the line like so many of us do .

2) As for all the cramping you experienced later on in the race, after the initial cramping went away (which also leads me to think you didn't warm up well enough): You needed more electrolytes, carbs, and fluids. If you're used to that kind of terrain, even though you were working very hard, you'd probably wind up only feeling really tired and worn out and sore. Severe cramping indicates a nutrition and hydration problem more than muscular fitness one. There are plenty of gluten-free electrolyte and carbohydrate options that you can have pre-race and during the race. My personal preference is for Clif blocks or the electrolyte drink. I often have a spelt english muffin, sometimes with peanut butter, as a pre-race breakfast, but any breakfast with carbs and a little bit of protein that's easy on your stomach 2-3 hours before the race is good. A friend of mine prefers oatmeal. Another friend likes to have rice and eggs. Whatever is good food that is easy on your stomach, easy to digest, and that you eat before a normal training ride is probably what you should stick with. Put that banana with your breakfast, instead of having it after.

I often have some Bloks or a gel during warmup. I will drink water and electrolyte water till I'm certain I'm well hydrated before the race, and then I'll take more with me. I *try* to remember to stretch between warmup and staging too, but sometimes it slips my mind. You may want to make stretching a priority if you feel like you've been having a hard time recovering from your training rides. When I'm feeling the worst, a quick massage with a muscle rub the night before or morning of can help my sore muscles.

You said you did get in a lot of sports beans, gatorade, and gels during the race. Since you started cramping at the very beginning, this may have come too late. That is a lot of calories to be absorbed in that time period. You may do better replacing some of that with just water. If you have too high a concentration of carbs in your stomach, absorption can become slower. Even with the electrolytes to help speed your stomach emptying, you probably want to chase those beans and gels with water OR drink gatorade. Have more sooner, and start before the race for sure if conditions make you more prone to cramping (hotter weather, for example).

3) I think the beginning of the race cramping and the post-race cramping is related. I don't think you started off your day right. I don't think you did anything wrong during the race, though you were probably playing a bit of catch-up as far as hydration and all, as I tried to explain above. So I think if you fix the earlier cramping, you'll probably nix the post-race cramping. Another thing to do after making that hard of an effort in a race is to do a cool down ride. Once your legs stop shaking and you no longer feel like you're going to pass out, get back on the bike and spin for a while. Going from a hard hill-top finish to a stop is not the best cool-down for your muscles. Then, just replenish water and calories afterwards like normal. Get some protein in there at some point soon for some muscle recovery. I usually have some sort of snack to tide me over till I get home, then I make myself a real meal. Then I nap . Then eat again.


Great job! Keep at it, and before you know it you'll be dropping those ladies on those hills !