[mickygee]

Morning everyone

The last couple of times I have been out my calves have cramped up, the first time this happened I ended up limping home after only a mile.
Whilst out with the club last night it happened again, we were doing Fartlek and after a mile or so I could feel the cramping returning. Much to my surprise after three miles and some longer strides they relaxed a little and I was able to carry on for another mile and a half.

Does anyone else suffer from this as I am hoping to run a lot more and up my miles this spring. Any suggestions will be greatfully received.

 

[Steve]

Sorry to hear about your woes mickygee.
Only time I 've had cramp when running was at mile 25 of Dublin marathon and it was a killer!! Normally I suffer cramp after running long distances and I put it down to salt loss and dehydration.
I don't know but perhaps if you have a sports drink before you go out and take some with you this may prevent cramp coming on.

 

[Steady Edwina]

Some people find that drinking tonic water helps with cramps.

 

[mickygee]

Thanks Guys

It could well be something to do with what I have been eating, or not eating as the case may be. Do you think keeping a food diary along side my running log would be a good idea?

 

[Steve]

That might not be a bad idea....just don't forget to include the nibbles!

 

[mickygee]

As I am running my calves go ridgid, if that makes sense, they go solid. I am at work at the moment (I work in a warehouse and am on my feet most of the time with lots of bending, lifting and pushing of heavy loads) and they are almost solid. I drink about 2L of water at work and then I have other drinks at home but I don't use a heart rate monitor as I know I don't work that hard when I run. Could it be that my trainers are on the way out, they are a year old but haven't done that many miles?

 

[fulbourn]

Can you stand on your toes without pain?
If not, you have a problem that I'm recovering from (slowly) - and can offer advice from experience.

 

[oggi]

Try tonic water as it has quinine in which i take for restless legs in bed. You can get quinine tabs but only on prescription. You can get some called crampex over the counter but they contain nicotine.