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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Boston area, OK, Newton, right by Heartbreak Hill

    New Marathon Training Annoyance - Suggestions?

    OK, so far I have protected the knees and managed to do a couple of long training runs. Although instead of the 20-miler I did a 3 1/2 hour workout of 20 miles on the bike and 9.5 miles on the treadmill. It was supposed to be 10 miles but the gym closed before I could quite finish. Close enough. My goal this year is to do 11 minute miles for 2 hours, 13 minute miles for one hour, then walk it in. I was still doing 13 minute miles at the end of my final super long training session so, that goal just might be possible. If I can keep it going long enough, I should make that 6 hour goal.

    So, what's the new problem? Leg cramps, didn't have them last year, this year, I get them usually at around the 11-12 mile mark. I have been able to rub them out but anybody know what I might be doing wrong? Not enough Gatorade? Not the right water/Gatorade ratio?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    St Augustine, FL
    My first guess is nutrition and a possible mineral imbalance. Are you getting enough calcium, magnesium, and potassium in your diet?

    Green vegetables and nuts are good sources of magnesium.

    Beans, nuts, figs, and milk are good sources of calcium.

    Milk, yogurt, potatoes, and bananas are good sources of potassium.

    I'm not a big fan of supplements, but if you don't have a good varied diet then you may need to use supplements.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Watching carolina Go To HELL!
    Quote Originally Posted by Fish80 View Post
    My first guess is nutrition and a possible mineral imbalance. Are you getting enough calcium, magnesium, and potassium in your diet?

    Green vegetables and nuts are good sources of magnesium.

    Beans, nuts, figs, and milk are good sources of calcium.

    Milk, yogurt, potatoes, and bananas are good sources of potassium.

    I'm not a big fan of supplements, but if you don't have a good varied diet then you may need to use supplements.
    And watermelon. Lots of watermelon for the potassium, water and sugars.

    Of course, I've never run a marathon, or anything longer than, well, never mind - it would prompt another hour glass comment from Devildeac
    Ozzie, your paradigm of optimism!

    Go To Hell carolina, Go To Hell!
    9F 9F 9F
    https://ecogreen.greentechaffiliate.com

  4. #4
    Strawberries are also another good source of potassium. Cramping is one reason you will see bananas as a popular snack on long bicycle tours. I don't like bananas so I would barter my allotment on trips.

  5. #5
    Bananas, Bananas, Bananas, Bananas. It's the key to no cramps. Potassium pills also do the trick. Or Pedialyte. Just my $.02

    A combination of these 3 things kept cramps away from me during 3 a day August practices for football.

  6. #6
    I'm in agreement with the suggestions for minerals. I will, however, disagree with the complete reliance on diet. While in a perfect world diet should be able to give you all you need, for some people the physical toll of long-distance events fall outside of perfect-world solutions.

    I struggled for a few years in half- and full- Ironman events with cramps and (a few times) post-event minor heart arrhythmia (sp?). An MD recommended multi-mineral supplements (complete, not just potassium) before and during the events and it made a HUGE difference. For an Ironman, it became a multi-mineral supplement before the race, and one during each of the transitions.

    Keep in mind I'm not a doctor, nor did I stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night . . . just passing along some event-tested individual experience . . . YMMV.

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