10K w/Cramps

[groovyforster]

Ran a 10k yesterday. All was well until the second mile when I got a cramp which would not go away until after the run was finished. I don't get it. I eat the same thing pre-run every time, the difference this time is that I ate 45 minutes earlier which should be plenty of time for digesting and still got cramps. It started with one below the sternum then moved to each side below the ribs. Some times I get cramps some times I don't. There is no consistency.

[Rignold]

you ate 45 minutes earlier than usual or 45 mins before running? 45 mins before running isn't very long.

[groovyforster in reply to Rignold]

45 mins before usual in this case it was actually almost 4 hours before the race began.

[Dunder2004 Graduate]

Are you drinking enough prior to running? I tend to have a pint of water about an hour before setting off and another glass about half an hour later.

[groovyforster in reply to Dunder2004]

I usually drink a glass of juice after my pre-run meal and a glass of water on the way to the race.

[Dunder2004 Graduate in reply to groovyforster]

We are all different so, it is hard to say one way or the other whether that is sufficient. Lack of hydration is one of the main causes of cramp though, so it may be worth trying loading up with lots of water and see how that goes.

[groovyforster in reply to Dunder2004]

Thanks for the suggestion. Keep in mind that too much water can actually displace salt in the body so we all need to find the happy medium.

[Dunder2004 Graduate in reply to groovyforster]

Very true. Hope you get to the bottom of it, whatever the root cause is.

[groovyforster in reply to Dunder2004]

I hope so as well. I've checked various forums as so far, there hasn't been scientific evidence as to what causes cramps/stitches just some advice of how to avoid them and what to do to cure them. I've kept them all in mind but I still get them from time to time and just push through to finish a race.

[Rignold]

Hmm. Odd. Can't think what should be causing that, then.

[Wristy Graduate]

It was a nice day yesterday. Maybe the temperature was a factor?

[groovyforster in reply to Wristy]

Possibly. It was quite humid.

[Tomas Graduate]

Cramps sucks! It shouldn't make much difference whether you eat 3 or 4 hours before running, so I doubt that's the reason. But I'm afraid I can't offer good suggestions to what else it might be.

[groovyforster in reply to Tomas]

I agree. There are many opinions out there, but nothing proven to work, unfortunately. The only thing that was different as Wristy pointed out was the increase in temperature and humidity.