CRAMPING

This year I hit the big 60 and have been doing things to mark the event (decrepitude). The other day I did a 42+ mile paddle around the island I live on. I have done it a couple of times in the past and finished tired, but AOK. I am pretty fit and limber, for an old guy and paddle pretty regularly. Long paddles are often uncomfortable but never a serious problem. I decided to do this paddle in fast kayak instead of a ski as the seat and ergonomics of this boat are really good for me. So, I paddled the first 21 miles without a break and was feeling great. Brought plenty of food, water and a "meal replacement/energy drink" (SPIZ) but wasn't very hungry. The SPIZ had served me well on other long paddles and races. Around mile 22 I started getting some serious cramps in my legs, arms, chest and back. I took a break on a beach for 15-20 minutes ate a sweet potato and set off again. By this time I was pretty committed to finish the paddle because there aren't many viable places to take out on this roadless stretch of the island. Long story short, the rest of the paddle sucked. I was having to stop quite often to try and get my body to "obey' commands. Had a few puckering moments when the wind, waves and boat traffic increased and I wasn't sure if I could brace if necessary. Managed to get back to the staring point still a couple of hours quicker than my last paddle around the island.

It took hours after I got home for the cramps and muscle spasms to quit. I guessed I depleted my electrolytes or was dehydrated. Felt tired but fine the next day. I went online to do some research and there were some posts refuting that theory. These cramps did not seem connected to boat ergonomics or comfort but seemed systemic. Any input or advice for the next long paddle would be appreciated.

Ken

Salt tablets. I have two friends that are ultra marathoners and nether of them will hit the trail without them. One nearly quit running but found salt tablets. His runs were a cramp fest past 40 miles. Now, none.

Bill

Personally I'm not convinced that salt tablets are the answer, I've seen some research that indicates that there is plenty of salt inside the body and when you sweat the salt levels inside your body actually increase percentage wise to fluid. I've always avoided salt, never add it to my food, look for no added salt varieties, cramping has been a very limited problem through out my sporting days, occasionally experienced it on very long events where I have pushed it to the limit. So jury is out for me on salt, I believe added salt does more harm than good to us health wise. Salt may help you to retain water, if you are dehydrated cramps can arise, so kind of a round about way to help cramps by helping to retain water.

Adding calcium, magnesium and potassium supplements were something that I added to avoid cramping when I was cycling at national level.

That's just my beliefs but if people find salt tablets work for them, good for them.

I come from a fairly extensive background in cycling for the last 14 years, and now in my early to mid 50's, other than my first 3 years in the sport I have still never been able to avoid cramping issues while bike racing if the event last more than 90 minutes. I've been at both ends of the calorie and hydration spectrum during these events and have yet to find complete relief from leg cramps. Additionally, I've tried numerous supplements aimed at cramp prevention/control (HEED, Endurolytes, Sportlegs, Elete, magnesium, potassium, calcium, salt, and others that I can't remember), all without complete freedom from cramping (some did seem to provide perhaps some relief in the severity). Interestingly, in the 3 years that I have been in my surfski, I have yet to experience any cramps in any event, but since it took 3 years of year-around cycling before experiencing my first cramping episodes, I'm wondering if I I have yet to cross that threshold. Thus, if you have been a long-time paddler and stay after it regularly, I'm wondering if you are in the same boat (no pun intended) that I am with biking. I've read research indicating males tend to have more issues with cramping as they age, and especially if they tend to stay pretty lean. I'm not in a climate where I can really stay paddling year round (the waters around me all freeze in the winter months), so I'm wondering if this might save me down the road? Do you paddle year around? One other observation I've had while biking is if I start having cramping somewhere other than my legs, it IS usually an issue with dehydration and sometimes lack of calories. From your description however, it sounds like your cramping is confined to your primary power generators, so I going to speculate that dehydration and calories weren't your issue.

Thanks for for the replies. I have been paddling for around 20 years and this incident was the first time I experienced this type of cramping. Yep, I am older, male and don't have much in the way of reserve fat. I paddle quite often until the winter brings out the wuss in me. In the off season I use an ERG and do a lot more yoga. I probably consume far less salt in my diet than most and perhaps that could be the problem. I don't usually paddle this kind of distance more than once a year or so. I will do an occasional 20+- mile paddle in a season and rarely have any issue other than being a bit sore and tired. Maybe the answer is to skip the longer paddles all together. One of the tendencies that long distance athletes seem to have are short memories. You finish a long one and think you don't "need" to ever do it again. The next day you start thinking about the next time. Is that caused by some mineral deficiency?

So you do the occasional 20 mile paddle in a season, find long paddles uncomfortable, then attempt a 42 mile paddle and are cramping. You train on an ERG through winter which would be short hard workouts no doubt, when do you do your base training/LSD? Sounds like your body maybe using all its available muscle and liver glycogen stores to quickly and not efficient at using its fat storage and then saying enough. Revisit the thread on LSD and tell us if you think there might be something in that thread that applies.

Greg,
Searched for a thread on LSD and didn't find it. I have, however read a bit on that aspect of training in the past. I think you are probably on to something. I do 10-15 mile paddles as part of my training every week to 10 days during the summer months with an occasional longer one slipped in. I guess I have been lucky over the years because I have been able to do these longer paddles without any serious issues. If you have a link to the specific article you mentioned, I would like to read it. Thanks for the input.

Ken

www.surfski.info/forum/18-training/17601...ows-how-and-why.html