Had to share this comedy of errors with my fellow cyclist.
I did Avalanche after work yesterday and drank a gallon or more fluids during and after the ride leading up to bedtime. This led to a 1 AM wake up for a bathroom break. As I was getting out of bed my right quad cramped and cramped hard. As a result my foot got caught on the sheets sending me face first onto the floor. I lay on the floor trying to work the cramp out and I was reminded why I was up at 1 AM. I tried to get up using my left leg which caused my left calf to cramp sending me back to the floor.
At this time my wife woke up and asked what’s wrong. All I could get out was “cramps”.
She, being the great wife that she is, asked “want me to get you some pickle juice?”
“Bathroom, I’ve got to go”
She helped my hobble into the bathroom, left and came back with a shot of pickle juice.
Let me just say that cramping while you have to go is no fun at all.
Uh oh! I did Palisade +1 yesterday, and Avalanche spire+1 this morning. I am properly wiped out right now, hopefully I don’t end up with cramps like you’re talking about! Pickle juice? I don’t know if it is just a psychological thing, but I had the hardest time on AS on the down slope from the overs to the unders. Just when it seems like it should be feeling easier, it sure doesn’t. I’ll be happy to take tomorrow off, for sure.
This is the first time I’ve ever had a cramp this bad in the middle of the night. I rarely get them on rides anymore since I switched to drinking Skratch.
I agree with the psychological thing on pickle juice but there is some science behind it. In a nutshell the acid in pickle juice triggers your brain to focus on it “turning off” the signals that are causing the cramping.
