Posted by Leif Irgens on January 05, 2005 at 21:04:19:
In Reply to: Re: solution for cramps during marathon posted by Lyle Coleman on January 05, 2005 at 20:23:33:
Hhhmmmmm . . . . . that provokes a second question:
What about your long training runs is different from the marathon races?
Pace?
Stops for water?
Walk breaks?
Terrain (hills vs. flats, grass vs. concrete, cambered roads)?
Something I haven't listed . . . ?
Between what I've read and what you've experienced, I'd be inclined to agree that the cramps are due to salt depletion. I think sweat composition is a pretty individual thing. When I was bike racing, I'd see some guys who had so much salt in their sweat, their black shorts would turn white, like snow on asphalt. Others would not. So, it looks like trying some electrolyte suppliments during a marathon would help you but at the same time, I think part of the key might be something about your training runs that is different from what you do in the race.
Hope this helps,
Leif