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@jadias
Cornwall Tor sportive today: 105km of rolling, steep hills with some truly viscous winds and a sprinkling of rain here and there. Absolutely stunning scenery, though, and by all accounts a very challenging route.
http://app.strava.com/activities/134811394
Maximum elevation was about 200m; considering the total elevation gain was 1800m (after correction), that's a lot of ups and downs...
I have never cramped so fucking hard in my life. I don't understand it at all. Distance and elevation weren't too extreme for me, although the rolling, steep hills are different than I'm used to. I got a good night's sleep, had a good balanced breakfast, drank loads of water and electrolyte drink, ate fairly regularly (including a banana and some gels), but around the 50km mark I felt cramps starting in my right thigh and they didn't really let up. At 75km I stopped at a red light and my entire thigh seized up so badly that I was left straddling my bike as the light went green. desperately trying to hobble off to the side of the road, where I spent 15 minutes yelling "FUUUUUUUUUCK!" and trying to massage it out. In the end I just ate a Nuun tablet and that seemed to get it, but for the rest of the ride I was left spinning up everything because I could feel it starting to go again.
It really pissed me off, because I don't think I've ever really cramped on the bike before, and I thought I really nailed my hydration and nutrition, but it was all for nothing. Didn't even make bronze time. sigh