Salt, cramp and running

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Salt, cramp and running

Postby Ruff » Thu May 27, 2021 3:08 pm

I asked this on the MWL board but no takers, so I am asking here. I hope this is OK.

I lost around 100lbs on the SS 8-10 years ago. I am now an endurance athlete. I am also a physically challenged athlete, having foot drop in my left foot. This means I am very slow and in a race will be out on the hill for 6-8 hours, working hard all the time. I am slow, not unfit. I am a trail runner doing mountain races and so will also be carrying some weight in the form of food, water, emergency gear etc.

I put on weight over lockdown which also coincided with (yet more) foot problems that had me on crutches for 6 months, I am now back running and using MWL to get back to my racing weight. On MWL we are encouraged to minimise salt, so I did. Unfortunately after a 1.5 hilly training run this week I got terrible cramps in my bad leg. As I cannot dorsiflex this is a problem, particularly at night. I keep a volume of the Encyclopaedia Brittanica by the bed and put my foot on that and draw my foot back so the heel is on the floor and the toe on the book to relieve the cramp. But this involves me leaping out of bed numerous times in the night....

I dont 'over drink' being all too aware of hypernatremia in runners who are out for a long time. I dont use gatorade or the like, I just carry water and dates on long runs. Or homemade wholemeal scones (no salt, dried fruit) if out for more than 3 hours.

After my bad day with cramps this week I ate salt and took a magnesium tablet. this fixed the issue and the next day my leg was stiff and sore but the cramps were over.

Do you have any advice? Salt or no salt? Alternatives? I'm a 58 year old woman if that makes a difference.
Katie

My testimonial. viewtopic.php?f=13&t=38433
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