Wetsuit=cramps????

I just got my first wetsuit and have noticed crampy calves while swimming in it.  I'm not sure why, maybe I'm kicking different in the setsuit?  Was hoping I'd just get used to it and they would go away.

It's funny that you post this.  I raced the Chicago Olympic last weekend and had nasty calf cramps the entire swim.  It's not uncommon for me to have this problem after being out of the pool for a few months but I haven't experienced it recently.  I attributed it to the cold water (62 degrees).  I was plenty hydrated and had even had a banana that morning.  This was my second race in a wetsuit.  Had no problems in the first.  The wetsuit did happen to be much tighter this time.

Was the water cold for your swim?

A little chilly for the first one...just barely wetsuit legal, but yesterday it was very comfortable.

I have gone throught the entire list of possibilities and the ONLY common item between the 2 occurences is the wetsuit...heck the 2 swims were even in different states.

I really hope BT can shed some light on this.

Steve

On 9/6 did you do your run before or after your swim?  If before, how long before?

When was your other swim in the wetsuit?

What make, model and size is your wetsuit?  What are your measurements?  Who fit you?


Could be a lot of things.  I get calf cramps when I run hard the night before a swim. 

Could be that your wetsuit is a little tight in the calves causing the cramps.  If that is the case, I don't know that I would cut it.  I would look at selling and getting a 2 piece like a DeSoto Speedvest top and Speedtube bottom. 

Here is my assessment:

Too many variables to definitively say that its the wetsuit that is causing this. 

In Sept 08, you had a month of not working out (or not logging workouts).  Your last prior swim was the week of 6/16, then you did a race the week of 9/15.  That's a long time to be out of the water and to have your body used to being in the swimming position.  I would attribute the cramping on this day of trying to do too much (a 1500 swim) too soon.

In Sept 09, I would attribute this more to the long run even if it was 5-6 hours before. More than 9 miles is a long run period.  I have done hard runs and rides at 8pm at night and still got cramps in my calves at 6am the next morning while swimming.  Again, too many factors to control, but this is what I would point to.

I would do your next 3 swims in your wetsuit.  Pool water will not hurt your suit so long as you rinse it off after.  If during any of your swims, you get cramps, then I would start to believe it is the suit.  Otherwise, I am prone to believe it is more just two unrelated data points.