leg cramps

OK THat was stupid! What I was going to say was , since I have becan doing 2 workouts a day I have been getting calf cramps during the bike and swim. What is causing this? I drink almost a gallon of water per day do dehydration seems unlikely. I don't want to be stopped by this during the tri. Any suggestions?

How's your stretching and calf flexibility? I try to stretch my calves throughout the day, not just prior to my workouts. I drink about the same amount of water each day (well, a minimum of a gallon per day).

It's also possible that you need to check/increase your electrolytes. Maybe use Gatorade/Accelerade instead of just water on your bike or during your long runs?

If you are drinking only water to rehydrate, it is almost certainly an electrolyte imbalance. When you sweat you lose salt as well as water. . . sweat is actually hypotonic compared to body fluids (less salty), so if you sweat a lot and drink nothing you get dehydrated but not too imbalanced. BUT, if you sweat, and then replace that lost fluid with pure water, you are diluting your electrolytes and creating a hypotonic dehydration, which is much worse - leads to cramps, general fatigue, reduced muscle efficency, and, in extreme situations, reduced cardiac function. (This is not just sports drink hype - this is straight from my renal physiology medical school text book).

Especially while working out, rehydrate with a sports drink, and add bananas, potatoes, green leafy veg and other whole fruits to your diet to boost potassium, and watch the sodium intake, because an excess of sodium can lead to potassium wasting in the kidney. And stretch in whatever way you find helpful. Within a couple of weeks, the cramps should improve.

Thanks! I will try these things. I am not experiencing fatigue at all. The rest of my body is quite willing to keep going but my calf says "no way". I know I am depleting salts in my long runs and rides because after my sweat dries, I look like someone rolled me in salt! I'll try to pay more attention to my replenishment of the electrolytes