General Discussion Triathlon Talk » Race Day Spasms Rss Feed  
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2016-05-29 1:42 AM

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Subject: Race Day Spasms
Sorry to ask this question and men you can stop reading know....dont say I didnt warn you!!! I did a sprint triathlon yesterday.....first open water tri......swim was hard but managed.....bike went really well....think I PB'd my bike section......started the run and after about 500m my back started to spasm....smack bang in middle......lay down twice to do some stretches and had to walk the vast majority of it.....I am in the middle of my period and wondered if this may have had an effect?? Could this have caused my ligaments to be lax because of hormones and lead to the spasms??? I have never had back spasms in a race before and this was the the only thing that seemed to be different.


2016-05-29 4:32 AM
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Subject: RE: Race Day Spasms
Every woman is different, but I have been a runner for almost 37 years (since age 10), since before starting my period; I have raced at all points of my cycle and have never noticed a tendency to have muscle cramps or any serious physical issues connected to my period during a run or tri. At most, maybe more than the usual pre-race nausea (usually have a bit due to nerves but worse if compounded by PMS) or minor period cramps--not back spasms and nothing that would make me slow down or need to stop. I don't think having one's period affects ligaments--believe that is during pregnancy and for some months after giving birth, due to hormone changes that loosen them somewhat in preparation for childbirth. Could be wrong though--no medical background here!

Best guess for the back spasms--some combo of cold water on the swim (if it was cold); muscular tension and fatigue from pushing the swim too hard or anxiety (or combo thereof), uncomfortable position on the bike and/or pushing the bike pace too hard for your fitness. The one time I've had back spasms in a race, it had nothing to do with my period. It started with cold water, a leaky wetsuit, and anxiety about it completely failing and filling with water, which caused me to push the pace REALLY hard--my fastest HIM split by almost 4 minutes at the time! It was cool and rainy in transition, I was shivering and had trouble getting my wetsuit off. The minute I got on the bike, my position (which had been fine for several months) felt awkward, and my back and even stomach muscles hurt. It didn't resolve until I finally warmed up about halfway through the bike leg. I was fine on the run, but my back tightened up again for a few days after the race, especially getting out of bed in the morning or after sitting for a while.

I rarely train or compete in conditions like that (50's for most of race, windy with some rain) so I think I just wasn't used to it. I'm also quite thin and sensitive to cold. In training, it has always been cold water that triggers back spasms for me. They do seem a bit more common around the time I start my cycle, but I think it's connected to increased sensitivity to cold at that time, not a change in ligaments.

Also possible (if it was warm) that you got dehydrated or electrolytes out of whack. My coach shared some info with her athletes a while back that mentioned women's cycles can affect their heat tolerance and hydration needs, but don't recall specifics. I haven't really noticed it with my body, though, although I spend much of the year training in pretty extreme heat and humidity.

Edited by Hot Runner 2016-05-29 4:44 AM
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