Leg Pain In The Pool
I’ve been promoted! Woo, wooo wooo!
After only 20 minutes or so of yesterday’s swimming session at the NE31 Tri Club, I got moved up a lane - out of the Learners’ Lane, and swimming with the Big Boys (and Girls) again. And the funny thing was that I found the pace OK - I don’t mean really easy, but not drowning-man tough.
Unfortunately after only about ten minutes, I got a really serious cramp down the length of my left vastus medialis muscle (it’s the one that bulges out somewhat on the inside edge of your thigh, just above your knee). It was like the muscle had formed a pencil-shaped knot along its length. Stretching it out only seemed to make it worse, though after ten minutes or so, it had relaxed enough to start swimming again.
The problem seemed to be the push off from the end of the pool, so I tried to make sure my left leg was completely passive at the end of each pool. But to no avail - it started cramping up again pretty soon. But this time, I caught it early, before it was fully cramped. So I had to sit out most of the rest of the session 
It seems OK now though . . . and I’m really looking forward to the next swimming session on Thursday!
Workout:
- Type: Swim
- Date: 02/11/2008
- Total Time: 00:45:00.00
- Distance: 1,400.13 m
- Average Pace: 3:12.84/100m
[...] This evening was a tough session with the NE31 Tri Club. A 550m warm up, followed by 20 x 50m, on 80s start times. Basically this was supposed to be a ‘Level 8′ speed session (10 = flat out, 9 = race pace, 8 = just below), and I was doing fine up to the 14th rep (holding 60 seconds swim for a 20 seconds recovery, at 40 strokes per 50m), when I started to get some slight cramping spasms in my legs again as I kicked off from the end of the pool. These were generally in my hamstrings as I brought my legs in for the kick. At the turnaround on the 16th rep though, it got serious. My left vastus medialis cramped badly, and my immediate, instinctive, unthinking, reflex was to stretch it out by pulling my legs in. Big mistake, as my right hamstring immediately cramped. Oh great! There I was in the deep end of the pool, with my legs completely useless. I actually considered just raising my arm and letting the lifeguard pull me out - it felt that bad. [...]
[...] After my Sunday morning ride, I did a short run to cool down. Having made damned sure that I’d had enough to drink while cycling, I’m pleased that I had no problems at all with cramp in my leg muscles. [...]
[...] After the bike ride, I could tell that all was not well with my legs - I had some slight pain in both my vastus medialis muscles, that I’ve come to recognise from longer rides / pool session as a symptom of electrolyte problems prior to actual cramping. [...]