Cramp while running

[boyse7en]

Nearly completed my first marathon yesterday. Cramp started tweaking my calves at 18 miles and got progressively worse, resulting in run/walk, then walk with occasional hobble, then just walk. I drank at every water station (small plastic cup) and had a couple of gels along the way, but that was all. Can't eat while running.

At mile 25 the cramp was kicking in even while walking and the last mile took me over 30 minutes to complete.
Then to add insult to injury, 100m from the finish line I had to step up a curb - this resulted in both calves, and then both quads seizing absolutely solid. Absolutely agonising pain. I fell over and couldn't move...

I got cramp a few times while training - always around 18 mile (about 2hrs:45) but then it was only ever another couple of miles to the finish and was painful rather than debilitating.

What can I do? I'd like to be able to tick off a marathon just so I can say I've completed it. But Am I destined to always get cramp at 18 miles?

[Roger645]

I'm in no way an expert or have any medical capability but am guessing it maybe depletion of electrolyte. Maybe try adding some high5 zero tabs or similar to your water.

[Foliage]

How much water do you drink generally and how much did you have the day before the marathon?

What colour is your pee?

[MrMagoo]

Post this in the running thread in the sport section. A lot of very knowledgeable people in there who run marathons regularly and will be able to offer some good advice.

[AndStilliRise]

Its basically because your body has sweated out all the salt in your body.

Could be down to a couple of things, but generally your intake of water was more than the amount of salt in your body.

Used to happen to me, then someone suggested I eat a Snickers bar (used to be called marathons!). Or just have an uptake in salt during carb-load.

Hope this helps.