Last night’s ride left me all cramped up in my calves and parts of my quads. During the day I didn’t drink enough water, basically I drank a few cans of diet soda (free sodas at work) and 2 cups of coffee. So the common denominator for the cause of my cramps would be the caffeine. The jittery juice works as a diuretic, which means it pulls water away from my muscles and body.
I think I fooled myself thinking that I was hydrating my body during the day because I was drinking something, but in reality I was setting myself up for failure.
Luckily I had my hydration pack, when the cramps started, I guzzled as much water as my belly could handle. Cramps subsided, but my muscles were sore because of them.
What’s the moral of the story? Drink plenty of water BEFORE, DURING and AFTER a ride.
