Cramp Down To Kona

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Most of you have heard our 'cramping' stories. 

"Couple found clinging to cliff after experiencing simultaneous cramping while swimming in Lake Travis after bike ride." "Sherpa goes down with severe post-Ironman cramping while waiting at bar after standing on street corner all day watching Ironman." "Sherpa nearly expedited from airplane after serious leg cramps curl him into the aisle after Ironman." "Woman's midnight howling from femoral leg cramps confuses children."

You get the picture. This Ironman stuff can cause serious muscle cramps whether you are the trainee or the Sherpa. Two weeks ago after a Tuesday Nighter bike workout I was woken up with the most intense leg cramp squeezing into the head of my quad. It just wouldn't let up. Steve kept breezing in and out of the bedroom during the episode, shaking his head chuckling. I am sure he was thinking, "How bout that Ironman," as he continually strolled in and out laughing at me contorted and making bizarre animal noises in bed, trying my best to muffle them so they wouldn't be confused with anything else!

Well, this morning at 4:04 I hear these "Oh, Ooohhh, ooooooohhhh" sounds coming from next to me and the sheets getting tighter and tighter on his side of the bed. Then the whimpering began. "Cramp!!!" he croaked!

I couldn't control myself as I felt the tears of laughter rolling down my cheeks. "What can I do?" I managed to get out between fits of laughter. "Oh, Lord! Oh, no. Here it comes again!! Cramp!!!" He said as he convulsed around trying to get the muscle to release.

Nope. Not yet. A third set in. I even began questioning if it was a cramp or heart attack! "Where is it?" I actually snorted (I was beyond laughs and giggles!) " My leg, my right leg!! Oh, Lord. Ooohhh!! Here it comes again." 

By this time he is face down, one leg in the bed, the other sprawled across the floor. He volted himself back into bed with the next cramp. Not knowing what to do, other than stop laughing, which was not a possibility, I reached over and said, "Here, let me try to massage it or at least apply pressure to it." So with my best 4am effort I begin to knead his leg.

After what seemed like minutes, out of the pitch black I hear with a very serious tone, "That's my left leg." Again, I make another snorting giggle. I relocate and begin again. Then after quite some time, I hear, "That's not my leg, but if you keep rubbing it, I may forget about the cramp!"

Viva Ironman!




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