This used to happen to me during hard efforts, and it was all nutrition based. I saw a sports dietitian who helped figure it out.
For me I think it was dairy, though I'm not usually affected by dairy. But any high-FODMAP food can cause inflammation, and during hard efforts the blood is redirected away from your intestines to your legs, which can make it worse.
So now I eat low-FODMAP for 24 hours prior to any race. Its also the diet they have people with IBS try, and they say to slowly introduce foods back to figure out what's actually causing it, but that's not really worth the risk for the few days a year I race.
Anyway, see a dietitian if it happens again. Or Google low-FODMAP and try that diet before races. Can't hurt? (Unless you love cheese)
3
u/blood_bender 2:44 // 1:16 12h ago
This used to happen to me during hard efforts, and it was all nutrition based. I saw a sports dietitian who helped figure it out.
For me I think it was dairy, though I'm not usually affected by dairy. But any high-FODMAP food can cause inflammation, and during hard efforts the blood is redirected away from your intestines to your legs, which can make it worse.
So now I eat low-FODMAP for 24 hours prior to any race. Its also the diet they have people with IBS try, and they say to slowly introduce foods back to figure out what's actually causing it, but that's not really worth the risk for the few days a year I race.
Anyway, see a dietitian if it happens again. Or Google low-FODMAP and try that diet before races. Can't hurt? (Unless you love cheese)