Avoid Nagging Cramps During Your Race
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 | | In today's edition, Joe shares: - How to Teach Resilience to Your Kids
- Anti-Cramping Tips
- Youth Activity by the Numbers
| | | FREEZING IN VANCOUVER | Spartans!
It was spring in Vancouver. I took my four kids (Jack, then 12; Charlie, 10; Catherine, 9; and Alex, 5), plus a friend of mine named Mo, to hike Squamish Nation. The plan was to trek ten miles to the cabin we'd stay at overnight.
The first few miles were a breeze. The sun was out. The kids were happy.
But at mile five, the temperature started to dip a degree with every step.
It got cold, fast.
As we hiked, the darkness closed in on our path. Snow appeared on the mountain. My daughter Alex started to complain about the cold.
We had forgotten her jacket.
Hikers on their descent wore glacier goggles and heavy-duty winter coats with ice picks in their hands. "You have at least seven hours to the cabin," one said. I realized we were completely unprepared.
For just a split second, I did consider turning around. But if you know anything about me, you'll guess what we did.
The next thing I knew, we were knee-deep in snow. Alex's thin Converse sneakers were soaked. The kids were freezing, hungry, and completely exhausted. To be honest, so was I.
At 2:00 A.M., we finally reached the cabin. There wasn't much food that night. We made a pitiful soup with a couple carrots I had in my pocket, but to the kids, it tasted like five-star cuisine.
On the car ride home, we stopped for French fries. Jack accidentally tripped and dropped his fries all over the floor of the McDonald's. The kids were so hungry they scavenged around the floor, shoving fries into their mouths like wild animals.
That was a sight I never imagined I'd see.
When you have everything, you don't appreciate anything. But when you're gloveless in the snow, you start to appreciate your incredibly comfortable life.
Six years later, the kids still talk about this hike.
Here's the truth: This will happen again. My kids will find themselves unprepared in cold weather, hungry but miles from food, and running on an empty tank with a whole mountain to climb. When that happens, I want them to be able to not only weather the storm, but rebound and respond like warriors.
And remember: Kids are far more resilient than you think. The extreme Camp Spartan in Vermont is testament to that!
When our kids train hard, they live differently in the world. But it requires a commitment from us — the parents.
Here's to The Hard Way!
Joe | | | YOUTH ACTIVITY ON DECLINE | | | | | | You Ask, Joe Answers | Q: Hi Joe, I ran the 5k races no problem, but had calf cramping in the 10K and 21K races. Do you have any suggestions?
– Christopher L.
A: Hey Christopher, Your cramping should be solved with two simple steps. To help answer your question, I consulted Rocco Castellano, Spartan's Director of Athletic Services. You can find him at the Spartan+ Member Zone at various races this year.
First things first: Hydrate. Dehydration causes you to lose minerals, which then increases your likelihood of painful calf cramps. Rocco suggests stocking up on essential minerals like phosphorus, sodium, potassium, and magnesium at least three days leading up to your race, and of course staying extra hydrated on race day.
The second step you should take is to invest in a percussive massager, like the Theragun or Playmakar MVPmini. "You can't hydrate a tight muscle," Rocco says. "If you have chronic cramping, you have to manipulate the muscle." Use the massager on your calves before the race as a warm up, and after the race to recover.
Aroo!
Question for Joe? Want to tell him what you think of The Hard Way? Email him at thehardway@spartan.com. | | | | They Said It | | "It is hard to fail, but it is worse never to have tried to succeed." | | – Theodore Roosevelt | | | The Hard Way Podcast | | | "We have lots of different touch points throughout a kid's day. We as parents have control over only some of those touch points. We don't have control over them during the school day. PE is being peeled away."
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