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Banging headache after the race

Hi, can anyone advise, or indeed does anyone else get this? I always get a banging headache about an hour/ two hours after a triathlon. I have done about 10 Tris this year (Mix between OD and Sprint) and the same last year. Trouble is, I know i will get a banging headache every time and its beginning to put me off now as it ruins the rest of my day.. A couple of Anadins and a kips usually puts paid to it, but its bugging me.

I'm sure i stay hydrated enough before during and after the race, and gels and food wise i am pretty sure i do okay.. I have had a couple of comments about salt and also bike positioning, as in my head and neck pressure from being in tri bar position for a period of time?? Does this happen to anyone else?

Thank you for any suggestions.

Comments

  • BmanBman Posts: 442
    Sounds like what I had Jimmy. I assmued it was dehydration, so when I switched to electrolyte drinks from the energy stuff, it went away. Drinking loads afterwards also helped. Not beer though.
  • Yeah i kinda drink electrolytes but it hasnt really made any difference? What type do you use, or recommened? Am I right in assuming that electrolyte drinks help to replace lost salt?

    Thanks for replying anyway Bman..
  • I've had this too, a pulsing headache after a long training session. Was defo a dehydration headache for me as I'm now drinking 4litres a day minimum up from 2litres maximum and problem solved. I tend to have 2 of those litres with a Nuun tablet thrown in for during exercise and afterwards, as I sweat excessively during exercise.

    Try this http://www.220triathlon.com/forum/post15047.html?hilit=dehydration#p15047 but if it continues after you've made changes then get yourself checked out.
  • Thanks Simondo for the tip on Nuun tablets. I just had a quick read up on them after I read your post and it seems something that will help me. I sweat alot too, and I have found the fitter I get the more I sweat. Also, thanks for the link to the previous thread on this. I was interested to read that someone also mentioned back/neck pains on the bike leading to headaches.
    I usually have about 3 gels per OD race, pint of water in one bottle and an electrolyte drink in another, probabaly about 500ml of.. I think next race I'm going to take just water and a Nuun tablet in each of my 3 bottles and see how this fairs.

    Thanks again..

    Jimmy.
  • I'm no expert but I'd say stick with the gels during the races as well as the Nuun. Nuun has no energy value, purely for balancing salts and optimising hydration. Alot of folk swear by it on here and definately makes water more palatable and its not sickly. Worth a shot.

    Plenty of threads on here too re: race nutrition.
  • BmanBman Posts: 442
    Jimmy, I agree with simondo

    A lot of people on here use the SIS GO electrolyte and Nuun. I use nuun before and after a race and the SIS stuff on the bike. I use a bottle of that on the aerobottle and water in a normal bottle and get through most of them in an OD (but thats just me). After the race, its a recovery drink and then hit the Nuun, loads of water and more GO electrolyte. My person indicator is Im rehydrated when my wee gets back to very diluted yellow, almost clear. Which is normally only the next morning. Its the best way to tell how hydrated you are.

    Id rather go overboard and drink too much for the 24hr post-race than have those damn migraines again.
  • Brilliant advice from both of you, thanks very much. This is something im going to try for my next race.

    Out of interest how many gels do you take during an OD? I usually get about 4 down the hatch. One just before the swim and then two on the bike and one before the run, the rest is liquid..
  • BmanBman Posts: 442
    Sounds about right, one 25 min before the race, one in first 5km on bike, one in last 5km of bike and a backup one for mid run just to get rid of any psychological excuses for having no energy in the last bit. But that last one isnt really needed I think.
  • Jack HughesJack Hughes Posts: 1,262
    I vote for Dehydration + a bit of tension.

    However, if it's happening after a sprint, then it is your hydration/nutrition _before_ the race that is the problem. It also makes me think that you may have some tension issues etc.

    Drink more water (the amount that you have to drink is specific to you) through the day - judge it by what colour your wee is. It wants to be a very very pale yellow.

    Tension could be complicated like technique, or as simple as googles/helmet being too tight.
  • gingertrigingertri Posts: 277
    blimey 4 gels, i can never stomach more than two! although i'm prob a lot slower than you guys!
  • Really? I thought I wasnt taking enough? The packet says take 1 every 10-15 mins during excersise...
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