Not sure if it is the gluten-free diet (except for when I get accidentally exposed – not sure yet what got me earlier this week). Not sure if it is just that I’m fitter now. Not sure, but it is good.

Usually when I take a week off exercising, my body back-slides. I end up not where I left off. So, it was with that trepidation that I jumped in the pool yesterday. I fully expected to only be able to swim half or maybe two-thirds of what I last swam. So, I was pleasantly surprised when I managed to almost make the same number laps as my previous swim which was two weeks prior. I’m now swimming 800m in the 25m pool.

I usually end up having to get out of the pool because of muscle cramps rather than any other type of fatigue. I drink a full electrolyte drink before getting in the pool, and I have my water bottle handy – often drinking most of it while swimming. I’m still getting muscle cramps – either in my feet or calves. For all my swimming friends, I’m open to suggestions. My muscles are well warmed up as I usually do 30-40 minutes on some form of elliptical/arc trainer first. I’m also taking calcium, magnesium, and zinc supplements. Any thoughts on what else I might do to prevent muscle cramps in the pool?