Question:

Sure hope you can help! My 17 year old daughter is a high school long distance runner. She has been running since she was 7 or 8 years old. Last spring during track and again this season she is getting abdominal cramps during her 2mille event. She also runs cross country in the fall and doesn't seem to get these cramps during longer distances. She never quits during a race and tries to run through the cramps but obviously she slows down and gets very upset. What can I do to help her? Is it a nutrition issue? What should she eat on race day and when? I hate to see her so disheartened! Thank you,

 Answer:

Dear Joellyn,

It sounds like you daughter would benefit from a consultation with a sports nutritionist. It could be that she needs to modify her diet to her events or even just the timing of when she eats prior to her shorter runs.

Kind regards

Angela Benjamin MSc MCSP Chartered Physiotherapist