Is this bonking or over training

cheaperholidays

HI

I have increased my daily ride to 34 mile of flat plus long dragging climbs, i live in Wales nothing is flat..

Lately i have been getting to around the 26 mile mark, and i get this sickly cold sweat feeling where your legs feel like they have run out of steam, i have been taking regular drinks and the odd banana..

Do i need to eat more or perhaps slow down and take rest days.


Thanks

Mike

Buckled_Rims

While IMO it is possible to bonk after 26 miles you'd have to either be incredibly unfit or be blasting along at 100% for the 26 miles in world record pace. Lets face it, 34 miles even in hilly areas is not that hard for an averagely fit person on a road bike.

I think you might be slightly over-training for your fitness level. Your body needs rest to build up fitness not more exercise.

Many riders don't eat anything if it's a short training run of less then 40 miles. I'll just take a few jelly babies and a bottle of water.

cheaperholidays

Thanks Buckled_rims I think you could be right, the legs were a bit on the dead side before i started and then had to ride all the way into a bloody head wind lol


I think a rest day is in order

Rich Hcp

Sounds like overtraining to me.

Everyone needs a day off, I suspect thats what your body is trying to tell you.

amaferanga

Is this the same ride that you posted about in the training section that takes you about 3 hours? If so then it takes you about 2 hours to cover the 26 miles and therefore it would appear more like bonking. With overtraining you'd likely feel weak from the start of the ride. It could also be that you are just trying to push too hard for your current level of fitness. An HR monitor might help you pace your rides better.

37monkey

what's your cadence like (the speed your peddles go round) also avoid the odd bananas and stick to the regular ones

cheaperholidays

amaferanga wrote:

It could also be that you are just trying to push too hard for your current level of fitness. An HR monitor might help you pace your rides better.

Hi yes got the ride down to 2 hours 35 but how does a hr monitor help?

Just checked and my resting hr is 48 bpm


As far as cadence is concerned its 96 to 101, i have tried to pedal slower and i just cannot seem to manage it.

Mike

kettrinboy

if you had really bonked you would hardly be able to do the last 8 miles at all, and if you hit the full bonk you wil never want to let it happen again ever, try doing 2-3 rides a week, riding every day, if thats what your doing then i,d get tired legs, as others have said they probably just need a rest.

starlet_gt

cheaperholidays wrote:

amaferanga wrote:

It could also be that you are just trying to push too hard for your current level of fitness. An HR monitor might help you pace your rides better.

Hi yes got the ride down to 2 hours 35 but how does a hr monitor help?

Just checked and my resting hr is 48 bpm


As far as cadence is concerned its 96 to 101, i have tried to pedal slower and i just cannot seem to manage it.

Mike

when it comes to cadence I'm similar to you, my legs don't feel comfortable unless I'm doing between 90-110. Possibly you just need a rest day if you're doing this mileage daily?

IShaggy

Overtraining equals a good handful of the following -

Washed-out feeling, tired, drained, lack of energy Mild leg soreness, general aches and pains Pain in muscles and joints Sudden drop in performance Insomnia Headaches Decreased immunity (increased number of colds, and sore throats) Decrease in training capacity / intensity Moodiness and irritability Depression Loss of enthusiasm for the sport Decreased appetite Increased incidence of injuries. A compulsive need to exercise

Very rare for a part-time athlete to be suffering from over-training.

Sounds like you're just k'nackered. Time to rest up a bit. And make sure you have at least one rest day per week - to recharge the batteries.

SBezza

Overtraining takes effect over a prolonged period of training, I doubt it is either bonking or overtraining, more like just general tiredness.

How often do you take rest days, and what is your general nutrition like, these need to be taken into account

datpat64

Sounds like Hypoglucemia to me (AKA the bonk)

I'm diabetic and have to be very , very careful about blood sugars on rides and making sure that , if anything, I overcompensate on these. My advice would be wine gums or jelly beans. Eat four or five after 15 miles.

The banana is good but won't have any immediate effect on your blood sugar. The sweets will give you a quick short lsting sugar boost and I'd suggest eat some twice as well as drinking and your banana as well.

If you don't get the symptoms (which do sound like bonking to me) then you've found your problem

Simples !

cheaperholidays

My general diet has always been rice, pasta, ect since i come from a long distance running background.

I have always pushed a bit too hard it seems to be ingrained, and the trouble is i train on my own there are no clubs nearby, but its still fun.

Flurst

datpat64 wrote:

Sounds like Hypoglucemia to me (AKA the bonk)

I'm diabetic and have to be very , very careful about blood sugars on rides and making sure that , if anything, I overcompensate on these. My advice would be wine gums or jelly beans. Eat four or five after 15 miles.

The banana is good but won't have any immediate effect on your blood sugar. The sweets will give you a quick short lsting sugar boost and I'd suggest eat some twice as well as drinking and your banana as well.

If you don't get the symptoms (which do sound like bonking to me) then you've found your problem

Simples !

Glad someone has defined BONK, didnt want to ask in fear of ridicule, well I am new to the sport!!!

SBezza

datpat64 wrote:

Sounds like Hypoglucemia to me (AKA the bonk)

I'm diabetic and have to be very , very careful about blood sugars on rides and making sure that , if anything, I overcompensate on these. My advice would be wine gums or jelly beans. Eat four or five after 15 miles.

The banana is good but won't have any immediate effect on your blood sugar. The sweets will give you a quick short lsting sugar boost and I'd suggest eat some twice as well as drinking and your banana as well.

If you don't get the symptoms (which do sound like bonking to me) then you've found your problem

Simples !

I am pretty sure it isn't the bonk, for the distance/time your body has more than enough stored glycogen for this not to be a problem. If the guy had starved himself all day then maybe, but you should quite easily be able to cover this distance with just a bottle of water (medical issues excepted of course, ie a diabetic etc).

I would put it down to pure tiredness, the OP just says daily, if he is going hardish each day, then the cumulative effect of this will mean his body isn't getting the rest it needs, you need to allow the body recovery time. It could be psychological as well, if it is the same point each ride, the OP may subconsciously be expecting to feel bad, and so does feel bad, does it coincide with a hill for example.

Also the diet needs to be decent, plenty of fresh fruit and veg, and although pasta and rice is mentioned, white pasta, isn't particularly the best for you, and isn't that necessary to be able to ride. I don't really eat pasta, rice or potatoes, and never have issue with energy.

MrChuck

The cold sweaty part does sound like bonking.

SBezza

MrChuck wrote:

The cold sweaty part does sound like bonking.

Or if it is the same point every ride, fear of what is going to happen, ie physiological.

To the OP, does it happen EVERY ride, and at the same point every ride

cheaperholidays

Hi All

I think whats happening is this, i do this ride every day as a commute - only on this occasion i reversed the route and sods law dictated i was in to a gusty headwind all the way. Its amazing how much difference reversing a route can make


Just completed the same run today and no problems bit tired but no leg shacking queasy sickly feeling, so i think i pushed to hard and blew up.