Bonked?

Jehannum

Hi.

I went out for a lunchtime ride today, for the 2nd day running after three weeks off the bike. Yesterday I did a familiar 20 mile route with a couple of small hills [suffolk] and felt tired and slow, but it went OK.

Today I got half way round and ran out of steam completely. Every uphill was torture, and on the flat, instead of getting some good speed up, a found myself having to freewheel to rest every couple of minutes, as my thighs were on the edge of cramping. I was well hydrated before the ride, took a 750ml bottle with me and emptied it on the ride. By the end of the ride I was light headed and a bit fuzzy in my thinking, and turning the cranks was really hard work.

I was warm enough: 3 thin layers on top, tights, overshoes, and I ate sufficient beforehand. I think the lightheadedness was probably me hyperventilating [though why is anyone's guess, it's not something I've ever dome before].

So did I "bonk"? And if so, how to recover? Short easy ride tomorrow, or stay off for a day?

Suggestions gratefully received...

J.

pb21

Did you crave a mars bar or similar?

sampras38

When had you eaten before the ride?

I doubt very much whether you had bonked, but rather just lacked fitness due to being off the bike for a few weeks. 20 miles is probably just over an hour or hour and a quarter of riding (if you're unfit) and so you shouldn't run out of energy for that sort of time/distance.

danlikesbikes

Could be lots of different things, but sounds like a combination of lack of sufficient recovery time and not enough food/fluid on board.

Simple way to find out take a day off to rest and then do the same ride again, if you still feeling the same then sounds like you need to look at what you eat & drink before, during and after.

ben@31

The one experience I've had of bonked was when I was on the bike last month.

I had done 70km and was going pretty well, faster than I usually do and feeling fit .

I had porridge and banana for breakfast. Had two 500ml bottle of water on the bike but I was too busy cycling to eat. So yes I was working hard for 2 hours 30 min and had no food intake (was I running just on glycogen stores)?

Then around the 70km mark I had hit a wall. I almost instantly went from feeling good and cycling well to my body not responding to my mind. Despite my mind trying its hardest, my speed dropped by 10 mph, I had nothing left in my legs and I had to drop into the lowest gears for the smallest of inclines. When I stopped, all of a sudden I really felt the cold.

I took 2 energy gels but never fully recovered, so called it a day.

The difference was one hell of an experience.

upperoilcan

Im sorry to say that i have "Bonked" quite a few times whilst riding the bike (More so than running) an i have to say what a very strange feeling it is when your completely depleated of energy...

A couple of times i have kept going and made it home only to pig out on anything i can find.The others i have decided to stop and refuel (due to the distance from home).

One thing i will say is that when you do Bonk believe me you will know it as it's completley different to being fatigued.

mk1markfalkirk

Only bonked badly once half way through a 100k ride with faster riders. Never felt so bad on a bike before and lost all my confidence in my legs, still not got it all back yet.

Make sure to eat plenty before your ride, Also make it 30 minutes+ after breakfast get on the bike. Helped me loads.

Jehannum

Thanks for the replies.

I don't think it was lack of food and drink - I'd had toast and a protein shake about 30 minutes before riding. If anything this might have been too soon, but it's never caused a problem before.

I had no cravings when I got back, and no nausea. I did go on a sugar binge, to be on the safe side. This morning I still feel tired, so maybe it was too much too soon. Strange, though because from late summer on, I've been doign 20-25m at lunchtime 3-5 times a week. Maybe I lost more fitness in those three weeks than I realised.

We'll see what next week brings...

J.

upperoilcan

J, i would doubt very much that you lost any fitness in the space of 3 weeks..

Some days i can get on the bike and feel like Superman,some days i can get on the bike and feel tired out before i even get on it.....Although the latter of the two is a rare occurance im pleased to say.

There are many factors to performance,poor performance can be down to lack of sleep,type of food you have consumed before the ride,dehydration just to name a few.

sadlybiggins

You might also have a virus or similar which has not developed fully yet. As others have said, it could be a multitude of things. See how you feel next time you ride.

pinno

Not in the vain of Cake Stop:
Having bonked on numerous occassions due to bad preperation and thats that, last year I found myself drained of energy and feeling lathargic despite half decent mileage. Took a while to sort but ended up being diagnosed with an under active thyroid and even the best preperation did not stop the dreaded bonk.
So get yourself checked if this period of low ebb is sustained. Viruses can also make you feel like a lead ballon and its important not to train when you are carrying a virus as it can damage heart muscle.

On a sub note: THIS IS CAKE STOP - should have posted it on the training forum.
So I am going to have to issue a discipliniary:

Don't do it again

In the vain of Cake Stop:

Get on your bike you bloody cupcake and cycle 300 miles today, 350 tomorrow and eat 75 bananas a day washed down with 6 litres of water. Next week, do the TdF route and swim down the Seine till you hit the sea and swim home. That'll fix it.

Jehannum

pinarello001 wrote:

On a sub note: THIS IS CAKE STOP - should have posted it on the training forum.
So I am going to have to issue a discipliniary:

Don't do it again

Well, maybe everything bonking-related now goes in the Bottom Bracket?

pinarello001 wrote:

Get on your bike you bloody cupcake and cycle 300 miles today, 350 tomorrow and eat 75 bananas a day washed down with 6 litres of water. Next week, do the TdF route and swim down the Seine till you hit the sea and swim home. That'll fix it.

Cupcake! . Eating 75 bananas certainly gave me something else to think about, rather than how empty my legs were feeling.

J.