Training & Nutrition - bonk

I've been having serious bonk experiences lately. I pack food and fluids but I'm beginning to think I've got the timing wrong. I feel dynamite up to about the 45 mile mark and then things seem to get dicey. So how soon should someone start eating into a 60 to 100 mile ride?

Slow down a little, sounds like you are going faster than you are fit to go.

Slow down a little, sounds like you are going faster than you are fit to go.
nah, I wear a hrm and keep a log. Its certainly not an aerobic fitness issue. I have 2000 base miles in since April. I guess to qualify it a little my pace today for instance dropped from a 20.5 mph avg to 17.5 for the last 10 or 12 miles and at 72 miles I felt like I had nothing left. I ate a power bar and 3 gels on the road today.

I feel dynamite up to about the 45 mile mark and then things seem to get dicey. So how soon should someone start eating into a 60 to 100 mile ride?Brilliant.

How does someone eat for 101 mile ride? A 102 mile ride?

No one knows what your problem is, nor if it is even related to nutrition. Ask your friends, that you ride with, they might spot your problem.

If your planning a 100 mile ride, that means your planning a 5hr + ride. Anything over a couple hours you need to plan on food and water. For water you need about 3/4 to 1 waterbottle an hour. You also need about 350 calories an hour.

So for a 5 hour ride, you need to take 1750 calories worth. You also need to start drinking and eating well within the first half hour, otherwise your playing catch up, and you will fall behind.

3 gells is 300 calories, a powerbar is about 250, so you took only 1/3 the amount you should have.

The above is guidlines only, some people get by with less, but use the above as a starting point. 5 hour rides i can get by with less, 10 hour rides I cant since the deficit catches up with you.

Another way to add calories without packing 10 lbs of sandwhiches is to add it in your waterbottle. I use Heed, and add about 250 calories to each waterbottle. Then 1 waterbottle and 1 gell is all i need per hour.

If your planning a 100 mile ride, that means your planning a 5hr + ride. Anything over a couple hours you need to plan on food and water. For water you need about 3/4 to 1 waterbottle an hour. You also need about 350 calories an hour.

So for a 5 hour ride, you need to take 1750 calories worth. You also need to start drinking and eating well within the first half hour, otherwise your playing catch up, and you will fall behind.

3 gells is 300 calories, a powerbar is about 250, so you took only 1/3 the amount you should have.

The above is guidlines only, some people get by with less, but use the above as a starting point. 5 hour rides i can get by with less, 10 hour rides I cant since the deficit catches up with you.

Another way to add calories without packing 10 lbs of sandwhiches is to add it in your waterbottle. I use Heed, and add about 250 calories to each waterbottle. Then 1 waterbottle and 1 gell is all i need per hour.

This is what I suspected, too little too late. I didn't eat anything until after the 1 hour mark so I was playing catch up and just ran out of gas. I need to arrive at a method so I can handle longer racing distances so maybe I'll try a gel and power bar every hour starting at 30 minutes.

Yeah, the digestion & absorption rate is a limited 200-250 cal/hr. So if you're burning off calories at a faster rate than this, which you most likely are close to 500-600 cal/hr, then you need to start eating and drinking right away as soon as you start the ride.

I've been having serious bonk experiences lately. I pack food and fluids but I'm beginning to think I've got the timing wrong. I feel dynamite up to about the 45 mile mark and then things seem to get dicey. So how soon should someone start eating into a 60 to 100 mile ride?

Right away .... packing food and fluids won't help you unless you consume them!

I've been having serious bonk experiences lately. I pack food and fluids but I'm beginning to think I've got the timing wrong. I feel dynamite up to about the 45 mile mark and then things seem to get dicey. So how soon should someone start eating into a 60 to 100 mile ride?

You should start eating 30 minutes before the ride, and eat throughout the entire ride.

You also may want to try something different than power bars. Most energy bars are pretty dense, and you don't have much blood to spare for your stomach when you're riding hard.

I also think that you're pushing too hard.