Road Cycling - Almost bonked today...

Maybe I did bonk, I rode 56 miles and had a pretty good climb right at the end but my legs could barely get me up that hill. My hamstrings were cramping up and everytime I tried to get out of the saddle my quads were on the verge of cramping. It hurt and I still don't feel that great. I think I just didn't fuel up enough...my own stupid fault. I had some cereal and a banana in the AM and that was pretty much it other than a couple gel shots and one bottle of cytomax. I haven't done any longish rides lately so maybe that contributed to it. I had plenty of water and drank throughout the ride but we were pushing pretty good for about the first 45 miles.

Edit-Thinking back, I might not have had enough water throughout the ride. I felt strong for the first 40+ miles and sprinted easily up some hills early on but later I felt weak. I think it was a combination of things actually. We stopped about mile 45 and I had a little left of the cytomax which was a 12oz bottle and a bit more of the water bottle which was a 16oz bottle. I dumped the remaining water and cytomax and filled up with water and drank a bit. Come to think of it, I haven't pee'd much since then either.

Definitely won't be making that mistake again. :o

Take care man! get a little rest........and food! you'll feel better!

That's not bonking.

Cramps /= Bonk

Sounds like you ate and drank enough, unless you were pushing super hard. Maybe just a bad day?

Out-a-shape!

Out-a-shape!

+1

"Don't write checks your guads can't cash." - Buddha

I've been commuting 60-80 miles a week for the past few months but those are short rides with long breaks in between. My longest rides have been about 30 miles on the weekend (my commute is about 20 miles round trip) so I guess I thought 60 shouldn't really have been a problem. I've got a century coming up next month so I guess I need to get in a couple more long distance rides between now and then. I need to give some more thought to my fuel strategy too I guess.

I'm feeling fine now. Bad day I guess.

Was it a hot day? Perhaps you sweated more than usual? I don't know what cytomax is, but you should probably take 2x 750 ml AT THE LEAST for a ride of that length. One or both of those should be a sports drink with electrolytes. Drink extra the day before, including a pint just before you go to bed. Granted you may be up in the night, but with this preparation I no longer get cramps and nor should you. I used to suffer from them badly.

That's nowhere near a bonk. If you bonk, you're dizzy, naseous, near collapsing and struggling to ride at 3 mph on a flat road.

That's nowhere near a bonk. If you bonk, you're dizzy, naseous, near collapsing and struggling to ride at 3 mph on a flat road.

I've never bonked then. Guess I don't know the meaning of the word yet. Here's hoping I never do. :beer:

I'm telling you, 10 more miles today and I might have been there. I still managed to average 15.2mph over the ride with a couple decent climbs. We were probably averaging 16-17mph up to the last 15 miles when another member of our group started falling off the back.

Was it a hot day? Perhaps you sweated more than usual? I don't know what cytomax is, but you should probably take 2x 750 ml AT THE LEAST for a ride of that length. One or both of those should be a sports drink with electrolytes. Drink extra the day before, including a pint just before you go to bed. Granted you may be up in the night, but with this preparation I no longer get cramps and nor should you. I used to suffer from them badly.

It was in the low to mid 80s today at the end of our ride and I know I lost a fair amount of water through my pores. I had a bathroom break once and it wasn't impressive to put it delicately.

Cytomax is a sports drink with electrolytes.

Where did you ride today? I did loops around Shelter Island this morning.

I've only bonked once, about 15 km from the end of a 120km ride.

I had eaten during the ride, but it included a 40km RR, so I guess I didn't eat enough. I crawled the 15 km at about 10 km/h, got into my driveway and literally collapsed off my bike. Basically passed out for about a half hour.

It is seriously not fun, I could barely face the bike the rest of that week. Eat and drink plenty on those long rides.

I've also only bonked once, in Palm Springs in 100 degree heat. Not enough food and not enough water. I barely made it back to the hotel. I'm going to make sure it doesn't happen again.

I think you were low on electrolytes.

Guess I don't know the meaning of the word yet. Here's hoping I never do.

But you haven't lived until you've properly bonked. Quite an experience, really. You absolutely have nothing left at that point.

I agree, this is not bonking. Bonking is a truly depleted state; you have nothing left - just short of but not excluding a medical emergency.

Off day. We all have them for one reason or another. I've done effortless centuries without more than a bottle of gatorade and I've been well nourished and hydrated but out of it after 40 miles.

That's nowhere near a bonk. If you bonk, you're dizzy, naseous, near collapsing and struggling to ride at 3 mph on a flat road.

+1

You can barely pedal, and often times you get the chills (might be related to low blood sugar). I've never cramped riding, but I have majorly bonked about 3 times.

But you haven't lived until you've properly bonked. Quite an experience, really. You absolutely have nothing left at that point.

+1

It's a right of passage!

i see this a lot, people correcting those who do not know what the bonk is or respect what it is to "bonk." some almost get angry at the fact that another thinks he or she bonked when in their opinion they did not. the term seems to get used as slang for a bad ride or run.

wiki (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bonk_(condition)) (which is all knowing and true! :) ) basically sums the bonk up as glycogen depletion or more specifically, to describe a condition when the athlete suddenly loses energy and fatigue sets in, usually caused when glycogen stores in the liver and muscles are depleted, resulting in a major performance drop.

so is the "bonk" a thing of science, something that can be measured with specific symptoms or is it slang and different for everyone. i have no point to this, just thinking. or not. later.

+1

You can barely pedal, and often times you get the chills (might be related to low blood sugar). I've never cramped riding, but I have majorly bonked about 3 times.

Last time I cramped while riding was during a century ride at about mile 93. I almost never cramp during a ride so this was unusual.

BTW-We rode from Irvine to Oceanside (inland-Rancho Del Oro specifically).

Anyway, thanks everyone for the responses. Wish I could change the thread title...