Did I Bonk?

[Boatman]

Been mulling over saturdays ride, my longest at 70 miles but only by 7. Normally after a shower and an hours rest am fit to walk the dog. Not this time my thighs still hurt sunday morning. It was hard going as I had a strong headwind for half the ride but did I eat enough. Had porridge, banana and two mugs of tea before setting off. Then one bidon of squash and one of water and managed to eat 1.5 cereal bars. Ride took me 4.5 hours. So please could someone enlighten me, did I bonk or not? Do I need to plan better. Help would be appreciated.

 

[Tynan]

bonk is in ride surely, everything just slows down to ludicrous levels, your brain including, you don;t realise it's happening really

head wind adds a lot of ag to the exertion, and you might be a bit poorly too and blaming it all on the ride, 70 miles is a proper distance, it's going to take it out of you

 

[ianrauk]

i'm with Tynan on this. Bonking is what happens when you are on a bike not after a ride.
i

 

[StuAff]

And I agree with Tynan as well. To me it sounds like you underdid the eating during the ride (even a gel or two would have made a big difference), bearing in mind the extra work from the headwind, but definitely not a bonk, more you weren't at your best. If you didn't eat anything when you got back, your recovery would have been impaired as well. After intense exercise, there's a window of four hours or so when your body's ability to replenish its carb stores is at its maximum- remember that it's this repair process that builds fitness, not the exercise itself- and it's best to start ASAP. A good meal, and/or a recovery bar or drink will help immensely.
On a weekend in Wales a couple of years back, a friend of mine bonked big time. She'd had a couple of slices for toast for breakfast (!!) and she well and truly hit the wall- she had to bail, one of us drove her to the lunch stop- where she was shaking, couldn't manage to eat anything much..she thankfully perked up after that but she certainly wasn't at her best on the next couple of days' riding.

 

[Ajay]

I don't think you bonked, sounds like you were tired after doing a longer ride than usual, which is understandable.
You'd know all right if you had bonked! Total lack of power, blurred vision, difficulty in concentrating etc. It happened to me a couple of years ago, I managed to get the 5 miles or so to next cafe where a load of cake and sweet tea brought me back from the brink. Its a scary phenomenon though, potentially very dangerous as you're not in control. The experience served me well, when I was in the Pyrenees last year I realised I was getting close again, so was able to stop and refuel before I weaved my way over a cliff edge

 

[Boatman]

Thanks for the replies I wasn't sure what happened but things are a bit clearer now. More food while on the bike makes sense but had no idea about eating afterwards. Thanks again for your help.

 

[Garz]

Definitely not a proper bonk, more of a conditioning issue methinks. Keep riding around them distances and experiment what pre-ride meals work best (including carbing up the day before).

 

[Reluctant cyclist]

I agree with all of the answers given and I think a bit of dehydration should be thrown into the equation too.

 

[e-rider]

Sounds like your muscles are simply recovering from a 70 mile ride.

When you bonk you know about it; and it occurs during the ride. Hill ascents at 5mph etc.......can't hold the wheel of a six year old on a BMX etc.....

 

[Angelfishsolo]

+1

bonk is in ride surely, everything just slows down to ludicrous levels, your brain including, you don;t realise it's happening really

head wind adds a lot of ag to the exertion, and you might be a bit poorly too and blaming it all on the ride, 70 miles is a proper distance, it's going to take it out of you

 

[ianrauk]

The bonk is not nice. Thankfully I have never succumbed. But someone on this forum who I was on a ride with did. And it genuinely wasn't nice for him at all. He simply could not turn the pedals any further.

 

[ttcycle]

I'm not going to write what others have said already..

Came close myself on a ride but thankfully jelly babies from another forummer really helped bring the sugar levels back up but I decided it was home time for me!

 

[montage]

You know when you've bonked!

 

[e-rider]

I can't believe so many claim never to bonk - I bonk on nearly every 70+ mile ride I do!!! I ride hard from the start and usually bonk around 65 miles and then survive about 20 miles more before I can pedal no more.

Clearly you're all a bunch of touring cyclists, or simply don't push yourselves hard enough (or don't want to, which is fair enough)

 

[ianrauk]

I can't believe so many claim never to bonk - I bonk on nearly every 70+ mile ride I do!!! I ride hard from the start and usually bonk around 65 miles and then survive about 20 miles more before I can pedal no more.

Clearly you're all a bunch of touring cyclists, or simply don't push yourselves hard enough (or don't want to, which is fair enough)

Stand by what I said. Have never bonked, but come close. And I would like to think I'm not that a slow rider. One that does come to mind was when I was on a ride with RB58 through Kent. 145 miles of fast riding. At the 135 mile mark I did have to actually stop (on a very long gruelling hill) and have a rest, though it wasn't a bonk by any means.

Having seen someone bonk, a real bonk, and you will not be going any further on your bike.

Perhaps we are all much fitter then you tund and you are simply an unfit employed person.