bonking
- Thread starter David760
- Start date
If you say it to the average person in Australia, they'll assume you mean getting it on between the sheets, but in the cycling context Lance Armstrong used it extensivley in his book to describe glycogen depletion, or hunger flats.
I'm pretty new to the whole cycling thing myself, so some of the others may be able to explain it better, but from what I understand, the average person has about two to three hours of energy (stored as glycogen) in the muscles when used at a reasonable intensity. If no effort is made to top this up with food, you suffer exhaustion when this glycogen is depleted.
I've only experienced this on a bike once, but I can tell you it bites. I used to be a competitive swimmer and if I ended up completely exhausted after a session, the worst case scenario meant I had to walk 50m to the other end of the pool. But when you're out on the road, 30 miles from home and there's just nothing left in your legs... complete misery.
I'm pretty new to the whole cycling thing myself, so some of the others may be able to explain it better, but from what I understand, the average person has about two to three hours of energy (stored as glycogen) in the muscles when used at a reasonable intensity. If no effort is made to top this up with food, you suffer exhaustion when this glycogen is depleted.
I've only experienced this on a bike once, but I can tell you it bites. I used to be a competitive swimmer and if I ended up completely exhausted after a session, the worst case scenario meant I had to walk 50m to the other end of the pool. But when you're out on the road, 30 miles from home and there's just nothing left in your legs... complete misery.
Your description is spot on. Glycogen is also stored in large amounts in the liver and as its depeletion is relative to the intensity you ride at the faster you go the sooner the bonk occurs. In a very hard session, you could become depleted within 90 minutes.
Another problem is that if you don't replace used glycogen between sessions, glycogen stores will be low before you start training and the bonk will occur sooner.
I have been using the term 'Bonking' since I was running the 3200m in high school track when Lemond was first winning the tour. I guess it is an American word that Lance and the rest of us grew up using.
Several years ago a US cycling mag had in large print on the cover "Avoid the BONK!" The next month the same magazine told of the previous months edition being pulled from shelves in the UK because of "BONK" having a different meaning there.
Two nations seperated by a common language.
Eric
Two nations seperated by a common language.
Eric
'The wall' was how I remembered it, but I suppose the single syllable word "BONKED" is easier to blurt when you're knackered.
Anyway, the century I did this past weekend is the first time I've really 'bonked' since running a marathon years ago. Both times, I realized a slight euphoric delerium - the onset of somewhat silly thoughts as I continued on will power alone...
Anyway, the century I did this past weekend is the first time I've really 'bonked' since running a marathon years ago. Both times, I realized a slight euphoric delerium - the onset of somewhat silly thoughts as I continued on will power alone...
2LAP...it is! I loooooove Carboom too. It tastes so much better than Gu and its way cheap!!! I think I pay $7.95 for a big bottle of Carboom [12 servings] and I get a free flask with every order. It's a bargain. If you're looking for this stuff...go to performancebike.com. They sell it there. Our team swears by this gel. I hope this helps.
Best Wishes,
Vector7
It happened to me on the weekend. About 55k into a 64k race. Those last 9 km were a real struggle. Instead of a sprint to the line in the last km it was just try to keep those pedals turning and stagger over as best you can. Needless to say I was a distant last in the field.
The fact that I rowed a 7.5km race in a quad scull on Saturday morning, went for a 50 km ride in the afternoon into a strong headwind, did another 8 km in the single scull at 7am before the bike race start at 10am on Sunday, probably contributed to being bonked in the bike race. But at least I finished.
In my case, my sense of sight(darkens) and hearing drop far less than normal, like half way dreaming, my reaction to what's happening around me becomes much slower. When I look back how I got back to my home, like watching a movie 90 % of frames are dropped. It usually happens after more than 30 miles without any food or drinks contain sugar. I try to carry something small to eat or stop to get some soda pop before it happens.
Oh yeah. You'll know when it happens. Every pedal stroke becomes a challenge and even the next km on a flat road must be riden slowly in a small gear.
When it's happens to me, its almost always explainable through taking on insufficient (or inappropriate) fuel during the ride, and riding too hard for too long to keep up with my mates (who are obviously in better shape). The male ego leads to downfall yet again.
I'm no nutrition expert, but I follow my better's advice, and make sure that on any ride over three hours, I take some appropriate food every 20 - 30 minutes after the first hour and throughout the rest of the ride.
When it's happens to me, its almost always explainable through taking on insufficient (or inappropriate) fuel during the ride, and riding too hard for too long to keep up with my mates (who are obviously in better shape). The male ego leads to downfall yet again.
I'm no nutrition expert, but I follow my better's advice, and make sure that on any ride over three hours, I take some appropriate food every 20 - 30 minutes after the first hour and throughout the rest of the ride.
That's exactly what happens to me. I get tunnel vision, which is alarming if you've still some miles to get home.
