"Bonk," like "overtrain," is one of those cycling buzzwords that gets thrown around a little too lightly. Let me tell you, friends, I just had a real, no-fooling, bonk. I contemplated lying down by the side of the road, even though it was raining. I had to remind myself where I was, and how to get back home. Zonel 1 required a maximal mental effort. The borders of my vision were a little bit blurry. Etc.
I realize this is roughly a consequence of poor diet. I'm trying to lose weight while training intensely at the same time, which is admittedly dicey. But what, exactly, happened here? Is "bonk" a cutesy word for "hypoglycemia"? If I waited long enough, would my body's anti-hypoglycemia measures kick in, even without feeding? Muscle glycogen depletion? Liver glycogen depletion? Both? Neither? Related to this question, how best to recover from a bad bonk?
There's also a lot of folklore about how bad for you bonking is. Obviously, it can't be *good*. But, I hear claims that, e.g., it takes two weeks to recover from a bonk, and that seems impossible for something that's basically caused by a nutritional status. I've also seen Ric, whose opinion I take very seriously in such matters, say that there are long-term metabolic consequences to bonking; I believe he said it could predispose one to diabetes and/or insulin resistance. I'm curious about this, and any other long-term (or serious short-term) health risks I might be running by trying to train in a somewhat glycogen-deprived state.
I realize this is roughly a consequence of poor diet. I'm trying to lose weight while training intensely at the same time, which is admittedly dicey. But what, exactly, happened here? Is "bonk" a cutesy word for "hypoglycemia"? If I waited long enough, would my body's anti-hypoglycemia measures kick in, even without feeding? Muscle glycogen depletion? Liver glycogen depletion? Both? Neither? Related to this question, how best to recover from a bad bonk?
There's also a lot of folklore about how bad for you bonking is. Obviously, it can't be *good*. But, I hear claims that, e.g., it takes two weeks to recover from a bonk, and that seems impossible for something that's basically caused by a nutritional status. I've also seen Ric, whose opinion I take very seriously in such matters, say that there are long-term metabolic consequences to bonking; I believe he said it could predispose one to diabetes and/or insulin resistance. I'm curious about this, and any other long-term (or serious short-term) health risks I might be running by trying to train in a somewhat glycogen-deprived state.