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Re: "Bonk" - please define/describe [big slow mover] [ In reply to ]
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My only 'hard bonk' happend on a century ride that I was completely unprepared for. I went out hard, really hard, and burned up way too much muscle and liver glycogen too early. At eighty-six miles it felt like I ran into a mountain - it was that sudden and that extreme. I went from clipping along in a pack to falling off the back for no "apparent" reason, like going from level ground to a 20% grade. As hard as I told my legs to pedal, the cranks just would not turn in any gear...it wasn't a lack of focus or mental acuity, it was just physical failure, an inability to generate force anymore. It was surreal, and a bit freaky to my fragile state of mind at that point.

Fortunately, I was about 10 feet from a gas station/mini mart. Apu inside hooked me up with gatorade, candy bars, peanuts - I really wanted salt/sugar/fluids in a way I can only describe as desparate and uncontrollable, like I needed a fix. After sitting on the curb for about 10 minutes after inhaling everything in sight, I just clipped back in and happily motored it on to the finish - the absorption rate was crazy fast. Fortunately, I learn from mistakes.
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Re: "Bonk" - please define/describe [IronmanJay] [ In reply to ]
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i think it is not the lack of glycogen that causes the severe bonk symptoms, it is low blood sugar levels. Therefore eating sugar gets you back in 5 minutes, sugar goes into the blood really fast. Especially with something like cola or candy bars.

Refilling the glycogen stores takes a bit longer.
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Re: "Bonk" - please define/describe [IronmanJay] [ In reply to ]
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Yeah, the sitting on the crub in front of 7-11 and scarfing down $5 worth of junk food in 60 seconds or less is pretty standard. You're so desperately hungry you can't possibly chew and swallow fast enough, while still sucking in a breath every now and again.

Worst bonk I ever had, I actually recall thinking to myself - seriously - if I could squeeze to the left juuuust enough to get grazed and knocked over by a passing car, I could score a free ambulance ride back home... but didn't want to risk drifting over too far and wrecking my bike. Out in the middle of nowhere, no money. Finally found a pay phone (back in the day) and called a buddy collect to come fetch me. Promptly got a large pizza figuring I'd split it with him as a thanks for bailing me out, but he said he'd already just eaten, so I went ahead and ate the whole thing all by myself in one shot.
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Re: "Bonk" - please define/describe [TriCeratops] [ In reply to ]
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ive bonked once. it was on a group ride. i had only ever ridden like 10 miles before and I found myself on a 70 mile group ride with some ironmen, without enough food in my jersey.

about 40 miles in I was reduced to 5mph cycling, stopping every 5 minutes to rest

dreaming about coca cola

awful stuff

was a lot more bike fit after that though!

In Reply To:
I've heard it many, many times, "I bonked during the bike", "I bonked during the run", etc. What does it really mean? How do you feel when you bonk? I've had a couple of HIM and IM where I've felt nauseated during parts of the run, and that's slowed my pace down, but I didn't feel an overall lack of energy. Did I bonk? Did I just go too hard on the bike or the start of the run?



Kat Hunter reports on the San Dimas Stage Race from inside the GC winning team
Aeroweenie.com -Compendium of Aero Data and Knowledge
Freelance sports & outdoors writer Kathryn Hunter
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Re: "Bonk" - please define/describe [jackmott] [ In reply to ]
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In Reply To:
ive bonked once. it was on a group ride. i had only ever ridden like 10 miles before and I found myself on a 70 mile group ride with some ironmen, without enough food in my jersey.

about 40 miles in I was reduced to 5mph cycling, stopping every 5 minutes to rest

dreaming about coca cola

awful stuff

was a lot more bike fit after that though!


That was my gig, too. Longest ride up to that point was about 35-40 miles - decided to do my first big group ride with options of 35, 60, 75, or 100 miles. I felt pretty good hitting the 35 mile mark with the draft pack, so I figured I'd just keep on hanging on for a century and put that notch on my belt. Not enough nutrition/hydration on-board, poorly conditioned for the effort, too fast of pace (for me); a perfect storm. I vowed to be smarter from then on, and have kept my promise - I only do stupid things when I've got a safety net of cash/cell phone and know that someone on the other end of the line is prepared to pick me up :-)
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Re: "Bonk" - please define/describe [IronmanJay] [ In reply to ]
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Yep, I sugar bonked bad last century I did. I got dropped at mile 65 and had to ride in solo the whole way in. At mile 98 I had to wait for a train so I put my head down on my bars and actually dozed off for a minute until a friend caught me and woke me up. When I got back to the finish line 2 large cokes and I was good to go.
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Re: "Bonk" - please define/describe [KLG] [ In reply to ]
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As I've read more of the posts, I'm wondering if maybe I did bonk some on the bike during the 2 IM. My power did drop off on the second lap at each race (Vineman 08 & CDA 09), but I attributed it to the heat at Vineman and less than ideal bike training leading up to CDA. Is extreme hunger a tell tale sign of bonking? I am wondering because I never had that feeling during either bike rides, and I had quite the opposite feeling on the run, i.e., I couldn't stand the thought of eating anything because of the nausea.

Mike Sparks


I have competed well, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
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Re: "Bonk" - please define/describe [TriCeratops] [ In reply to ]
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drop in blood sugar levels beyond what you need to continue your work at rate X. How do I feel? Like shit.

�The greater danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it.� -Michelangelo

MoodBoost Drink : Mood Support + Energy.
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Re: "Bonk" - please define/describe [TriCeratops] [ In reply to ]
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did power drop off or did power drop off a cliff and you were weaving back and forth and wishing you were dead?

In Reply To:
As I've read more of the posts, I'm wondering if maybe I did bonk some on the bike during the 2 IM. My power did drop off on the second lap at each race (Vineman 08 & CDA 09), but I attributed it to the heat at Vineman and less than ideal bike training leading up to CDA. Is extreme hunger a tell tale sign of bonking? I am wondering because I never had that feeling during either bike rides, and I had quite the opposite feeling on the run, i.e., I couldn't stand the thought of eating anything because of the nausea.



Kat Hunter reports on the San Dimas Stage Race from inside the GC winning team
Aeroweenie.com -Compendium of Aero Data and Knowledge
Freelance sports & outdoors writer Kathryn Hunter
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Re: "Bonk" - please define/describe [jackmott] [ In reply to ]
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In Reply To:
did power drop off or did power drop off a cliff and you were weaving back and forth and wishing you were dead?


In Reply To:As I've read more of the posts, I'm wondering if maybe I did bonk some on the bike during the 2 IM. My power did drop off on the second lap at each race (Vineman 08 & CDA 09), but I attributed it to the heat at Vineman and less than ideal bike training leading up to CDA. Is extreme hunger a tell tale sign of bonking? I am wondering because I never had that feeling during either bike rides, and I had quite the opposite feeling on the run, i.e., I couldn't stand the thought of eating anything because of the nausea.


Gradual drop off in power. No weaving, just felt like I wanted to be off the bike around mile 90 (not so much physically as mentally) . . . but, I suspect most people feel that way. ;-)

Mike Sparks


I have competed well, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
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Re: "Bonk" - please define/describe [jackmott] [ In reply to ]
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Its pretty rare to completely bonk, I think its only happened to me once.

At any rate, its easily the worst cycling experience I ever had. I went out for a solo 100 mile training ride that goes through about 5 small towns so ample opportunity to re-fuel. Since I wasn't "hungry", I only re-filled gatorade at the first 4 towns ~65 miles. Around Mile 75, shit got bad....real real bad. The only way home (that I know of) is to continue on course. No cell phone coverage and the next town is at mile 85. It took me 1.5 hours to cover the next 10 miles, all of which were flat w/ very little wind. Not only was I starving, but also dehydrated and had cramps in both quads and 1 calf. I would pedal 3 times, unclip let my legs hang and repeat.

At the gas station in the final town, I sat there for 45+ minutes eating donuts, potato chips and 2 or 3 16oz bottles of Pepsi. I called my wife and started crying for her to pick me up, but she was 3 hours away in a totally different direction. I still contemplated waiting mind you. I finally got enough strength to finish off the last 15 or so miles to my folks house. All-in that 100 mile ride took me 9.5 hours. I never wanted to see a bike again. Within a couple hours after finishing I felt pretty normal with just some stiffness in my legs from the cramps. While I was out there, I was 100% sure I was minutes from death. No joke.
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Re: "Bonk" - please define/describe [TriCeratops] [ In reply to ]
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nah, thats just getting tired =)

In Reply To:
In Reply To:
did power drop off or did power drop off a cliff and you were weaving back and forth and wishing you were dead?


In Reply To:As I've read more of the posts, I'm wondering if maybe I did bonk some on the bike during the 2 IM. My power did drop off on the second lap at each race (Vineman 08 & CDA 09), but I attributed it to the heat at Vineman and less than ideal bike training leading up to CDA. Is extreme hunger a tell tale sign of bonking? I am wondering because I never had that feeling during either bike rides, and I had quite the opposite feeling on the run, i.e., I couldn't stand the thought of eating anything because of the nausea.


Gradual drop off in power. No weaving, just felt like I wanted to be off the bike around mile 90 (not so much physically as mentally) . . . but, I suspect most people feel that way. ;-)



Kat Hunter reports on the San Dimas Stage Race from inside the GC winning team
Aeroweenie.com -Compendium of Aero Data and Knowledge
Freelance sports & outdoors writer Kathryn Hunter
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Re: "Bonk" - please define/describe [saltman] [ In reply to ]
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that pepsi was good wasn't it?

i remember a gas station guy let me steal a coke, i promised to drive back and pay him (I did)

saved my ass. man my body absorbed that coke fast.

In Reply To:
At the gas station in the final town, I sat there for 45+ minutes eating donuts, potato chips and 2 or 3 16oz bottles of Pepsi.



Kat Hunter reports on the San Dimas Stage Race from inside the GC winning team
Aeroweenie.com -Compendium of Aero Data and Knowledge
Freelance sports & outdoors writer Kathryn Hunter
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Re: "Bonk" - please define/describe [TriCeratops] [ In reply to ]
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My first bonk was after about a 6-hour ride, and I had maybe a 25-min. drive home and drank about 300 calories of recovery stuff, so I thought I was good for maybe an hour or so. I get home and start preparing dinner, even ate some sauteed mushrooms, when I felt like I was going to pass out. I grabbed a handful of Swedish fish, stuffed in mouth and laid down on a couch. A few minutes later I was fine.

My best bonk story: had biked earlier in the day but didn't replace burned calories, didn't want to eat lunch before I ran, work meetings, blah, blah, blah, went running anyway, knowing it was going to be dicey. Had some Gatorade with me, but still not many calories.

1.5 miles from home and I am out of fuel! I got all light-headed and wobbly and knew what was happening. There were people picnicking in this park, and I ran (such as I could) up to a stranger and tried to explain what was going on and could I have some food? She offered me an assortment of cookies...I took 2, stuffed them in my mouth and immediately felt better and ran home.

Thing is, I knew I would have passed out even if I had tried walking.

Like others have said, you know it's a real bonk when you just know you can't go on without getting sugar in you. Nothing else will work. You may or may not be 100% out of glycogen, but you are definitely out of circulating glucose, which is what your brain needs. Brain decides it's in jeopardy, so it sends signals to muscles to SHUT DOWN NOW, because hey, brain must go on. Once your brain is happy and feels you are not trying to kill it off, it resumes letting your muscles do some work.

Bonking is actually kind of a neat feeling as long as you have some sugar nearby to fix it. If you don't, then I imagine it's torturous.
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Re: "Bonk" - please define/describe [PirateGirl] [ In reply to ]
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That's not "bonking", roadies call that "cracking"....As in "under the pressure", but that just means you can't handle the tempo. In addition, if you're on the rivet and not only do you "crack" but you just can't turn over the pedals with any force you've "exploded".

"Bonking" implies insufficient caloric intake.
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Re: "Bonk" - please define/describe [TriCeratops] [ In reply to ]
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Was out for one of my first long-rides when getting into the sport. The other two guys had two bottles of sports drinks with powerbars...I had one bottle of water.

At the end of the ride we were riding downhill (slight) back to the store and I was dropped. The LBS owner came back and got me because I was having trouble pedalling anymore (despite downhill gradient)...That was a bonk!

In Reply To:
I've heard it many, many times, "I bonked during the bike", "I bonked during the run", etc. What does it really mean? How do you feel when you bonk? I've had a couple of HIM and IM where I've felt nauseated during parts of the run, and that's slowed my pace down, but I didn't feel an overall lack of energy. Did I bonk? Did I just go too hard on the bike or the start of the run?

-----------------------------------------------------------
"Chrissie wins because she trains really f'ing hard and races really f'ing hard and was blessed with a huge f'ing motor" Jordan Rapp
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Re: "Bonk" - please define/describe [IronmanJay] [ In reply to ]
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In Reply To:
In Reply To:
ive bonked once. it was on a group ride. i had only ever ridden like 10 miles before and I found myself on a 70 mile group ride with some ironmen, without enough food in my jersey.

about 40 miles in I was reduced to 5mph cycling, stopping every 5 minutes to rest

dreaming about coca cola

awful stuff

was a lot more bike fit after that though!


That was my gig, too. Longest ride up to that point was about 35-40 miles - decided to do my first big group ride with options of 35, 60, 75, or 100 miles. I felt pretty good hitting the 35 mile mark with the draft pack, so I figured I'd just keep on hanging on for a century and put that notch on my belt. Not enough nutrition/hydration on-board, poorly conditioned for the effort, too fast of pace (for me); a perfect storm. I vowed to be smarter from then on, and have kept my promise - I only do stupid things when I've got a safety net of cash/cell phone and know that someone on the other end of the line is prepared to pick me up :-)

x3. In 22 years of cycling, I have truly bonked once. Needed food/drink many times, but only one real bonk. Home one summer from college, I talked to a guy at the local bike shop. He said they were going out for a group ride. 35 miles or so. So I joined them. No big deal.

2 bottles of gatorade, nothing else. Turns out only the guy I was talking to was doing 35 miles. The other 6 folks were Cat 2s and 3s doing their weekly 80 mile hammerfest. I broke off from them at mile 60, completely drained. Almost no power to the pedals. Hard to push a 42x23.

Stopped at a gas station and pounded down a large mountain dew. That gave me just enough juice to get home. I would cramp when I pedaled, I would cramp when I stopped pedaling.

That was 20 years ago. I will never forget that ride.
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Re: "Bonk" - please define/describe [Alaric83] [ In reply to ]
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In Reply To:
Bonked during the run of my last half IM, as others have described, couldn't get my HR up to run. Also become very apathetic. Next time I do a race sponsored by HEED I'll bring a fuelbelt.

youre trying to say it was the brand of sports drink that made you bonk? it was because you went out to fast
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Re: "Bonk" - please define/describe [goregrind] [ In reply to ]
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In Reply To:
In Reply To:
Bonked during the run of my last half IM, as others have described, couldn't get my HR up to run. Also become very apathetic. Next time I do a race sponsored by HEED I'll bring a fuelbelt.


youre trying to say it was the brand of sports drink that made you bonk? it was because you went out to fast

Overall I've had better results with gatorade and the occasional coke than heed. Went out a bit fast but nothing ridiculous compared to other races.


---------------------------------------------------------
All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us. ~Gandalf
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Re: "Bonk" - please define/describe [yoyo] [ In reply to ]
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Where is the fanny during all this? Were you wearing thongs? I'm rooting for you bro.
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Re: "Bonk" - please define/describe [jackmott] [ In reply to ]
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nectar of the gods at that point, I couldn't drink it fast enough. If I had a beer bong I would have taken it in that way.

bonking is a truly unique experience.....almost peyote like. Your mind is so in tune with your body regarding exactly what it needs at that moment. Baptism isn't even as spiritual as bonking.
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Re: "Bonk" - please define/describe [TriCeratops] [ In reply to ]
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My hardest bonk was on a 120 mile ride. The longest ride previously was about 80 miles. I thought I was pretty fit though. At about mile 100 I noticed my pain tolerance was next to nill. I puked a few times, and just felt lethargic. I couldn't think well either. Not too weird I guess.

When I got home, the fun began. For the next two hours I couldn't catch my breath and my HR wouldn't drop below 100. I freaked! I think I just didn't drink enough water. I ate a ton of bars and gus. So maybe hypernatremia. Uh yeah.
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Re: "Bonk" - please define/describe [big slow mover] [ In reply to ]
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When you lay down in an aisle of a longs drug eating a whole box of kudos bars and cytosport...you bonked.
When you roll into a hotel to ask for an apple from the breakfast bar and the guy opens the back room and lets you take whatever you want based on your zombie, incoherent like condition.. you bonked
When you curl up under a soda machine eating a box of mike and ike and drinking a coke at a gas station... you've bonked.

Sometimes i think i can do the extra 30 miles without any calories, it never ends well, but i have gotten progressively closer!
Last edited by: Karaya0321: Feb 8, 10 22:23
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Re: "Bonk" - please define/describe [big slow mover] [ In reply to ]
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Worst bonk i ever had was in south carolina.

Everything was going great, i was in the zone, fully expecting a big session and had a gatorade and a couple of gels on standby for that extra energy
and hydration mid-session...

next thing you know there's a knock on the door and it's her ugly cousin.... it all went downhill from there..... turn out the gatorade was spiked and when i finally came-to in the morning i practically had to chew my arm off to get out of there (and pick the lock on the handcuffs)

apparently that's normal for SC ???? loco....
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Re: "Bonk" - please define/describe [TriCeratops] [ In reply to ]
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Some years ago...

Training for 1/2 IM. Did 56 mile ride. Then drove up to the state forest to do an out-and-back 6 mi hilly run on a logging road.

Got exactly to the turnaround at 3 miles and felt like the blood had drained from my body. Was 3 miles from my truck and worried I wasn't going to make it back. Had no water or nutrition with me.

Started walking and felt better as time passed. Guessing my liver was recharging the depleted blood glycogen.

Dinner that night was the best tasting ever.
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