Bonk!

[margo49]

All us kiwi and ozzie girls are rotfl!

[pooks]

Oh man, what a timely thread. Our LIVESTRONG mentor emailed us last night to let us know what was going on in the Dallas area. I wrote back (and copied my husband) saying we hadn't been able to work up much stamina or distance, that the heat was just about killing us, and I said something about having to stop after a few miles before bonking.

My husband (not noticing he was replying to both of us) said, "Don't try to sound too cool -- bonk = sex."

To which the mentor replied (to both of us), "She used the term "bonk" correctly; are you perhaps thinking of boinking?"

Oh. My. God.

I woke up this morning after my husband was gone, started reading email, and howled out loud.

I think DH is a little embarrassed. Heh.

[bcipam]

To me bonking generally comes on fairly swift, unexpected. I generally assume I'm under fueled or dehydrated but it can also mean I just had a bad night or my body is tired. Sometimes I can fix the bonk others, no way. Generaly I start to notice the bonk when all of a sudden my legs feel heavy, I'm tired and a slight headache comes on. I slow down, maybe stop. Take in some fuel and water and attempt to end my ride as soon as possible. Best is to not bonk and take care of things before the ride.

[kiwi girl]

All us kiwi and ozzie girls are rotfl!

You are right on that one Margo (and bet me to it) A few years ago there was an issue of Bicycling magazine with a cover story something along the lines of 'Bonking - why everybody should experience it once'

I've kept that one somewhere

[mimitabby]

omigosh!! is THAT what you are all giggling about?

attention:
we are talking about something that happens to someone sitting
on a bike with no other people touching them.

ahem.

I feel better now.

[Kano]

I did start with a google search on "bonk" and got a tremendous number of hits -- when I made the search engine narrow it down by adding "bike" to "bonk" there were still a LOT of hits, and the Wikipedia one started by explaining that definition -- didn't give me nearly as much information about what I REALLY wanted to know as you ladies are doing!

So, yep, I've gotten quite an education today!


Karen in Boise

[Kano]

So, now we've established that keeping blood sugar up is important, along with hydration.

Now it's time for suggestions -- what's going to do that best? What will get us off to a good start, and what's going to be the niftiest stuff to pack in my little handlebar bag that won't goober up my camera or cell phone!

Personal preferences -- I try to stay away from things like jelly beans.

Karen in Boise

[Veronica]

I eat yogurt and cereal for breakfast, every day pretty much, ride or no ride.

On the bike I eat Paydays, sport beans, cliff shot bloks, hammer gel. I eat a little something every 30 minutes. I also drink Sustain energy every 15 minutes.

If I'm doing an organized ride I eat whatever is at the rest stops that appeals, pretzils, fruit, pb and j or honey sandwiches.

If I'm riding on my own I'll buy cheese and crackers, m&m's with peanuts, Red Bull or a frappicino. Again I usually wander through the store and what I want jumps off the shelf.

If your ride is less than an hour, you probably don't need to worry about it. But everybody is different. I find right around the 90 minute mark I need to start eating - even if I'm only going to ride 15 more minutes.

I got really obsessive about eating when I started training for double centuries.

V.

[Geonz]

Four of us went out and tried a faster ride once and were going great, when one of us started suddenly flagging... our new rider from the southern hemisphere. SHe said, "What happened? I was doing fine and now I don't have any energy!" The ride leader said, "You bonked!" She waited 'til he was out of range and turned to me, "WHAT did he say????"
... we got it all cleared up...

[Cassandra_Cain]

Heh....you may not be able to define 'bonk', but I'll be darned, when it happens you WILL know instantly.

I remember the first time I bonked it came out of nowhere...like 4 hours into a ride, I'm feeling strong and chipper, then suddenly, the bottom fell out from under me, just like that *snap~*

Whatever analogy you want to use....from falling in the mud, to someone taking the keys out of the ignition, to having your legs turn to wood - they all apply.

Veronica gives excellent advice - eat and keep a steady stream of calories coming - using whatever food combination works for you - digestion considered. Short of totally stuffing myself, ala several pizza slices etc - I find that I can handle most amounts of food and ride with no problem - actually ride better after having eaten than vice-versa.

[pooks]

Okay, am I to conclude that "Bonk" means the same thing Down Under that my husband thought it meant?

[light_sabe_r]

Okay, am I to conclude that "Bonk" means the same thing Down Under that my husband thought it meant?

YES IT DOES. MWAHAHAHA It's hard to imagine a Bonk on a Bicycle.

ROFL

I do know that I had better not wear a fanny pack, but rather a bum pack down under.

The corrected term is bum-bag! ^_^ Fanny is something totally different down here. :P

[Veronica]

Heh....you may not be able to define 'bonk', but I'll be darned, when it happens you WILL know instantly.

No matter which definition you're using.

V.

[fatbottomedgurl]

Those ol' shiboleths sure get us in trouble. Urbandictionary.com to the rescue!

I do know that I had better not wear a fanny pack, but rather a bum pack down under.

[Trekhawk]

You are right on that one Margo (and bet me to it) A few years ago there was an issue of Bicycling magazine with a cover story something along the lines of 'Bonking - why everybody should experience it once'

I've kept that one somewhere

The first time I talked about bonking to my mum at home in Western Australia she was a little stunned until I explained what it meant in cycling circles.