Bonking isn't just about long rides

[CorsairMac]

I figured with all the nutrition questions and advice going around I'd share my commute story from last night as it was a very valuable lesson learned. I was hungry yesterday when it was time for my nightly commute home. I ate a Luna Bar about 1/2 hour before time to go home but I was still hungry. I'm thinking no biggie, I'm going home after all, it's only 6 miles (ok....with a 400' elevation gain but whos counting) and it's not like I"m going to "race" home so what's the big deal. I had not a clue what "bonking" was although I knew it was somehow related to long rides and not enough nutrients. So...this was a short ride and I'd eaten a Luna Bar - doesn't apply to me right?.......Wrong
About 2 miles from home is a very short, very steep hill that tops out at the trailhead and it involves a short intense climb and then a fast stop for the traffic. I reached the top of the hill and knew I was in trouble. I was shaking, breaking out in a clammy sweat and my brain was screaming "UNCLIP, UNCLIP" but the feet just were not getting the message. I'm pretty sure I looked like the little tricycle guy from the old Laugh-In show, I just fell. Both feet still clipped, hands still on the flats. I was so out of it I didn't even check the bike when I got up. I got back on it and started riding like some crazy drunk until the brain finally got thru that I had another Luna Bar in my pack, stop and eat it NOW!! The second bar got me home where I did some major protein loading with complex and simple carbs to start getting my sugar back in balance.
Long story short (too late), bonking is a blood sugar drop and it doesn't matter how far you're riding, if your body doesn't have it, you can't use it.
I have found what was causing the sugar imbalance and have removed it from my diet but it could take another 24 hrs to bring my sugar back in balance, and a while longer for the owies from the fall! I'm fine, some scrapes and bruises and Allez is just fine - he had me to cushion his fall lucky dog!

Lesson learned: if I'm hungry, eat until I"m not or have someone take me home coz to ride like that was just stupid and dangerous.

[Grog]

Woah. I do take note....

[bikerchick68]

corsair... isn't that the most gawd awful feeling??? I have bonked twice... the second time I was 40 miles into a 50 mile ride and just pulled off the road and started CRYING! Jiminy... do you have any idea how stupid you feel when a bunch of men ride by asking what they can do to help... and you don't have an answer as to WHY you're crying??? talk about feeling like a GIRL!!!

Not long after that I read a really great article in bicycling mag about women and carb loading... you see, I was carb loading just like the boys and then going out and doing really long rides while taking in minimal amounts of carbs... and then bonking... hard.

this article said that women DO NOT process carbs the same way as men... and carb loading is not nearly as effective for us! it suggested that women should carb THRU OUT rides to prevent the blood sugar drops and to feel good...

so I changed the way I eat... prior to any ride, I eat a normal meal with protein and carbs... the morning of the ride, an egg and some oatmeal... and then I carb the whole way! I consume carbs at least every 25 miles... I have not bonked since! this is not to say that 25 miles is the magic number for ALL women, but it is for me...

listen to your body ladies and if you are already hungry or thirsty, your body is already in jeopardy! you don't have to eat a ton, but a little bit of carbs can sure make a difference!

[skibum]

Corsair, I am glad that you and Allez are ok. I took a spill like yours recently (although for a different reason) and, even though it didn't hurt much at the time, I was aching for a couple of days from the scrapes and bruises. I hope you heal quickly!

I can personally attest to the differences between men & women when it comes to carb loading. My BF can go on a long ride (~50 miles) and all he needs is water. Both times I've bonked, I've been out riding with him. Rather than listening to my body and insisting we stop for a snack, I just followed his lead, sipped some water and kept on pedalling. Then, all of a sudden, I just hit a wall and couldn't go on any longer. Except I had to... we were several miles from our destination and had no choice but to keep going. My BF rode next to me and would give me pushes to help me along.

OK, so I had to bonk twice before I learned my lesson. Now, I always make sure one of my water bottles has sports drink in it. Also, for rides over 25 miles, I bring an energy bar or two and nibble as we go along. I always thought that I was a wimp and just wasn't a strong enough rider to go as long as my BF without eating. But, better to be a wimp than to bonk. It's nice to hear that I'm not a wimp, my body just processes fuel differently.

[wabisabi]

Wow, that is a cautionary story, glad you are OK!! It is scary to me to feel that your brain isn't working. I realized training for a century the importantance of regular intake; what I thought was lack of training was largely not taking in enough, my muscles would feel wasted, and I would get really bad leg and foot cramps afterward. I have a lot of food limitations, and cannot eat a lot of carbs like wheat and oatmeal and even soy. I have trouble with the gels that have a lot of sugar, and have done better with a Hammer gel that I found, plus protein plus fat in the am before riding (the latest is turkey bacon, which has some sugar, but I swear I can just feel it doing its work). The Larabars, which the food co-op has, seem pretty good, no additives.

[alison_in_oh]

I bonked at less than 20 miles of a ~25 mile ride. Sigh. I'd been a dork, having a "fat day" -- I had hardly eaten all day and then figured that riding on an empty stomach would burn calories. Yeah it does -- burns the glycogen right out of your muscles so you've got nothing left to run on! I barely maneuvered into a parking lot, couldn't even stand when I tried to get off the bike! I remember the sweating, clamminess...I felt really drunk or something. The sun was setting so while DH went to get the car and come back for me, he urged me to try to get home. I had to walk my bike on sidewalks up the hill and then coast the downhills home! How embarrassing, and horrid-feeling. Iccccch.

Last weekend's 57 miles I didn't bring enough food, had a Clif bar at 1.5 hours but started getting fatigued just short of 3 hours.

Moral of the story: Eat well before riding, then get a good munchie in you starting at 1.5 hours and then every hour thereafter.

[Technotart]

I made the mistake once of referring to it as "boinking" my 17 year old racer and his buddies were most amused.......

Women do not store glycogen the same way men do, and they store less of it. Glycogen is the extra stuff you eat that your body thinks it still needs or will neeed later. It is stored in the liver. Men have a higher capacity to convert and store glycogen. The more active you are, and the better you eat, the more efficient your body will become over time at storing glycogen.

Staying up very late or being sleep deprived is a HUGE glycogen depleter - so be sure and eat a little more even if you have lost sleep in the past few days. Your liver does the glycogen converting and storing at night while you are sleeping.

My son gets out there and rides like 160 miles with nothing more than water and some sports drink.

Not me - I GOTTA eat...even if its just a few jellybeans every so often to go along with the 1/2 oatmeal bar I have to eat at about the 20 to 30 mile mark.

[nuthatch]

Dang, Corsair, I missed this thread until today!

That must have come out of the blue for you - bonking on your commute home!!! My commute is six miles, too. and my head always says "this is a regular everyday ride for you, you don't need any extra anything! You ride this without extra fuel each day and today's no different, so quit your whining!" And the amazing thing is, our bodies ARE different on different days (speaking for women now).

You really are right - listen to your body. When I ride, it's a time to turn off the "don't take in calories that will make you fat" voice in my head.

[Bike Goddess]

I'm glad to hear that someone is talking about the difference between men and women re carb and glycogen. If you look in the literature you will also find that carbo loading the night before doesn't do much for us women either! I carry water bottles with about 1/3 sports drink and 2/3 water on all centuries plus I am sure to eat at rest stops. I've done 4 centuries so far this year, and by adjusting this way of eating, I've not bonked.

I've also noticed that the faster/i.e.harder I ride on a century, the more food I need- ie. carbs. I figure its the glycogen thing.

Lately I have been adding an electrolyte mix to my drinks (oh yes, one bottle minimum to be drunk between rest stops on a cool day, more on a hot one)after about 20 miles. This also has helped.- No more cramps during or after!

When I ride in the early AM, I always have something to drink before I go and then use my water/juice mixture on the road. After coming home, its the solid food, you betcha!

[Melody]

CM, I'm glad you're ok. Bonking sucks, this I know since being diabetic, my blood sugar levels can fluctuate all over the place.

I didn't know, however, that we process carbs and glycogen different from the guys, though it makes complete sense. I too just thought I was just being a wimp compared to my husband. He doesn't have to take in carbs nearly as often as I do. I feel like I'm constantly taking something in.

Mel

[caligurl]

wow... that's scarey!!!!! i guess it's a fortunate habit i've acquired on organized rides.. i tend to eat too much! i guess better too much than not enough!! however i'm taking note that this can happen on my after work rides or weekend rides!

[Dogmama]

On a ride a few weekends ago, I actually ran out of Clif bars & remembered I had stashed a packet of goo in my bag. It worked pretty well, although it wasn't the most pleasant thing to eat/gag down. The good thing about goo packets is that they're small, they last forever and they add a nice jolt of quick carbs.

[Pedal Wench]

This is fascinating! My BF and I do a lot of hiking AND biking together, and I've noticed that when we both did the carbo-loading before hikes that he could just go and go, and I've crashed. Over and over. It's happened more times than I want to admit. I couldn't understand why I was bonking and he was fine. Now I know! This is the first I've heard of this - now I need to find out the best way to fuel. Should we avoid the carbo-loading before (what? no pre-ride pasta dinner???) or do that AND fuel more frequently while we're riding? I'm SO glad to know that it's not just me feeling whimpy!

[CorsairMac]

well - I rode a 50+ mile ride and a 71+ mile ride over the past 2 wks with a female friend and a male friend. I made sure I carried all my food just to be safe (and learning from the wisdom of my friends here). He didn't worry about anything, and she tried to be like him. On the 71 mile ride, he had 4 bottles of water and 2 bananas. She had 4 bottles of water, a Clifbar, and a banana and she bonked at about mile 54. I pretty much drafted her home. I had 2 gels, 2 Luna Bars, a banana, a Clifbar and 4 bottles of water w/ElectroMix in 2 and I did fine. I even rode the next day. I was teased in the beginning about all the food I had but I just smiled. In the end, I refused a ride home in the car coz I didn't need it, I rode my bike and they were both amazed I could still do that!!......I'm betting next ride, she'll be carrying more food too. Go for the pre-activity pasta, but carry food for you during the hike/ride coz You are the one that's going to need it.

Corsair "I just have problems with the Short distances " Mac

[RoadRaven]

Wow!!

Great thread
Thank you ladies...

I had no idea that women stored glycogen differently or processed carbs at a significantly different way than men... though it seems logical now it has been brought to my attention...

Great forum... Thanks TE members, so glad I found this place