IanT
http://www.sprocketwaffle.co.uk
This morning dawned damp and dreary; not ideal conditions for the 70 + mile training ride I had planned. And, as if the lords of cycling were conspiring against me, there were no eggs in the fridge - meaning that I could not supplement my bowl of porridge with two lovely boiled eggs - the breakfast of champions. I think that the break in the pre-ride routine also contributed to me leaving the house without my usual pocket full of cereal bars.
Anyway, an hour or so later, I'm on the road. To be honest, the rain had stopped, the clouds were lightening and all seemed rght with the world. Tweny miles later (at 08:00) I'm knocking on my mate's front door, collecting him for the remaning balance of the ride and poncing a banana to take with me.
For some reason - right from the off - I seemed to be struggling. Despite the improving weather, the headwind was brutal so I attributed much to this. Anyway, two and a half hours later and with another 40 miles covered we were in theb return leg. At this point, I just began to feel hungry. Seemed odd - I'd had the banana about half an hour earlier. Anyway, I pushed on.
Over the next five miles, everything started feeling.......well.......fuzzy!!! All I could think of was food and the legs were beginning to slow. As luck would have it we were approaching a village in which I knew there was a Co op. I hung back, waited for my mate to catch up and told him I needed to stop for supplies.
Ten minutes later, I'm standning outside the Co op, swallowing a Powerade and tucking in to an Oats and Honey Bar. Heaven. Another then minutes later and the mists are clearing.
The rest of the ride actually went really well. A total of 73 miles covered and I moved into 2nd overall on one of the local Strava segments. We topped the ride off with a coffee and sausage roll at our favourite bakery - bliss.
I've heard of the 'bonk' but never experienced it. I'm guessing that the omission from the breakfast routine, the higher than normal sustained effort (to account for the headwind) and the lack of a regular chomp on a cereal bar for sustained energy release all conspired against me.
But, whatever caused it - it's a lesson learned. From now, the cereal bars live with the spare inner tubes as 'never leave home without them' items.
Taking the wife out to dinner tonight and think I'm going to eat for England!!!
Anyway, an hour or so later, I'm on the road. To be honest, the rain had stopped, the clouds were lightening and all seemed rght with the world. Tweny miles later (at 08:00) I'm knocking on my mate's front door, collecting him for the remaning balance of the ride and poncing a banana to take with me.
For some reason - right from the off - I seemed to be struggling. Despite the improving weather, the headwind was brutal so I attributed much to this. Anyway, two and a half hours later and with another 40 miles covered we were in theb return leg. At this point, I just began to feel hungry. Seemed odd - I'd had the banana about half an hour earlier. Anyway, I pushed on.
Over the next five miles, everything started feeling.......well.......fuzzy!!! All I could think of was food and the legs were beginning to slow. As luck would have it we were approaching a village in which I knew there was a Co op. I hung back, waited for my mate to catch up and told him I needed to stop for supplies.
Ten minutes later, I'm standning outside the Co op, swallowing a Powerade and tucking in to an Oats and Honey Bar. Heaven. Another then minutes later and the mists are clearing.
The rest of the ride actually went really well. A total of 73 miles covered and I moved into 2nd overall on one of the local Strava segments. We topped the ride off with a coffee and sausage roll at our favourite bakery - bliss.
I've heard of the 'bonk' but never experienced it. I'm guessing that the omission from the breakfast routine, the higher than normal sustained effort (to account for the headwind) and the lack of a regular chomp on a cereal bar for sustained energy release all conspired against me.
But, whatever caused it - it's a lesson learned. From now, the cereal bars live with the spare inner tubes as 'never leave home without them' items.
Taking the wife out to dinner tonight and think I'm going to eat for England!!!
