The horrible feeling of bonking

[Aravis]

I can remember just one occasion when I've suffered catastrophic energy loss. This was in 1993, when I bore a closer resemblance to an athlete than I do now. I was camping on the coast near Glenluce, SW Scotland, and one day did a 100-miler into the hills. About two-thirds of the way through I was climbing Nic o' the Balloch from the north, on a really good day, and had to stop six times on the way up before finally struggling over the summit. My back and thighs were on fire, not in a good way, a message I perhaps should have understood. I made it back to the campsite but spent the rest of the week in bed with what might be called gastric flu.

So I wonder. Clearly it's possible to put this episode down to a virus, but things may not always be so clear cut. Often, as @Dogtrousers says, we may run ourselves low without serious consequences. Maybe things go badly wrong when there's an additional problem we might have been unaware of?

One thing's certain, it was a truly horrible feeling.

 

[ColinJ]

Often, as @Dogtrousers says, we may run ourselves low without serious consequences. Maybe things go badly wrong when there's an additional problem we might have been unaware of?

I can confirm the truth of that...

I had probably the hardest time today of any of my forum rides and I came within a gnat's whisker of bonking after Menston. I felt it approaching and managed to slow down even more and take on food and drink just in time.

Or did I have some kind of virus...?

A chest infection has kept me off the bike for nearly 3 weeks so far. It will be at least a couple of weeks before I am riding significant distances again, maybe longer. Ho hum ...

A week later, I discovered that it was actually my pulmonary artery trying to turn itself into a black pudding so I ended up off my bike for 8 months.

My advice after that is that if you are sure that a collapse is due to bonking, eat and drink more on rides in the future. If you DID eat and drink enough, go see the doc!

 

[GilesM]

They are a bit like a big fig roll that has been soaked in a small amount of water, which is more attractive than it sounds.

The big upside is that each bar comes in a sealed packet, you probably do not want to eat a fig roll that has been sitting in a plastic bag soaking in a little bit of rain water and spray from the front wheel for a couple of month...regardless of how desperate you might be. :-(

I used to put fig rolls lose in my pockets when I was racing, perfect for a 90 mile road race, really easy to eat but they were a bit less tasty if it rained heavily, and your pockets needed extra cleaning after a very wet race.

 

[Pedropete]

I used to put fig rolls lose in my pockets when I was racing, perfect for a 90 mile road race, really easy to eat but they were a bit less tasty if it rained heavily, and your pockets needed extra cleaning after a very wet race.

Had a similarly grim experience with a Nutella and banana sandwich on a training ride (me training, not the sandwich). The bag split and what came out of my jersey pocket didn't look all that tasty. Didn't stop me eating it but not sure the added road spray and fluff did much for the taste

 

[GilesM]

Had a similarly grim experience with a Nutella and banana sandwich on a training ride (me training, not the sandwich). The bag split and what came out of my jersey pocket didn't look all that tasty. Didn't stop me eating it but not sure the added road spray and fluff did much for the taste

If I was out on my bike, that sort of sandwich damage is unlikely to put me off eating it, although once I got home if I had any left it would be straight in the bin, funny what you can eat when the body is a bit stressed.

 

[MrGrumpy]

Similar experience a few years back, after adding on 60 miles to my commute home. I did have energy gels with me but those were swallowed up quickly . I recall the road in front of me moving around and all I could think of was a Greggs the bakers that was enroute. I ran out of water, gels had nothing and miles from home, no short cut neither and the route home involved climbing up and over into Dunfermline. Day got worse when Greggs was actually shut lol when I arrived. Ended up at Aldi scoffing water and jelly babies and getting funny looks