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Date: 02 Jul 2007 12:00:49
From: Roger Zoul
Subject: What is bonking?
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I'm curious as to what people here think is bonking. What causes it? What are the variables involved? Are there degrees of "bonking" or is "bonking" considered to be the worst possible form of an exercise induced hypo?
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Date: 04 Jul 2007 02:48:58
From: SlowRider
Subject: Re: What is bonking?
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On Jul 3, 9:43 am, Ryan Cousineau <rcous...@sfu.ca > wrote: > Sadly, NY Velocity has broken their site, so I can no longer find the > excellent article "Levels of Suck Explained." Is this it? http://www.velocitynation.com/article.aspx?ID=182&CID=53
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Date: 06 Jul 2007 01:02:15
From: Ryan Cousineau
Subject: Re: What is bonking?
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In article <1183486750.876480.215510@o11g2000prd.googlegroups.com >, SlowRider <jrogers80526@hotmail.com > wrote: > On Jul 3, 9:43 am, Ryan Cousineau <rcous...@sfu.ca> wrote: > > Sadly, NY Velocity has broken their site, so I can no longer find the > > excellent article "Levels of Suck Explained." > > Is this it? > > http://www.velocitynation.com/article.aspx?ID=182&CID=53 Thank heavens you found it. Yes, that's the one! -- Ryan Cousineau rcousine@sfu.ca http://www.wiredcola.com/ "I don't want kids who are thinking about going into mathematics to think that they have to take drugs to succeed." -Paul Erdos
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Date: 03 Jul 2007 17:04:27
From: joeu2004
Subject: Re: What is bonking?
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On Jul 2, 9:03 pm, me <m...@nowhere.com > wrote: > There are some useful posts in this thread, thanks. > But you should know, in the UK, Bonk, has a completely > different slang meaning! :) In the US, as well. One can only imagine how it morphed into the meaning offered in this thread ;-).
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Date: 06 Jul 2007 11:00:46
From: Jeremy Parker
Subject: Re: What is bonking?
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>> But you should know, in the UK, Bonk, has a completely >> different slang meaning! :) > > In the US, as well. One can only imagine how it morphed into the > meaning offered in this thread ;-). > Cyclists had the word first, I think. Reporters on British tabloid newspapers wanted to broaden the subject range of their articles, but needed a new word to describe their theme, because all existing words were deemed too rude to print. Whether the person who invented that new word chose "bonk" because he was a cyclist, or because he wasn't, I don't know. Jeremy Parker
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Date: 03 Jul 2007 04:03:41
From: me
Subject: Re: What is bonking?
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On Mon, 02 Jul 2007 12:00:49 -0400, Roger Zoul wrote: > I'm curious as to what people here think is bonking. What causes it? What > are the variables involved? > Are there degrees of "bonking" or is "bonking" considered to be the worst > possible form of an exercise induced hypo? There are some useful posts in this thread, thanks. But you should know, in the UK, Bonk, has a completely different slang meaning! :)
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Date: 03 Jul 2007 01:26:57
From: marian.rosenberg@gmail.com
Subject: Re: What is bonking?
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On Jul 3, 1:35 am, Ryan Cousineau <rcous...@sfu.ca > wrote: > In article <UpSdneBoltltrhTbnZ2dnUVZ_gWdn...@comcast.com>, > Peter Cole <peter_c...@comcast.net> wrote: > > > Roger Zoul wrote: > > > I'm curious as to what people here think is bonking. What causes it? What > > > are the variables involved? > > > Are there degrees of "bonking" or is "bonking" considered to be the worst > > > possible form of an exercise induced hypo? > > > Bonking is when your blood sugar gets depleted to the point where you > > have no energy. It usually takes at least a couple of hours of high > > exertion. At moderate exertion you can run off of fat and most of us > > have several days worth of capacity there. > > > I've only bonked a couple of times. Besides no energy, my main symptom > > was an *incredible* hunger. > > And general fatigue. > > In shorter races, there's another phenomenon, which my more knowledgable > friends claim is likely a changeover from long-term to short-term energy > sources, where after a bit of intense riding you get into this pit of > immense depression. It's not that your fatigue level suddenly goes over > a cliff, it's just that you suddenly wonder what the heck you're doing > in a bike race, and since you're feeling so bad, you should probably > just give up. > This sounds almost exactly like what happens to me right before the happy endorphin high fairies start making the world extra special interesting. In the one race where this happened I also found myself feeling a lot more tired and a lot less capable to the point where it was clear that the heart rate monitor and odometer weren't merely lying but were actually broken and something was wrong not just with me but with the rest of the world too because I was, strangely enough, still in the pack. In the "let's ride our mountain bikes up that nearby 10km length of steep dirt road" event at new year's the only thing that kept me on my bike when the depression hit was the knowledge that someone I barely tolerate was behind me and if I stopped riding he might catch up with me, see me resting, and decide to stop and talk at me. Shortly after that the colors of the world got brighter. In my the journal I was keeping for class at time I wrote that "I rode my bike until I was thirsty. I rode my bike until I was hungry. I rode my bike until I was tired. I rode my bike until I was drunk with pain. And still I rode my bike. I rode my bike until I wasn't thirsty. I rode my bike until I wasn't hungry. I rode my bike until I wasn't tired. I rode my bike until there was no pain anymore. And still I rode my bike." -M
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Date: 03 Jul 2007 01:12:27
From: marian.rosenberg@gmail.com
Subject: Re: What is bonking?
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On Jul 3, 1:28 am, gds <gary_j...@msn.com > wrote: > On Jul 2, 10:20 am, Peter Cole <peter_c...@comcast.net> wrote: > > > Roger Zoul wrote: > > > I'm curious as to what people here think is bonking. What causes it? What > > > are the variables involved? > > > Are there degrees of "bonking" or is "bonking" considered to be the worst > > > possible form of an exercise induced hypo? > > > Bonking is when your blood sugar gets depleted to the point where you > > have no energy. It usually takes at least a couple of hours of high > > exertion. At moderate exertion you can run off of fat and most of us > > have several days worth of capacity there. > > > I've only bonked a couple of times. Besides no energy, my main symptom > > was an *incredible* hunger. > > My definition is pretty much the same! > When I used to run marathons we called it "hitting the wall" because > that is what it felt like. It is not just feeling a bit logy or tired. > It is a drastic decrease in energy and often happens quite suddenly. When I sit through three cycles of the traffic light trying to decide which route is the shortest one to get me to drinking water and snacks and the difference between the two routes is ultimately about 150 meters. I've done the incredible hunger thing a few times though more often I find that while I don't feel particularly hungry I have an incredible ability to eat everything put in front of me and go back for tenths. -M
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Date: 02 Jul 2007 14:58:52
From: joseph.santaniello@gmail.com
Subject: Re: What is bonking?
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On Jul 2, 7:28 pm, gds <gary_j...@msn.com > wrote: > On Jul 2, 10:20 am, Peter Cole <peter_c...@comcast.net> wrote: > > > Roger Zoul wrote: > > > I'm curious as to what people here think is bonking. What causes it? What > > > are the variables involved? > > > Are there degrees of "bonking" or is "bonking" considered to be the worst > > > possible form of an exercise induced hypo? > > > Bonking is when your blood sugar gets depleted to the point where you > > have no energy. It usually takes at least a couple of hours of high > > exertion. At moderate exertion you can run off of fat and most of us > > have several days worth of capacity there. > > > I've only bonked a couple of times. Besides no energy, my main symptom > > was an *incredible* hunger. > > My definition is pretty much the same! > When I used to run marathons we called it "hitting the wall" because > that is what it felt like. It is not just feeling a bit logy or tired. > It is a drastic decrease in energy and often happens quite suddenly. The few times when I have bonked I was also unable to get my pulse up above about 65% of max. And this was for rides not long enough for major HR drift to have been an issue. And it was a reasonably quick change. One minute I was able to work hard with a high pulse trying to hang on to the group, the next minute I was in a world of hurt, and my legs just wouldn't push hard enough to get my HR up. No power as I was apparently getting all my energy for fat which has a limited rate of metabolism. Both times this happened near th eend of the ride, so I just suffered to the end. I have no experience (that I recall) with trying on bike recovery from bonking, but I'll bet a Coke or a chocolate, (or a pizza!) would have got me rollig again at least for a while. Joseph
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Date: 02 Jul 2007 10:28:56
From: gds
Subject: Re: What is bonking?
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On Jul 2, 10:20 am, Peter Cole <peter_c...@comcast.net > wrote: > Roger Zoul wrote: > > I'm curious as to what people here think is bonking. What causes it? What > > are the variables involved? > > Are there degrees of "bonking" or is "bonking" considered to be the worst > > possible form of an exercise induced hypo? > > Bonking is when your blood sugar gets depleted to the point where you > have no energy. It usually takes at least a couple of hours of high > exertion. At moderate exertion you can run off of fat and most of us > have several days worth of capacity there. > > I've only bonked a couple of times. Besides no energy, my main symptom > was an *incredible* hunger. My definition is pretty much the same! When I used to run marathons we called it "hitting the wall" because that is what it felt like. It is not just feeling a bit logy or tired. It is a drastic decrease in energy and often happens quite suddenly.
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Date: 03 Jul 2007 15:41:51
From: Jeremy Parker
Subject: Re: What is bonking?
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"gds" <gary_jill@msn.com > wrote [snip] > > My definition is pretty much the same! > When I used to run marathons we called it "hitting the wall" > because > that is what it felt like. It is not just feeling a bit logy or > tired. > It is a drastic decrease in energy and often happens quite > suddenly. > I've heard it said, though I can't speak from personal experience, that bonking and hitting the wall are slightly different, although both glycogen depletion related. With bikes, and the bonk, its the glycogen reaching the brain, or not, which is important, so the main effect is mental. With running, and hitting the wall, its supposedly glycogen in (or not) the leg muscles. Diabetics also get the bonk, I believe, or hypoglycaemia, if they overdose their insulin If anyone can give us more information, I would appreciate it Jeremy Parker
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Date: 03 Jul 2007 17:20:37
From: Roger Zoul
Subject: Re: What is bonking?
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Jeremy Parker wrote: :: "gds" <gary_jill@msn.com > wrote :: :: [snip] ::: ::: My definition is pretty much the same! ::: When I used to run marathons we called it "hitting the wall" ::: because ::: that is what it felt like. It is not just feeling a bit logy or ::: tired. ::: It is a drastic decrease in energy and often happens quite ::: suddenly. ::: :: I've heard it said, though I can't speak from personal experience, :: that bonking and hitting the wall are slightly different, although :: both glycogen depletion related. I think they are both exactly the same thing, though described differently in different sports. The "bonk" is exercise-induced hypoglycemia. :: :: With bikes, and the bonk, its the glycogen reaching the brain, or :: not, which is important, so the main effect is mental. With running, :: and hitting the wall, its supposedly glycogen in (or not) the leg :: muscles. Again, I think it depends on who you talk too. As a low-carber, I've tried to ride long distances without eating carbs either before (ie, LCing for a long period before riding) or during the ride. The most I have be able to get on the bike under these conditions is about 35 lbs before the "bonk" hits. I've had some serious episodes where I became shaky, weak, had severe difficulty in turning the cranks, and difficulty in concentration. And this would be miles from home. Eating carbs would help a bit, but a full on bonk takes hours to recover from. Of course, I'd want to eat everything in sight. :: :: Diabetics also get the bonk, I believe, or hypoglycaemia, if they :: overdose their insulin. Yes, that is possible for those who need insulin. I'm a type 2 and I control my diabetes by exercise and diet (ie, low carb). I get away with eating extra carbs when I get ready to ride lotsa miles. I'm more susceptabe to bonking since I don't eat nearly as many carbs as "normal" people do, so I can have depleted glycogen stores (especially on days after a hard (weights) gym workout). I do most of my riding on weekends, so I'm very strict during the week and on days when I don't ride. :: :: If anyone can give us more information, I would appreciate it :: :: Jeremy Parker
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Date: 03 Jul 2007 15:43:39
From: Dien Cai Dau
Subject: Re: What is bonking?
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"Jeremy Parker" <JeremyParker@compuserve.com > wrote in message news:f6e0qb$dh3$3$830fa795@news.demon.co.uk... > > [snip] > > Diabetics also get the bonk, I believe, or hypoglycaemia, if they overdose > their insulin > > If anyone can give us more information, I would appreciate it > > Jeremy Parker > Sort of, but not always. I am Type 2 diabetic, and control my blood glucose with pills and by restricting the carbohydrates in my diet. I have "bonked" a few times before I realized that I had to consume extra carbs before, and sometimes during, long rides. You may find it ironic that the first time this happened to me was during a Tour de Cure ride (for those of you unfamiliar with it, it is a fund raising event for the American Diabetes Association) when it actually knocked me off of my bike.
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Date: 03 Jul 2007 11:27:56
From: Bill Sornson
Subject: Re: What is bonking?
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Jeremy Parker wrote: > "gds" <gary_jill@msn.com> wrote > > [snip] >> >> My definition is pretty much the same! >> When I used to run marathons we called it "hitting the wall" >> because >> that is what it felt like. It is not just feeling a bit logy or >> tired. >> It is a drastic decrease in energy and often happens quite >> suddenly. >> > I've heard it said, though I can't speak from personal experience, > that bonking and hitting the wall are slightly different, although > both glycogen depletion related. > > With bikes, and the bonk, its the glycogen reaching the brain, or > not, which is important, so the main effect is mental. With running, > and hitting the wall, its supposedly glycogen in (or not) the leg > muscles. > > Diabetics also get the bonk, I believe, or hypoglycaemia, if they > overdose their insulin > > If anyone can give us more information, I would appreciate it > > Jeremy Parker I sometimes get short spells of shakiness and weakness, but they usually pass if I take it easy for a few minutes and down some sports drink and/or a gel. Don't know what that's called -- maybe low blood sugar? -- but it's not true "bonking" IMO. I've seen people totally seize up with cramps -- literally can't pedal (or run) because their leg muscles lock up. Don't know what THAT's called, either -- but still doesn't seem like bonking to me. (Once they get cramps ironed out, usually can continue?) Only time I ever bonked was when I was training for a marathon (St. George) and ran with two guys who were way too fast and strong for me on a very hot day. We hit 22 miles or so and I just "hit the wall". I didn't collapse or anything, but I literally had to stop running and just walk rest of way to car. They tried to convince me it wasn't very far, but I was DONE. Period. Finis. (Later found out I had stress fractures all over my body -- calcium absorption condition that caused kidney stones and weak bones...poetry NOT -- but still managed to run AFC half marathon a week later. Had to drop the full M, however, which remains a bummer to this day. Darn bones...) I think "bonking" is when you just have to stop, no matter how much you want to continue. Prolly mental almost as much as physical. Sheer exhaustion. Bill "ample fat stores usually keep me going" S.
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Date: 02 Jul 2007 13:20:46
From: Peter Cole
Subject: Re: What is bonking?
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Roger Zoul wrote: > I'm curious as to what people here think is bonking. What causes it? What > are the variables involved? > Are there degrees of "bonking" or is "bonking" considered to be the worst > possible form of an exercise induced hypo? > > Bonking is when your blood sugar gets depleted to the point where you have no energy. It usually takes at least a couple of hours of high exertion. At moderate exertion you can run off of fat and most of us have several days worth of capacity there. I've only bonked a couple of times. Besides no energy, my main symptom was an *incredible* hunger.
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Date: 05 Jul 2007 10:20:14
From: It's Chris
Subject: Re: What is bonking?
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There are two types of bonking. The first (and most common) is when muscle glycogen is depleted. When this happens, you can still ride, and may even feel quite good. As long as the going's easy. Flat roads, tail winds and such. As long as all you need is an aerobic effort, which relies on oxygen and blood sugar. This can be replenished through energy drinks, bars, fruits, etc. But as soon as any real strength is needed, like climbing a hill, there's nothing there. You feel like someone has turned off a switch. This type of effort is ANaerobic. It doesn't use oxygen. It comes into play when the needs of your muscles are exceeded by what your heart and lungs can supply. This type of effort uses stored energy. Glycogen, which you are now out of. It can take up to a day or so for your body to replenish it's stores. The second type is when you really "hit the wall". This is when not only have you depleted the bodies's stores of glycogen, but you have been unable to (or just haven't) kept up you intake of carbohydrates to maintain you blood sugar levels. When this happens, you totally run out of power. And the body will shut down muscular activity in order to maintain basic life functions. This can be accompanied (besides the complete inability to move) by dizziness and incoherence. and can become serious if too extreme. The pictures you've seen of marathon runners who simply collapse and can't get up without help, they have reached this level. I've reached the first level of bonking many times, especially when training for an endurance ride, pushing myself more than I should. it's frustrating, but with my super low gears, not incapacitating. I can still limp home, albeit at a newbie's pace. I've been lucky so far, usually when it happens it's not until the last ten miles or so. I've never let myself get to the second level. - - Compliments of: "Your Friendly Neighborhood Wheelman" If you want to E-mail me use: ChrisZCorner "at" webtv "dot" net My website: http://geocities.com/czcorner
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Date: 02 Jul 2007 15:24:33
From: dgk
Subject: Re: What is bonking?
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On Mon, 02 Jul 2007 13:20:46 -0400, Peter Cole <peter_cole@comcast.net > wrote: >Roger Zoul wrote: >> I'm curious as to what people here think is bonking. What causes it? What >> are the variables involved? >> Are there degrees of "bonking" or is "bonking" considered to be the worst >> possible form of an exercise induced hypo? >> >> > >Bonking is when your blood sugar gets depleted to the point where you >have no energy. It usually takes at least a couple of hours of high >exertion. At moderate exertion you can run off of fat and most of us >have several days worth of capacity there. > >I've only bonked a couple of times. Besides no energy, my main symptom >was an *incredible* hunger. That sounds like the real meaning of bonking. I tend to use it when I just can't get up the energy to pedal faster and am just dragging. Sort of like having a bad day. It doesn't happen to me too often, maybe a few times a year. I realize that it isn't the real definition but, judging by the criteria, I'm never going to get to use the word bonk and I hate letting a good word go to waste.
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Date: 04 Jul 2007 19:32:26
From: Elisa Francesca Roselli
Subject: Re: What is bonking?
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dgk wrote: > I realize that it isn't the real definition but, judging by the > criteria, I'm never going to get to use the word bonk and I hate > letting a good word go to waste. Just head for the UK, where it means something else altogether. ;° > EFR Ile de France
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Date: 05 Jul 2007 07:44:41
From: dgk
Subject: Re: What is bonking?
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On Wed, 04 Jul 2007 19:32:26 +0200, Elisa Francesca Roselli <nospam@free.fr > wrote: >dgk wrote: > >> I realize that it isn't the real definition but, judging by the >> criteria, I'm never going to get to use the word bonk and I hate >> letting a good word go to waste. > >Just head for the UK, where it means something else altogether. ;°> > >EFR >Ile de France Bonk until you bonk! The best of both worlds. I think I'm too old.
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Date: 03 Jul 2007 15:43:12
From: Ryan Cousineau
Subject: Re: What is bonking?
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In article <d1ki83dhkdvlbqmotkl3re9sc78t8r3dn4@4ax.com >, dgk <dgk@somewhere.com > wrote: > On Mon, 02 Jul 2007 13:20:46 -0400, Peter Cole > <peter_cole@comcast.net> wrote: > > >Roger Zoul wrote: > >> I'm curious as to what people here think is bonking. What causes it? What > >> are the variables involved? > >> Are there degrees of "bonking" or is "bonking" considered to be the worst > >> possible form of an exercise induced hypo? > >> > >> > > > >Bonking is when your blood sugar gets depleted to the point where you > >have no energy. It usually takes at least a couple of hours of high > >exertion. At moderate exertion you can run off of fat and most of us > >have several days worth of capacity there. > > > >I've only bonked a couple of times. Besides no energy, my main symptom > >was an *incredible* hunger. > > That sounds like the real meaning of bonking. I tend to use it when I > just can't get up the energy to pedal faster and am just dragging. > Sort of like having a bad day. It doesn't happen to me too often, > maybe a few times a year. > > I realize that it isn't the real definition but, judging by the > criteria, I'm never going to get to use the word bonk and I hate > letting a good word go to waste. The word you're looking for is "suck." No, seriously, I'm not trying to be a jerk, that's pretty much how racers describe that experience. Sadly, NY Velocity has broken their site, so I can no longer find the excellent article "Levels of Suck Explained." -- Ryan Cousineau rcousine@sfu.ca http://www.wiredcola.com/ "I don't want kids who are thinking about going into mathematics to think that they have to take drugs to succeed." -Paul Erdos
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Date: 05 Jul 2007 07:39:25
From: dgk
Subject: Re: What is bonking?
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On Tue, 03 Jul 2007 15:43:12 GMT, Ryan Cousineau <rcousine@sfu.ca > wrote: >In article <d1ki83dhkdvlbqmotkl3re9sc78t8r3dn4@4ax.com>, > dgk <dgk@somewhere.com> wrote: > >> On Mon, 02 Jul 2007 13:20:46 -0400, Peter Cole >> <peter_cole@comcast.net> wrote: >> >> >Roger Zoul wrote: >> >> I'm curious as to what people here think is bonking. What causes it? What >> >> are the variables involved? >> >> Are there degrees of "bonking" or is "bonking" considered to be the worst >> >> possible form of an exercise induced hypo? >> >> >> >> >> > >> >Bonking is when your blood sugar gets depleted to the point where you >> >have no energy. It usually takes at least a couple of hours of high >> >exertion. At moderate exertion you can run off of fat and most of us >> >have several days worth of capacity there. >> > >> >I've only bonked a couple of times. Besides no energy, my main symptom >> >was an *incredible* hunger. >> >> That sounds like the real meaning of bonking. I tend to use it when I >> just can't get up the energy to pedal faster and am just dragging. >> Sort of like having a bad day. It doesn't happen to me too often, >> maybe a few times a year. >> >> I realize that it isn't the real definition but, judging by the >> criteria, I'm never going to get to use the word bonk and I hate >> letting a good word go to waste. > >The word you're looking for is "suck." No, seriously, I'm not trying to >be a jerk, that's pretty much how racers describe that experience. > >Sadly, NY Velocity has broken their site, so I can no longer find the >excellent article "Levels of Suck Explained." Levels of Suck! I love it. Yes, I guess that pretty well explains the feeling. Sometimes I just can't get the feet moving.
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Date: 02 Jul 2007 17:35:15
From: Ryan Cousineau
Subject: Re: What is bonking?
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In article <UpSdneBoltltrhTbnZ2dnUVZ_gWdnZ2d@comcast.com >, Peter Cole <peter_cole@comcast.net > wrote: > Roger Zoul wrote: > > I'm curious as to what people here think is bonking. What causes it? What > > are the variables involved? > > Are there degrees of "bonking" or is "bonking" considered to be the worst > > possible form of an exercise induced hypo? > > > > > > Bonking is when your blood sugar gets depleted to the point where you > have no energy. It usually takes at least a couple of hours of high > exertion. At moderate exertion you can run off of fat and most of us > have several days worth of capacity there. > > I've only bonked a couple of times. Besides no energy, my main symptom > was an *incredible* hunger. And general fatigue. In shorter races, there's another phenomenon, which my more knowledgable friends claim is likely a changeover from long-term to short-term energy sources, where after a bit of intense riding you get into this pit of immense depression. It's not that your fatigue level suddenly goes over a cliff, it's just that you suddenly wonder what the heck you're doing in a bike race, and since you're feeling so bad, you should probably just give up. Then a few minutes later it passes. Some of my best race results came when I felt that pit of black despair, told myself to just ride a few more laps, and then made it onto the podium. -- Ryan Cousineau rcousine@sfu.ca http://www.wiredcola.com/ "I don't want kids who are thinking about going into mathematics to think that they have to take drugs to succeed." -Paul Erdos
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