How do you know you’re bonking

How does one REALLY know they are bonking.  Let me give you a few hints:

1.  you want to kill your riding partner whom you usually like very much because they took you on a ride longer than you wanted to go on;

2.  ALL you can think about is that turkey sandwich on multigrain bread…..;

3.  your mind keeps repeating “I don’t want to play anymore” in your head–and sometimes out loud–and you can’t tell the difference;

4.  you think you are going really fast because all you can think about is going home, but when you look at your odometer it tells you you are going 14 MPH;

5.  when you stop to refill on fluids and possibly get food, but you say “no, I’m not hungry, I’ll just drink this water” while your friend is shoving a cinnamon raisin bagel down your throat;

6.  your quads feel like they are in a vice.

How do I know this, you ask?  Last Tuesday my very dear friend Bonnie and I went on a 50ish mile ride late afternoon.  This ride was one I was supposed to do on Sunday, but it was pouring and I was tired from Saturday’s workout, so I switched some things around and planned to do it Tues after work.

A few things happen to me when I don’t do long workouts first thing in the am.  Firstly, I have a hard time with the timing of my eating to sustain the workout.  Secondly, I underestimate the effort of what I’ve already done that day.  Third, I think 2 bottles of G2 (no carbs) is going to sustain a 3 hour ride (!?).  So I guess I don’t think straight.

Anyways, off we went.  I felt fine when we started.  I even commented on how it is amazing how 20miles seems so easy now.  Then about 40miles into the ride I was aggravated, whiny, and downright unhappy.  Not my usual personality (no comments please ).

And this, my friends, is the story of a bonk….