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2005-03-14 9:44 AM

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Subject: What was your worse Bonk!
When was your worse "Bonk"?

I have never "Bonked/Hit the Wall" in a race but I've done it several times training for a marathon. I was close to bonking on my last bike ride, but made it through.

My worse running bonk came at about 18 miles on a training run last summer. I could not even run 50y at a time. Walking was all I could do. My mistake came when all I had for dinner the night before was a salad. Big mistake. Gels could not even come close to helping me. Lucky I was within 1/2 mile from the car.

What was your worse Bonk?

Randy

Edited by Blacktoe 2005-03-14 9:45 AM


2005-03-14 10:11 AM
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Subject: RE: What was your worse Bonk!
14 miles into a 18mi (3k + climbin) MTB race on top of Dragons Back (North Mountain) in a foggy misting 45degree day. Low-speed crashed on a drop-in switchback and rolled down the low side of the turn. I had lost my gatorade on the first lap.
This is not one of the "sanitized" NORBA loops that you hear about, just a fairly sketchy ridgeline singletrack at about 2900 feet.
Laying on my empty camelback in a laurel thicket with both legs locked up tighter than a drum. I realized that it would be a LONG time before any one came to get my sorry butt out of this perdicament. Thoughts of hypothermia, bears, helicopter rescues, and Rip VanWinkle floated through my mind. Being severely drama-adverse, I somehow got mysell out of the bushes and  rode it out with several stop-n-massage breaks.
Bonking on the road holds no real fear for me anymore.
2005-03-14 10:36 AM
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Subject: RE: What was your worse Bonk!
It seems bonk means something different in America. This thread isn't nearly as interesting as I thought it would be!! ;-)
2005-03-14 10:59 AM
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Subject: RE: What was your worse Bonk!
John_0026 - 2005-03-14 9:36 AM

It seems bonk means something different in America. This thread isn't nearly as interesting as I thought it would be!! ;-)


you could be confusing "bonk"with "boink"

Edited by brianb 2005-03-14 11:00 AM
2005-03-14 11:30 AM
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Subject: RE: What was your worse Bonk!
In England we bonk.
2005-03-14 11:40 AM
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Subject: RE: What was your worse Bonk!
My worst boink? Never had one. My worst bonk? On the run during a half IM last year. Finished the race at a full run, but did a lot of walking in miles 4-12. I actually came away with very positive feelings because I felt like I had achieveed a rite of passage, and learned a lot about myself in the process. I know this: I never want to feel that much pain in my legs ever again!


2005-03-14 12:12 PM
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Subject: RE: What was your worse Bonk!
I am off on a 2h run. I hope I don't Bonk
2005-03-14 5:28 PM
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Subject: RE: What was your worse Bonk!
8th place at the run turn-around and gaining. Hopes of top 5 Olympic distance finish dancing in my head. Basically skipping dinner the night before, zero intake before race, and water only on the course. did the whole shaky-shaky leg dance, blurred vision. I actually swiped a doughnut out of the hand of a spectator. ended up in the 80's by race end. Fastest run time of the day was slower than my PBR. Had the fastest bike time and a very decent swim, for once. Coulda-woulda-shoulda. Big regrets. Even DNFing a race never felt as bad as that one. Mentally and physically. Pretty much gave up on triathlon for 17 yrs after that. Idiot.

worst boink? Mae West said: sex when you're in love is the greatest thing in the world. Sex without love, well that ain't bad either.
2005-03-14 7:21 PM
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Subject: RE: What was your worse Bonk!
Coeur d'Alene Marathon 2001. Went in undertrained and had major nutrition issues. Ended up not drinking or eating enough and my race fell apart around mile 17. I lost over 12 pounds during the race and ended up having huge hamstring cramps. Almost DNF'ed at mile 25. Worst race experiance ever, learned alot about how messed up you can get during a race. Never again.
2005-03-14 9:03 PM
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Subject: RE: What was your worse Bonk!
John_0026 - 2005-03-14 10:30 AM

In England we bonk.


This could explain the English birth rate.

I too have bonked. I did this "100km in 48 hours in teams of 4" Oxfam fundraiser through the mountains of Victoria, Australia. Because I am certifiably insane, I decided it would be best to get it over quickly and run as much as possible. At the finish line I passed out at the tea counter, bloodied my chin and woke up on a cot with St. John's Ambulance administering a truly foul orange hydration supplement. I nearly fainted again shortly afterward as some angel of mercy attempted to bandage my feet back together with aid of scissors and a needle. Later the same evening I ate an entire pizza, then slept for 18 hours.

Here's some unsolicited advice, kiddies: don't try this at home.
2005-03-14 9:15 PM
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Subject: RE: What was your worse Bonk!
I went through the same thought process... and was justifiably disappointed!!!

We bonk in Australia too, and just hit the wall during our races!!!!


2005-03-14 9:19 PM
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Subject: RE: What was your worse Bonk!
You differently-Anglo types are so much fun to titillate with American words like "bonk" and "fanny pack". On the other hand, when an American friend of mine went to a British post office and tried to collect his package he almost got arrested.
2005-03-14 10:17 PM
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Subject: RE: What was your worse Bonk!
55 miles into a 110+ plus mile hike to the beach my friend and I both bonked. I wouldn't say bonk per se, but we could no longer walk on our feet. It took us an hour to walk the last mile. We finally made it to a phone and got bicycles to carry us the rest of the way.

Another time, first hike in AZ. The hot dry air was more than I expected. I had almost run out of water over half-way into my hike but was so close to the top of the mountain I did not want to turn around. I gave the remaining water to the dog and pushed on. By the time we got close to the end I actually got a piece of cactus and got some liquid. Barely made the drive back to the hotel we were staying in. I never underestimate the AZ sun anymore.
2005-03-14 11:49 PM
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Subject: RE: What was your worse Bonk!
Honolulu marathon, Decmeber 2000. 20,000 runners for the marathon, 6000 walkers for a 10K walk all with the same start. I arrived late, was in the porta potty when the gun when off so started off way in the back of the pack. Took about 6 miles before I could get into my pace, so was pretty much beat up before I got started. Absolutely bonked at about 22 miles going up the hill in Kahala going past Diamond Head. I probably should have DNF at that point but was not thinking clearly. Literally collapsed once and staggered through the finish line. It was a good lesson on training and listening to my body. Drink before you get thirsty and eat before you get hungry or it is to late.

Going to the UK next week. Hope to Bonk.
2005-03-15 5:31 AM
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Subject: RE: What was your worse Bonk!
Last sunday St Patricks half Marathon. Heart rate sky rocketed never could get it down. Legs were killing me. Walked for 5 minutes to get my head straight and finish.Never was I as proud as last Sunday to finish!
2005-03-15 9:23 AM
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Subject: RE: What was your worse Bonk!

20 mile training run a few years ago.  First warm day of the spring, wasn't heat acclimated, didn't have nearly enough fluid.  Ended up calling my wife to come get me, only I gave her wrong directions becuase I was so disoriented.  She finally found me after driving around my usual route.

Chris



2005-03-15 10:05 AM
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Subject: RE: What was your worse Bonk!

Hyperrace 2003 (Sprint two-person team adventure race). I was in the best shape of my life for this race.

After sharing the lead with two other teams for the first couple of hours of the race, my teammate got a flat tire. We fixed it and managed to catch some of the other teams and were back in the top five. Then I got a flat. We used our second and last spare tube, but the tirewall was torn, so we damaged that last tube. With no other spares and nowhere to find any, I started running for about 1.5 hrs with my bike alongside while my teammate rode very slowly. Even the last team caught up to us, but fortunately they gave us one of their spare tubes, and we continued the race. We were now dead last!

With the tirewall ripped, we inserted a powerbar wrapper in the inner wall of the tire, but had to use very low psi or the tire would continue to deteriorate and our race would be over.  We managed to catch a few other teams before the next control point, but running with the bike alongside and riding with hardly any air pressure in my tire took most of my strength. The next control point was an army obstacle course on foot, and I was starting to feel tired.

Then we rode for another hour, and I could hardly keep up. Our next control point was trekking about two hours in a steep mountain. When we started going up, we saw the teams that we had originally been sharing the lead with at the beginning of the race; they were actually on their way out of the mountain. And that's when I finally HIT THE WALL. I became useless. I managed to get up the mountain, nearly falling backwards in every step. As we were coming down the mountain, I twisted both my ankles and fell several times. I had very little control over my legs.

Then we rode some more, did some "surprise" tests (jumping from 10meters high into a pool, swimming 50 meters, kayaking in a small pond, etc.) On the final bike leg, I cramped up badly. Still, we got to the last control point where we had to run approx. 3k out, get our passport signed and run back. I was running, but could have probably walked faster.

My teammate says that, after I hit the wall, I got a "blank" stare into the void for the rest of the race. We finished the race 13th out of 30 teams. This was the shortest adventure race I've ever done (about 8hrs) but definitely the hardest ever on my body.

Félix



Edited by dragoman 2005-03-15 10:09 AM
2005-03-15 10:41 AM
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Subject: RE: What was your worse Bonk!
I remember it clearly- mile 4 1/2 in an Olympic distance tri in 2003. Didn't eat enough that morning and this was my first Olympic distance race. Anyway, got to 4.5 miles and there was an uphill.... I walked up the hill and cont'd to walk/run until the last 1/4 mile and managed to keep moving at a jog to the finish line. Ugh.
I've learned to better prepare myself nutritionally for those longer races.
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