The first 4 hours of the ride I was feeling great and averaging a respectable 29.3 kph. It actually seemed to go by quick. Mentally I played a game and pretended that I didn't do the first 4 hours and I only started and only had a two hour ride.
Then by 4:18 of the ride the bonk came on. I was riding into the wind and having trouble doing 22 kph on the flat part of Bell School line. At that moment I look over and Rodney pulls up. He was 45 minutes into his 6 hr ride. He also follows the Mark Allen program. My heart rate was starting to go through the roof. I was fading into a bonk I haven't felt in a long time, perhaps the first time I started training years ago.
My plan was to do the Bell School Line big honking hill and then 6th line and the backside of Appleby. I started up Bell School and near died, my heart rate shot up to 170 bpm and I thought I was going to get sick. It was a sensation I've never had before.
We got to the top and I was fried. I had virtually no water and had only had about 1000 calories the entire ride. I had to make a detour to a local convenience store. Rodney came with me as I bought water, grapefruit juice and Coke. I needed a coke. It's the only thing that is like jet fuel. I near got nothing when I tried to use my debit card and it didn't work, it was in my tool bag and part of the strip wore off. It's a good thing I had a $20 bill stashed in there too.
We got to 6th line and I started and had to turn around. I yelled ahead to Rodney and said he's on his own I can't do it. The next few miles was hell. I was in big trouble. I ended up calling Alice to come pick me up. I kept riding and we met at the beginning off walkers line. I was feeling slightly better when she showed up, not enough to turn down the ride. I put the bike in the car and Alice drove I didn't think I'd have the energy to get the bike out of the truck when we got home.
To add to my bonk my neck somehow also got kinked. The same sensation as when you wake up after sleeping on it the wrong way. It was near impossible to look over my shoulder to see if traffic was coming.
I got home and I did get the bike out of the car barely. The first thing I did was have three big pieces of watermelon and for something that doesn't look like recovery food it seems to really help as I was spread out on the couch. I was so worried about my fitness and now wondering if I had gone in the wrong direction after taking much of the week off after the Welland Half Ironman race and a weekend full of drinking.
It was a total evaluation and total fear of what's going to happen to me. I felt I was on the edge and still have time to pull myself from the edge, barely. It was also one of those come to Jesus rides and post ride evaluation.
After about an hour I started feeling better. Good enough that I considered going back out after dinner and finishing my ride and brick run. Which I did. After a nice steak dinner I felt back to normal and after a 3-hr break I got back on the bike and knocked off another hr, then did my 30 minute brick run. I'm so glad I did I started to realize that it was my nutrition that did it not my fitness. My legs were completely fine and didn't feel stressed, a good sign, and after eating and resting I was near back to normal.
If I got in that sort of trouble during and Ironman or could re-live Ironman China and a bonk happened I'd pull over to a shaded spot on the side of the road and eat as much food as I could get at an aid station and then go for a sleep. Even if it lasted 2-3 hours I don't care so long as I could finish within 17 hours.
In the end it was a major win, mentally and physically. I realized as I was finishing my run I can't remember a day at work that I did 7 hours of work. Training 7 hour is much easier than thinking for 7 hours. Feels good to be back on track.
I was also telling myself I need to start a 21-day challenge of eating well, drinking sparingly and working hard. It would be nice to lose a few pounds before IMLP.
Finally I tried on my new wetsuit today. I ordered another Xterra at the larger size and the least expensive model. It has a thinner skin. It felt much better. The think skin reminded me of the old wetsuits from 25 years ago. It also fit better on the chest, my nipple wasn't sticking out. The best part is it comes off much easier than the higher priced suits. This suit only cost me $99 (Regular $200) and $149 with shipping and taxes included. The other wet suit was $150 ($300 reg) and $229 with shipping and taxes.
Ebay. I'm going to try and get the grease off.
Long Bike Part 1 - 5:31:23 / 152.52 km / 27.6 kph
Long Bike Part 2 - 1:01:31 / 30.12 km / 29.5 kph
Total Long Bike - 6:32:54 / 182.64 km
Brick Run - 31:08 / 5.94 km / 5:13 avg pace
2 comments:
Great post. I love reading from your experiences.
Glad you got the boost you needed from the convenience store, on our century ride, I felt the same way, after I ate I had a surge of energy. Never realized how much nutrition really plays a role on the bike.
Way to get that workout wrapped up after dinner!
M, thanks. Yup nutrition is the key.
B
Post a Comment