Went out today eager to try some new stuff, based on the helpful comments regarding my bonk last week. I rode 22.4 miles from my house to Southwest Parkway and back, including a loop through Travis Country for good measure. (For those readers unfamiliar with Austin, Southwest Parkway is a 4-lane road, sometimes divided, with reasonably good shoulders and lots of hills. Travis Country is a neighborhood at the east end of Southwest Parkway, with a loop road that also has a couple of decent hills.)
I’m going to be trying different kinds of foods to keep nourished during rides. On a trip to the bike store yesterday, I got some Accelerade, some Clif Bars, and some Clif Shot Bloks. Filled one water bottle with Accelerade and the other with water. I made it a point to start drinking the Accelerade even before the ride, and about every 15 minutes during it. At about the 12 mile mark, I took a brief rest, ate a Clif Bar, and drank water.
It surprised me how quickly the fuel worked. Pulling up hills, I could feel that my thighs had plenty of energy. I suppose I’ve always taken this for granted before, but since last weekend’s misadventure, I’m a lot more attuned to the way I feel when I’m on the bike. Felt great at the end of the ride, and two hours later, my wife and I went out and played nine holes of golf. I took a drink of water on every hole, but was not in the least fatigued.
I’ll be trying different food and/or drink combinations on my rides, but for now, I’m confident that my bonking days are over.
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