Ran out of energy

[Square Wheels]

I'm not claiming to have bonked, not even close.  I've read a bit about it and I know it wasn't a bonk.

 

On Saturday I rode a nice stretch of road in NH called the Kancamagus Highway.  The ride went about 15 miles with a slow uphill, then 5 steep (for me) miles uphill.  At the top I waited for my wife, then zoomed down 15 or so miles.  My wife went more cautiously, so again I waited at the bottom.

 

Then we went for a light lunch for a little fuel and warm tea.  It was a cool day but I still went through a little more than 1 bottle prior to lunch.  Plus I had a peanut butter and jelly at the top while I waited for my wife and several Perpetuem solids along the way.

 

Then we headed back to the top.  Again, the bottom was not as steep as the top, but this side is a little steeper.  When I was a few miles from the top, I ran out of energy.  I stopped for a few minutes thinking I needed a break, but as I clearly pointed out, there were many breaks on this ride.  When I started up again I thought I was fine, but that only lasted a few minutes.  I just had no energy left to keep going.  I sucked it up and walked a 1/2 mile or so.

 

I feel I was hydrated and well fed.

 

What went wrong, and how can I do better the next time?

 

[VladyP]

Same thing happened to me recently.  I blamed it on poor diet, time off the bike and age.  Getting old sucks.

[Square Wheels]

Ahh, good points.  I didn't include those clues.

 

Clue 1

I am 49 and have only been riding a road bike 1 year.  Last year I rode a hybrid.  The prior 47 years I was a slug for the most part - no exercise ever.

 

Clue 2

I did a century two weeks before and had been off the bike for the two weeks in between.

[Longjohn ★]

_{Walking a bike sucks.  Maybe you are not geared low enough for steep hills?  My road bike wasn't geared low enough for me to do the hilly century rides we have here in western Pa.  A steep hill on a thirty mile ride isn't as hard as a the same hill ninety miles into a century.  I changed my cassette and rear derailleur and never had another problem.  I never walked that road bike, I had road shoes and pedals there was no way I could have walked up those hills wearing those shoes, I just really struggled on the long steep climbs after riding all day. Now I mostly ride my touring bike and it is geared like a mountain bike, it climbs like a mountain goat.}

[Longjohn ★]

Oh, and being 49 shouldn't slow you down.  I didn't start riding until I was older than that.  I'm 64 now.

[Nate]

ok, here's something to remember....You can eat and drink all you want or can get, but if that stuff doesn't hit your blood, it won't matter

 

hint: peanut butter takes a very long time to digest.

 

find foods that work. Everybody is different, but I don't like meat or fats (like peanut butter) before I ride. I do like cream cheese sandwhiches on my homemade bread. so for me, peanut butter doesn't work, cream cheese does. Doesn't make any sense, it just is what it is. But you have to find this stuff out for you.

 

never heard of perpetuem solids, but stuff like that and gels, I like Clif bars alot...but try different stuff until you find what works. It takes time. It took me probably 3 years to figure out that 1 Clif bar and 1 gel = 3 hours

 

but you have to work it out by trial and error

 

also, what you have eaten in the last few days matters when you are going to go to your limit

 

and don't just use performance food. Actual food can work, too. In fact, on a long day there comes a time when I'm sick of all the performance food and just want to eat a Little Debbie oatmeal cookie or some Oreos or something

 

the final thought is to remind you that it is bad luck to eat anything your don't normally eat when you are riding a century, so be careful at them rest stops!

[JerrySTL ★]

This is one reason I put a GU gel pack or something in my pocket during longer rides. If I start feeling bad, I eat the GU.

 

If I start feeling better in about 10-15 minutes, maybe I was low on fuel or the placebo effect is kicking in.

 

If I don't feel much better, well maybe I'm just having a bad day or I'd dug myself in so deep that 100 calories aren't enough to help.

[Square Wheels]

OK, forgot about those too, I had several Hammer Gels during the ride too.

 

The thing is, except for my butt hurting, I was feeling OK.  My heart rate was very high a lot of the day, ~180, but I didn't feel bad.

[Reverend_Maynard]

.  My heart rate was very high a lot of the day, ~180, but I didn't feel bad.

Sounds like you just rode too hard for your fitness level.  A HR that high is fine for a 1 or 2 hour effort, but not an all day ride.  As mentioned, maybe your bike is geared too high and you couldn't down shift anymore?  You were strong enough to keep a good cadence for a long period, but that wore you out?

[Nate]

 

My heart rate was very high a lot of the day, ~180

 

Good Grief, what are you a hummingbird?

 

There's why you blew up

 

Gino Bartalli used to always say "never too hot, and never too cold"

[Longjohn ★]

Sounds like you just rode too hard for your fitness level.  A HR that high is fine for a 1 or 2 hour effort, but not an all day ride.  As mentioned, maybe your bike is geared too high and you couldn't down shift anymore?  You were strong enough to keep a good cadence for a long period, but that wore you out?

Yes, the old aerobic verses anaerobic activity.  After a certain heart rate you are in an anaerobic mode, it's not possible to sustain this level of activity.  If you try you run out of gas.  An aerobic mode you can sustain for extended periods of time.

[Square Wheels]

Sounds like you just rode too hard for your fitness level.  A HR that high is fine for a 1 or 2 hour effort, but not an all day ride.  As mentioned, maybe your bike is geared too high and you couldn't down shift anymore?  You were strong enough to keep a good cadence for a long period, but that wore you out?

 

 

Good Grief, what are you a hummingbird?

 

There's why you blew up

 

Gino Bartalli used to always say "never too hot, and never too cold"

 

 

Yes, the old aerobic verses anaerobic activity.  After a certain heart rate you are in an anaerobic mode, it's not possible to sustain this level of activity.  If you try you run out of gas.  An aerobic mode you can sustain for extended periods of time.

 

Thanks all, maybe I exaggerated - it always hurts to go back and see that data isn't as dramatic as you remember.  But there were high periods here.

 

 

As a reminder, this ride was with my wife and that afforded me many breaks.  I'm not knocking her, she's wonderful, but of the two of us I'm currently the stronger rider.

 

I ride a compact so for the hills I was in a 34/28.

 

So, what can I do to make this ride doable?  Again, this is my first year trying to tackle rides like this.  Do I just need more time / training?  Am I being arrogant thinking I can ride something like this?

 

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/386153033

[Reverend_Maynard]

Well, seems to me you can do one or more of several things: get stronger, getting lighter, or change your equipment.

 

Getting stronger is lots of work and time intensive.  I can understand why you may be unwilling or unable to choose that route.

 

Getting lighter through diet need not take much effort, just willpower, assuming you have some weight to lose.

 

Equipment wise, you could get a mountain cassette with a 36 on it.  You'd probably also need to get a long cage RD as well, but it's a cheaper option than changing the crank to a triple.  If you're mechanically inclined, you could swap the cassette/RD for "steep hills" setup to "regular riding" setup in an hour or less.

[Square Wheels]

Thanks Rev.

 

I want to get stronger, and am slowly working on that.  I fear losing what I gain each year.  I plan to ride a lot on the rollers this winter.

 

I am currently at 200 pounds and if I lose 15 more I can get down to 10% body fat.  I don't know how much lighter than that I can get.

 

Not sure if I want to invest the money into a new cassette / RD.  The compact has done me well for almost all of my rides.  When I did the Mt Washington century in July I did have to stop on the hills a few times, but I didn't walk up any of them.

 

So for now I'll keep an eye on what I eat before and during the ride, continue to lose weight and try and get stronger.

[Longjohn ★]

I bought my cassette, long cage derailleur, chain whip, and cassette tool online and it really didn't cost much.  I didn't want my LBS to know what I was doing to the road bike they sold me.  I thought they would disapprove, can't hide something like that.  They saw it when they did the next tune up and asked how I liked it.  I also wasn't sure they would have what I needed in stock.

[Nate]

climbing takes time. It actually takes more than one season to build up your areobic system. Long flat rides where you can stay in a steady state really help this, actually

 

you need to make more power aerobically

 

34/28 is plenty enough climbing gear

 

so find the pace where you can climb that grade indefinitely. Whatever speed that is. That's your basic climbing pace

 

if you are getting pushed into an anaerobic state, then you need to slow the pace to stay aerobic. turn light gears early and save your matches

[speedysmed]

It is hard for me to relate to a beginner.  I've been cycling hard and fast for the last thirty years now.  I can climb any steep hills around here...up to 20% in my 53/39 x 12/23 gearing.  Before any big ride, I eat a large bowel of oatmeal with cocoa powder added, and with large scoop of raisins.  A banana or two. I drink a large glass of orange juice and drink lots of water before I start out riding.  I am 5'11 1/2  and weigh something like 158 lbs.

[Square Wheels]

It is hard for me to relate to a beginner.  I've been cycling hard and fast for the last thirty years now.

 

I think this is part of my problem.  I ride when I can and read about what so many experienced people are doing that I forget I am still a beginner.

I know in time i will come, I need a little patience and a lot of work.

 

I'll be in my 70's when I say to the new kids that I've been riding for 30+ years.  

[captaincreep]

Dude don't over think it. Just ride more. If the hills give you fits ( and you want to get better on them ). Do more hilly rides. You will learn that they don't really get much easier you just learn what your body needs to deal with them.

My first season riding I want for a ride with 2 very experienced riders. I was having a great day and feeling really good. We were 56 miles in to a ( supposed to be ) 65 mile ride when one of the riders pulled up besides me and asked "How do you feel?" "Do you want to add a few more miles?" I replied "Sure! I feel great!" You see I had only done 35 miles to that point so I was feeling euphoric setting a new mark for myself. So Steve said take this next right. I did and we started going up. It was getting tough avg. 3% 4% and sometimes 7%. I started out hard and strong but I was starting to fade. Steve rolled by saying "Hills are your friend!" I really tried to hang onto his wheel but I was hitting the wall. Away they went. Gone. I worked my butt off getting to the top. Suffering all the way. Getting to the top they were sitting there waiting for me. I said sorry. They said don't worry about it. We started down the other side. Going down the other side I am VERY tired and see that we are going down but there is another uphill coming up. I figure Ill give it all in a high speed mad sprint and use the momentum to give me a boost going up the next hill. I'm going pushing as hard as I can and from behind me I hear left left LEFT as i blow past the left turn I was supposed to take. I slowed and turned around. Climbing back up to the road I was supposed to take. Hurt like nobody's business. took the turn. Caught up with the two riders. Who slowed up so I could catch up. When I caught up Steve said to me "Hey hills are your friend". I smiled trying to laugh ( could barley breath ) and we rode back to the parking lot with 73 miles. Later I felt great that I had actually done 73 miles. I've been working on hills ever since. Now I can rock the hills and when I roll past someone else on the hills I look over and say "Hey, hills are your friend."  

[Ralphie ★]

 

 Before any big ride, I eat a large bowel of oatmeal

Ewww!

[Bikeguy]

 My heart rate was very high a lot of the day, ~180, but I didn't feel bad.

If I had a HR into the 180s at all, let alone for 20 minutes, and then do that again… I’d probably have a heart attack.

 

On longer rides, I use my HRM to help me keep my HR lower, especially during the first half of the ride.   If climb a hill too fast, and my HR starts to go up a lot, I know I’ll pay for that later in the ride.  There is only so much gas in the tank.  Eating and drinking will help to refill the tank, but for me it’s better to at least try to ride at a lower HR and I’ll be stronger during the last part of the ride. 

 

 

 

[Square Wheels]

Thanks all.

Clearly this is coming down to me not being fit enough to do this tough of a ride yet.  I can accept that.  I also think I need to gain a lot of strength.  I will work on some cycling specific training for the gym over the winter.

 

Bikeguy, I just looked and my average HR was "only" 140.  There were a lot of breaks, and I think those hurt me overall, but also make my HR look better than it was while riding.

[Bikeguy]

You may have had a lower average 140 vs. my 146, for me it is more about not having huge HR numbers very often during a long ride.

 

I got into the 155 to 165 range a lot more often than I should have, and I paid for that during the last 22 miles of the ride that was all into a strong head wind.