I'm having bonk anxiety

[CNY rider]

Need some advice and reassurance here.

Wednesday night on my commute home from work I had one of my worst episodes of bonk ever.
My commute should not involve bonk; after all it is only 7.5 miles. The last 2 miles are almost straight up though.

So on Wednesday I ate lunch at my typical time, about 1230. The afternoon got busy and I was in an interminable meeting until after 6. I got on my bike in the pitch blackness, fired up my lights and started for home. I felt crappy almost immediately. I remembered that all I had eaten after lunch were 2 chocolate chip cookies, but at that point it was too late.
When I got to my hill it really hit the fan. It's out in the country and darker than dark. I could feel my legs wobbling, the bike was all over the place and I could barely turn the pedals over. Finally struggled home and really felt crappy the whole evening, even after eating.

Now I find myself totally psyched-out about riding home tonight
I know it's not going to happen again (I think).

So what's your best suggestion for dealing with bonk? How do you head it off?

eat meat. have a little packet of mixed nuts and almonds from starbucks in your back pocket. eat them on the way home and the last hour of work.

if you're dying have a snickers bar and a coke.
breathe.

don't skip lunch.

[fiamme red]

For emergencies, always keep a few pieces of squirrel jerky in your jersey pocket.

[markie]

You shouldn't bonk in that distance.

I'd look to another reason. Over-trained, getting sick, scared of the dark?

[Blue Jays]

That distance should preclude a true "bonk" episode. I would look down other paths.

if you're on empty at the start .... you're on empty and it doesn't matter the distance.

do you hypoglycemia? diabetes? any med issues? (rhetorical)

[CNY rider]

Originally Posted by markie

You shouldn't bonk in that distance.

I'd look to another reason. Over-trained, getting sick, scared of the dark?

You know there's probably something to that scared of the dark thing, all joking aside. The whole shaky/sweaty/nausea feeling is bad enough but I think having it happen in the middle of nowhere in total darkness adds to the psychological effect.

[CNY rider]

Originally Posted by swoop

if you're on empty at the start .... you're on empty and it doesn't matter the distance.

do you hypoglycemia? diabetes? any med issues? (rhetorical)

No but the "empty on the start" thing is probably the key here, as you said.

well the simple answer is don't do that. but i can tell you... nothing will get you through thirty minutes of flat lining all-out bonk like coke and a snickers.

its disgusting only delays the inevitable... but it does work.
you should have a powdered protein-juiced recovery biker drink in your bottles too.

imagine what those endurance cats go through.

[NateM]

I think you said it yourself when you felt bad at the start.Have a snack like a banana or apple an hour before you leave and always carry something like Hammer Gel,GU. I am a type 1 diabetic and have bonked many times within 7 miles from my home or office. I carry Hammer Gel in a flask and for emergency's Glucose in a tube (Insta Glucose).These wont cure a true bonk but they will probably get you home in one piece.For me blood sugar control is a science that requires constant attention and those occasional bouts with low blood sugars are just a fact of my life.Think ahead if you can.

[Ray]

Originally Posted by CNY rider

You know there's probably something to that scared of the dark thing, all joking aside. The whole shaky/sweaty/nausea feeling is bad enough but I think having it happen in the middle of nowhere in total darkness adds to the psychological effect.

Shaky/sweaty/nausea??? That doesn't sound like a bonk to me. A bonk is pretty much hunger related and comes on after feeling good for a while and just running out of gas. You go from feeling OK one minute to almost totally unable to ride the next - and you're just ACHING for something to eat. So there's some shaky associated with the wasted feeling, but not sweaty or nausea.

I think you're pregnant. Or otherwise afflicted. But not bonked.

-Ray

[djg]

Stuff happens, and I'm not always as careful in either direction as I should be, but I try to keep a large bag of raw almonds in a file drawer -- easy to get to but not so close that I'll just mindlessly munch on them through the day. A handful in mid-afternoon and then another before leaving can work wonders. Also, if you're worried, just stick a packet of gu in your seat bag for emergencies.

also... don't fear. its not like you go to bed and wake up in the morning and find a tampon growing on your ceiling.

that sh*t would freak me out.

[LegendRider]

Think about baseball.

[zeroking17]

Originally Posted by LegendRider

Think about baseball.

nice