Long distance cycling is really an endurance event. We
worry about the psychology of it but it really is about how you pace yourself
on the ride more than anything else. External factors such as wind, sun, rain
all cause changing conditions which alter normal habits on the bike. Being
careful about how you eat and drink is
SO Important as if you don’t get this right you likely won’t finish. “Bonking” or hitting the wall is what cyclists
call hypoglycemia when you wind up with abnormally low levels of blood
glucose. Glycogen serves as a form of energy storage
in humans and animals. In humans glycogen is made and stored primarily in the cells of the liver ad muscles hydrated with three or four parts of
water.
It doesn’t matter how good a cyclist you are, you can
still make this mistake. It is even easier to do on the MS 150 when you have a
ton of cyclists in your way and the temptation to not stop and refuel is
constantly occurring.
The problem
is you need to eat before you really feel hungry and drink before you feel
thirsty – It is a bit like steering a ship – There is a lag between how long
you feed yourself and when the fuel becomes available. Not eating properly also affects how you
think/what you think so ultimately it impacts your psychology and your emotions
on the ride as well.
Attached is
a link to a terrific article on the subject of hitting the wall. Credit to the author as this was one of the first articles I ever read about the subject when I started riding long distance and it has helped me a lot.
Watch that
Glycogen ! I will cover the Glycogen window the next time, a 4 hour window
after vigorous exercise when ingested carbohydrates are converted into glycogen
3 times faster than normal – to support depleted reserves.
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