Food Glorious Food Part 1: My First Bonk

So, every girl likes something to eat while out on a social ride with pals, and since most of my riding up to this point has been "social" and involved cafe stops, rest stops at the tops of hills, etc. I'd never really given food much thought. Then two things happened: first, my OH bought some scales with a body fat thing on it, and second, I had my first proper on-bike bonk.

First, let's talk about the bonk. Basically, rode over to join some Glow buddies for a gentle, social A-ride complete with cafe stop -- so far so good -- then headed off on a very long-winded route that involved a rather late lunch (check) over at Trafford topped off with the ride back home. That's when the trouble started. I had no proper food, just some jelly babies. There was a head wind. It had been a long day, I was tired, and there were hills ahead -- if I avoid hills, I can't get home. I knew what was coming, knew I had nothing left, and suspected that if I wasn't rescued I would spend the rest of my life cold and shivering in a bush beside the road being licked to death by stray, smelly cats. Ugh, I was miserable! My OH phones -- he might be coming home early. Elation! I can get to a nice, warm pub and he can pick me up (so I can miss out that last hill!). He phones again. Change of plan. But I'll be alright wont' I? Yes, I say wearily, I can get home. And I know I can if I have to. And it seems that I have to. Best crack on then... So I do. I shovel jelly babies into my mouth. I would inhale them, if I could. I have a few left in the bag, enough to get me close enough to home for the homing instinct to kick in. I just have to get passed a few more hills. I am almost out of water but I'm thirsty and I can feel my pulse racing faster than usual. I need to relax, stop rushing, relax, get home.

I get home. Thank you cycling Gods and Goddesses. I eat, guzzle herbal tea, take a shower, put on my snuggly fleece pants (more about them another day), and start to feel human again. All Good.

So Sunday comes around. It's a nice day and we're off for a walk in the Peaks. But wait, I feel like shit. We set off in the car, but half way to our start I feel so bad we turn round and come home. I feel like I have a hangover and am not too impressed to be curled up on the sofa in a ball, nursing a sore head, and wondering whether I can hold down solids. I know it's not a hangover, but if feels like one so I try and AlkaSeltzer (my secret weapon in the war against hangovers) and thankfully it works. I am back on my feet but still feeling a little run down, so out comes the laptop and the Googling begins.

headache nausea after a ride
ride nutrition
when to eat
etc.

I read a whole lot of stuff on a whole lot of websites.

While I'm mulling this over, reading up about ride nutrition, I also start pondering a few other things.
I used to use electrolytes in my water, but ran out a while back and hadn't ordered some more. Since AlkaSeltzer fixed me and hydration had definitely been an issue, maybe it was time to stock up and start using them again?

The other thing niggling at me is those damned scales. The OH is having his own personal fitness revival, so introduced these electronic blighters into our life, and they give me a body fat % reading that is not entirely pleasing. I'm small -- I know that, but while I'm thinking about nutrition the things I'm reading suggest maybe I'm not eating right now I'm riding more. I definitely eat, but not necessarily the right things at the right times. Maybe now I'm riding harder, further, I'm not eating enough?

So the result of all this is that I've decided I need to pay attention to this stuff, especially when I ride on my own because that tends to be when I don't stop, just put my head down and go. The journey into nutrition begins...