Nutrition
Bonking
Bonking is a sudden glycogen crash mid-effort—heavy legs and foggy focus that fast carbs and better fueling prevent on long sessions.
Bonking is sudden glycogen depletion mid-effort—heavy legs, foggy focus, and a crash in pace that feels unlike normal fatigue. It hits long runs, rides, and races when hourly carbs, pre-fuel, or pacing outran fuel stores.
Fixing it takes fast carbs and realistic future pacing, not only mental toughness.
Common questions
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Is bonking the same as hitting the wall?
Colloquially yes for endurance athletes—both describe glycogen running out. Heat illness and hyponatremia look different; confusion and swelling need medical care, not only gels.
Related terms
Put Bonking into practice
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