6 Reasons Why You Bonked on Your Long Ride (and How to Avoid It) Every endurance athlete has had one of those days: the ride that starts with good intentions and ends with jelly legs, heavy fatigue, and the feeling that your body just shut down. This week, I had my own reminder during a Tuesday morning ride, just two days after racing hard at the Texas City Triathlon. Instead of logging quality miles, I bonked—and I want to share why it happened so you can avoid the same mist