Carb-Loading Strategies for a Marathon

Carb-loading is essential for runners before a marathon. It allows their body to store as much fuel as needed days before the big demand. How do they do it?

Eat more carbs 3 days before the marathon.

The goal is to consume about half o three-quarters more carbs than you used to for three days before the marathon. Supposing you normally consume 4 cups of rice a day, add two or three cups of rice each day on the last three days before the big day. You can also add carbs by eating pasta or potatoes. At the same time, cut down on protein and fat.

Have servings of carbs per meal.

Spread the servings of carbs throughout the day by including them in each meal. You can add variety by eating a different kind of carbohydrate each meal. You can have white or brown rice, pasta, and bread.

Forgive yourself for stuffing more sugar into your body.

The last three days are the perfect time to forget about managing your carb intake. You can eat and drink sugary stuff just for this period. That’s because you need as much glycogen as possible before the marathon. Snack on cookies, granola bars, and crackers in between meals. This is the time to enjoy sweet fruit juices and sweetened coffee.

Minimize fiber intake.

This has to be pointed out. Fiber is good, but you don’t need the gastrointestinal bloating it causes. So skip fiber a few days before running in a marathon.

Don’t worry about getting fat.

It’s just for three days. It’s like overeating for three days only to burn the excess carbs on the day of the marathon. It doesn’t make you fat. Instead, your body turns the extra carbs into glycogen, which is stored in the liver and muscles. On the day of the marathon, your body starts using the available glucose, much of which comes from the food you ate earlier. When blood glucose runs low, your muscles will begin to metabolize stored glycogen, and then the liver breaks down glycogen to further sustain you throughout the course of the marathon. If you don’t load yourself up on carbs days prior to the marathon, you won’t have enough reserves and your muscles will run out of fuel.

Eat a regular breakfast 2-3 hours the start of the marathon.

You don’t need a huge meal hours before the ultimate run. You should have enough stored glycogen from the carbs you stuffed into your body days before. Also, it’s hard to run at your maximum performance after a huge meal.