Marathon Training – Beyond the Miles: CARBO LOADING
I can’t believe that it’s been almost a month since my last Marathon Training – Beyond the Miles post! I guess I’ve just been spending so much time training for the marathon that this series totally slipped my mind! Ooops!
Well today I’m going to talk about a topic that is new to me and something that I really want to do well for Boston – Carbo-loading. I’ve only run one marathon in my life (and never a half) so I have little experience with the actual need to carbo-load. All I know is that I did NOT do a good job of it before the L.A. Marathon last year.
Failing to carbo-load correctly can cause you to run out of fuel – a.k.a. ENERGY before you even cross the finish line. This is literally the worst thing that can happen during a marathon, believe me, it is no fun to be that person that’s walking & being passed at mile 22.
My lack of good carbo-loading left me heavy-legged and feeling AWFUL for the last 6 miles of L.A. and it was so frustrating knowing that my body could do it but it just didn’t have any gas in the tank.
(There were still a lot of smiles afterwards, I mean I had just finished my FIRST marathon!)
This year I am determined to get my carbo-loading down-pat for Boston, so I have been doing my research. I also know that it is never a good idea to try out new things in my nutrition before a race so I am going to be practicing my ability to eat mountains of carbs before my half-marathon in two-and-a-half weeks!
Here are so great carbo-loading tips!
- During the few days before your goal race anywhere from 70-90% of your calories should come from carbs
- Incorporate carbs into every meal and snack throughout the day to make sure that you are meeting this percentage
- Carbo-loading helps to fill your muscles with stored glycogen – which gives you energy during long runs/races
- Make sure to choose easily digestible carbs that agree with your stomach – my favorite go-tos are pasta, bagels and tortillas!
- Make sure to steer clear of carbs that are high in fiber (I didn’t follow this rule before L.A. and ended up having to make two potty breaks…)
- Don’t just eat carbs – DRINK THEM! It’ll be easier to hit the level of carbs you have to take in if you are drinking Gatorade, juice or other sugary drinks.
Some interesting carbo-loading articles…
The Evolving Art of Carbo-Loading (just focus on the no-depletion model!)
How To Carbo-Load For a Marathon
Nancy Clark on Carbohydrate-Loading
The Truth about Carbo-Loading [hint: you’re probably not doing it enough]
Check out the rest of my Marathon Training – Beyond the Miles Series!
How many marathons/half-marathons have you run?
What is your go-to carb?
Have you done a good job of carbo-loading in the past?