RunningAHEAD - Topic: Carbo loading question

frowzy

posted: 11/12/2007 at 6:58 PM

Last week I was carbo loading for my first marathon. I kept track of what I ate so I could figure out how many carbs I was having. The things I had read suggested that about 70% of your calories should be from carbs for 3 to 7 days before the race. Anyway, I did that. But I also found that I didn't really have to change things much - I pretty much eat at least 60% carbs normally, if not a little more! I had thought that carbo loading was supposed to be kind of a pain to accomplish, but for me, it wasn't because I didn't have to change things much. So now I'm thinking maybe 70% carbs isn't enough for me to really carbo load - maybe I should shoot for even more, say 75%, since my normal diet is so high in carbs? Does this make sense? How do you know if you've carbed up enough?

Runnergabe

Along for the Ride

posted: 11/12/2007 at 7:08 PM
modified: 11/12/2007 at 7:10 PM

I've found my friends advice really worked well for me. (She is an Iron Man competitor). In her opinion 2 days before the race is most important. Just have a high carb evening meal (rice, pasta, baked potato). The night before have mostly carbs as well, but scale down on the bulk of food. So it's not in your digestive system on race day. I really think it's that simple. There is no physical symptom to tell you you've had enough carbs. My friend also recommended to me to test everything on my long runs. I sort of carbo-loaded before any long runs. Had the breakfast I would have on race day etc. Tried the gels, blocks, beans or whatever I would have during the race. These training runs are your indicator and tell you what works for you.

Your living is determined not so much by what life brings to you as by the attitude you bring to life; not so much by what happens to you as by the way your mind looks at what happens.

Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls; the most massive characters are seared with scars.

frowzy

posted: 11/12/2007 at 7:40 PM
modified: 11/12/2007 at 7:41 PM

Thanks Runnergabe - sounds like good advice. I just found this interesting article by Matt Fitzgerald in which he describes a 'state-of-the-art' carbo loading method that doesn't sound much different than your friend's method! (see link below). Interestingly, at the end, he says that carbo-loading only really helps runners who don't take gels or sports drinks during runs, so since you should take gels, carbo-loading probably doesn't really help at all! I wonder if he's right? He does suggest doing it anyway, since it doesn't hurt to do it. The evolving art of carbo loading

Bonkin

posted: 11/12/2007 at 8:18 PM

I would be careful about following Mr. Fitzgerald's description of the protocol. Using his information, it suggests that I should consume about 9,360 calories of carbs in the 24 hours before the race - that's not counting fat and protein calories. I don't know about anyone else - but just the carb calories are more than triple what I eat on an above average day.

When it’s all said and done, will you have said more than you’ve done?

frowzy

posted: 11/13/2007 at 2:37 PM
modified: 11/13/2007 at 2:38 PM

Hey Bonkin, I see what you mean. Turns out there is a TYPO in that article! It is supposed to say eat 12 g of carbs per KILOGRAM of LEAN body weight (not 12 g of carbs per POUND of ENTIRE body weight). In other words, suppose you weigh 160 lb and have 15% body fat. That means your lean body mass is 0.85*160 or 136 pounds. 136 pounds is 61.7 kg. Therefore, according to the study Fitzgerald was referring to, you should eat 61.7*12 grams of carbs during the last 24 hours, or 740 grams of carbs. I figured this out because I looked in his "Cutting Edge Runner" book, where the numbers are correct!

Carbo loading question (Read 490 times)