what if you're diabetic?
Hip Redux
True that our anecdotes don't prove anything, but there have been many peer-reviewed solid research studies over the decades that have shown that carb-loading works. The details, like when to start, what exactly to eat/drink, deplete or not, what to do the day before, etc., are still being worked out, and each person needs to find what works for their gut, so I think personal stories help.
Of course, I wasn't challenging that it might work for some or that people need to find what works for them... more challenging LTH's claim that it was what he ate, not how he prepared, that made the biggest difference.
And also - the study that link reported was a lot of correlation data, not causation, in addition. People who ran fast also carbo-loaded... well, that doesn't really tell me much. Take that same group of people, keep everything the same BUT what they ate, and then see how things change...
I actually thought about the same thing. I mean, I ran an 8:40 mile marathon carb loaded, but what would happen if I just ate a normal diet? Probably an 8:40 mile marathon.
I will never know, but at least in my case, I do not think it hurt anything. But you pose a valid question for sure.
Before a marathon, I drink more water than usual the week preceding the race and I avoid junk food and alcohol. My food intake remains the same. The day before the race, I eat the same at breakfast and lunch, but I usually have a pasta meal accompanied with bread, early in the evening. I don't think I eat more than usual, but maybe I really do after all. Mostly, I just eat more carbs that day. The morning of the race, I have a bagel with peanut butter, and if the race is 2 or 3 hours later, I'll have a gel minutes before the start. I take gatorade/water and one or two gels during the race. I don't fade, I have no GI problems, I do not feel hunger while racing, etc...
Yes, we are all different and must find what works for ourselves. My best marathon times are equivalent to LTH's as per age/gender equivalencies, so that leads me to think that my method is just as effective as his. An his works great for him, obviously.
PRs: Boston Marathon, 3:27, April 15th 2013
Cornwall Half-Marathon, 1:35, April 27th 2013
18 marathons, 18 BQs since 2010
And also - the study that link reported was a lot of correlation data, not causation, in addition.
Not sure what link you're referring to, but carb loading has been studied for over 40 years and there are numerous peer-reviewed published studies. Not sure where you're going with that. Astrand, the guy who was credited with starting it (ref below) was well respected and well published.
Of course our experiences don't prove anything and there may have been other factors, but what the heck is this forum for? If I say the Shamrock 5k course is a fast PR course and I set my PR there, everyone knows that there are other factors besides the course. Does every post about personal experience need a disclaimer that other factors are involved and results may vary?
Again, not sure where you're going with this.
a study: http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2FBF01466269?LI=true#page-1
Astrand, P-O., 1967 "Diet and athletic performance". Federation Proceedings 26: 1772-1777
I forgot to mention something I feel is important: I train without the help of gels and gatorade, even for my longest runs. I know I'll have no problems with them on race day, because my stomach is pretty strong. Come race day, the additional calories from the two or three gels, plus the gatorade, is what will give me the energy for a faster pace and also the extra miles.
GC100K - in the link LTH posted, there is a link to a recent study. If you look at it, it is correlation data. "A" happens and "B" also happens... but did A happen BECAUSE of B? That was my question to LTH, in addition. I would surmise that his training for his second marathon was much better than his first and played a bigger role.
The link you have is certainly better formulated as a scientific study, but their use of "confectionary products" specifically makes me think that Hostess probably funded the research. lol
Yes, carb loading has been studied. But so have a lot of other things that have turned out to be misunderstood or misrepresented. You should always question data and "studies".
I guess I'm biased. I've performed and published research for a living for 20 years (not in nutrition or athletic performance) and am a section editor for a peer-reviewed journal. If there are decades of published studies in respected peer-reviewed journals, I tend to give that some credence, although there are always contrary views and uncertainties ("more research is needed" is a conclusion of every study).
I've been in science for a few less years. Want to see my Science article?
Not nutrition or sports either, but I really find some nutrition stuff to be most suspect. I looked at a professor's funding for her research, and it was organizations like:
California Grape Marketing Board
California Table Grape Commission
Egg Nutrition Center
American Egg board
Really now. Almost no funding from neutral organizations - to me, this is all sorts of fishy (don't be surprised, her research says nothing bad about eggs or grapes!).
How did we know how to eat before all this research I wonder.
Hope to see you there! BTW, my socks say BEER and they are green, not black and Bad Ass. Good guess, LRB!
Missed you! I must have been looking for the wrong socks!
GC100K, the thing I wonder (and I haven't read the links) is if a runner is overweight to start with, does he still have to carbo load? Wouldn't he just use his extra reserves during the race? I can undertand the emanciated elite needing to carbo load, but does a heavy runner really need that as well?
How did you do? Hope you enjoyed your race!
Here is a piece on marathon carb loading that references no brand name products.
Still, one would have to make the choice based on what works for them as lily did/does.
And here's a study from 2005 that says gels are useless in half-marathons. And interesting discussion within, too. (free full text)
http://coachingireland.com/files/effect_carb.pdf
I really wasn't trying to debate the whole carb thing, I really was just asking LTH a question. But now you got me googling. :P
oc mom has already made her decision and started her day...
Yes, and can I just say my decision was a bad one?
First of all, it turns out it wasn't necessary at all for me to change up my routine. I ended up rising from bed at 6:30 and starting the race at 9:45. So 3 hours isn't a huge amount of time; I would have been just fine with a banana at 7:30 and a marathon bar before the race. (What I didn't know was that they let any of the 2nd leg runners start at 9:30 without waiting for their relay partner to arrive. So I had thought I would start at 10:30 or 11, but was told I could start as soon as I arrived).
Second, I guess I chose the wrong thing. My hubby agreed with LRB that some carbs were in order. So I had 2 eggs and a piece of toast at around 7:15. I'm not sure if it's not having had toast in weeks, or the eggs being too heavy, but I felt like I had a rock in my stomach when I started. At mile 3 I developed a stitch in my side that lasted for miles. I ended up taking walk breaks much sooner than I'd planned to ease it. That's SO not normal for me - I can't remember ever getting a stitch in my side during a long run or race - that's why I'm pretty sure it was the food that did it.
Lesson learned. Stick with what you know.