Carb Loading Question

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stresco
stresco Posts: 354 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I am looking for a Carb Loading strategy. I have an event next week I want to be sure I have enough energy to get through the entire thing without hitting the wall.

Do you Carb Load?
Do you Carb Deplete before?
When do you start Your Carb load?
How close to the event do you eat your last meal?
What foods do you eat?

Thanks for your help.

Replies

  • ATT949
    ATT949 Posts: 1,245 Member
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    Why do you think you need to carb load?
  • stresco
    stresco Posts: 354 Member
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    I have an event next week I want to be sure I have enough energy to get through the entire thing without hitting the wall.

    ^This^
  • ATT949
    ATT949 Posts: 1,245 Member
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    I have an event next week I want to be sure I have enough energy to get through the entire thing without hitting the wall.

    ^This^

    I wouldn't bother to carb load unless you want it for the psychological boost.

    Here's a quote from page 110 of Dr. Noakes' "The Lore of Running" which is considered "the" source by runners for nitty gritty details about everything running - "Thus, the conclusion is that the traditional carbohydrate depletion/ carbohydrate loading diet carries no advantages, at least for those who are well-trained. Provided the subject eats a high–carbohydrate diet for the last three days before competition, carbohydrate storage will be optimized."

    I run half marathons and, based on recent data and analysis, I estimate that when I'm running at 88% HR max (just over 80% VO2 max), I burn 14 cals/mile. Thanks to my HRM and a software program called "FirstBeat Athlete", I know that I burn about 75% carbs which means that I burns 10.5 calories/minute = 2.625 grams/minute of carbs (glycogen).

    If I assume that I've got 440 gm of glycogen on board (refer to pg. 104 of Noakes' book - I'm putting myself in the "trained" category, using a diet that's between "low-CHO" and "high-CHO"), that means that I've got enough glycogen in my liver, muscles, and bloodstream to run at 88% HR max for almost 3 hours (168 minutes)!

    Those stats check out with my experience - I've run 20 miles without taking on fuel and didn't bonk. In fact, that 20 mile figure is just under the distance where folks, historically, have bonked.

    Again, what event are you undertaking that will require so much glycogen?
  • stresco
    stresco Posts: 354 Member
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    I am going to be testing Thursday night for my 1st Dan in Tenshinkan Karate. I expect it to last around 5 hours.

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