Runners: Do you carb load pre-race?

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  • cms721
    cms721 Posts: 179 Member
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    You can get by with eating some carbs the morning of your race (like 2hrs before) for a 1/2 marathon. My "double digit" mile breakfast is an english mufflin with peanut butter and jellyand a glass of orange juice. I eat a banana and down a gatorade prime 30 minutes before the start and keep a GU packet for the 1/2 way mark. Stop at every powerade/gatorade station and have a drink and you should be ok.
  • maribeth721
    maribeth721 Posts: 10
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    I'm running a half this Sunday also. I don't know if what I'm doing is necessarily carb loading but I am going to make sure I have a good amount of starchy carbs the day before. I have a pasta meal planned (without tomato sauce, it's too acidic and it gives me a stomach ache when running), and I plan to have oatmeal and a sandwich with whole wheat bread the day before. Before every "long run" I eat steel cut oatmeal. It's my favorite pre-run meal.
  • scottb81
    scottb81 Posts: 2,538 Member
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    I basically carb load every day. Before a race I just run less so the glycogen has a chance to top off.
  • hazymary
    hazymary Posts: 190 Member
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    I do starting 2-3 days before my race....but don't forget your protein and HYDRATE !! I also eat pretzels to keep my sodium up.
  • RatherBeInTheShire
    RatherBeInTheShire Posts: 561 Member
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    It doesn't seem to matter how many carbs I eat, WATER is the most important step for me.

    One race I didn't ramp up my water and did horrible so the next one, I drank like a MAD WOMAN all week and it was the best race i've ever had. Makes a HUGE difference. Just keep that in mind as well as the carbs.
  • skincy
    skincy Posts: 108 Member
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    No need to carb load for a half marathon, for a marathon you may need to increase the percentage of carbs you eat but not more calories. A remember most people burn around 100 calories per mile that would be 1300 to maybe no more than 2000 calories for a half so you cannot eat as much as you think you can afterwards. Don't go on a 2 day binge thinking you can eat whatever want cause you did a half or a marathon. Just enjoy the increase in calories that day and get back to being healthy the next! Many people fall in this trap and gain weight while training for a marathon. Myself included when I first started to run :sad: :smile:
  • HMVOL7409
    HMVOL7409 Posts: 1,588 Member
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    No need to carb load for a half marathon, for a marathon you may need to increase the percentage of carbs you eat but not more calories. A remember most people burn around 100 calories per mile that would be 1300 to maybe no more than 2000 calories for a half so you cannot eat as much as you think you can afterwards. Don't go on a 2 day binge thinking you can eat whatever want cause you did a half or a marathon. Just enjoy the increase in calories that day and get back to being healthy the next! Many people fall in this trap and gain weight while training for a marathon. Myself included when I first started to run :sad: :smile:

    While I see your point, it's not a binge. I have to carb load bc I'm hypoglycemic and can't sustain long runs without proper nutrition. I get rather annoyed when people say there is no need, when in fact for many it is beneficial and has been proven to help many for years.

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