Carb loading while training for a marathon

Options
RoyalMoose11
RoyalMoose11 Posts: 211 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I'm a runner who responds well to carb loading for longer-distance races. For my last full marathon I did it before my 20 mile run and my race and I also did it before my 13.1 race that I set a new PR.

If you're like me and respond well to that I'm curious if you ever carb load during your marathon training earlier than your max training long run. I'm re-entering distances further than a half marathon over the course of the next 2 months and immwondinering if it's with doing it routinely going forward. I'm trying to set a PR for this race and I'm wondering if training with this added in may help. My last 15 mile and 13 mile runs were ~30 seconds per mile slower than my goal pace and I'm wondering if this could be that extra push.

Replies

  • trswallow
    trswallow Posts: 116 Member
    Options
    You should not be trying to run your long runs at race pace. You also should not carb load for your long runs. The point of the long run is to deplete your stored glycogen and force your body to start converting fat for energy.

    Here is what Hal Higdon has to say about the long run:
    Run Slow: Normally I recommend that runners do their long runs anywhere from 30 to 90 or more seconds per mile slower than their marathon pace. This is very important. Listen to what the Coach is about to tell you! The physiological benefits kick in around 90-120 minutes, no matter how fast you run. You'll burn a few calories and trigger glycogen regenesis, teaching your muscles to conserve fuel. Running too fast defeats this purpose and may unnecessarily tear down your muscles, compromising not only your midweek workouts, but the following week's long run. Save your fast running for the marathon itself. There are plenty of days during the week, when you can run race pace. So simply do your long runs at a comfortable pace, one that allows you to converse with your training partners, at least during the beginning of the run.
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
    Options
    You may want to check out the book Racing Weight by Matt Fitzgerald. It is all about fuelling for training and finding/getting close to your ideal bodyweight. While it doesn't have you carb load for long runs, it does recommend a higher carb intake than average people would eat.

    I have started it but haven't been doing it long enough to really know how well it works. I've heard a lot of good things from others though.
  • RoyalMoose11
    RoyalMoose11 Posts: 211 Member
    Options
    I'm not doing all my runs at race pace. I have a pace for each training run I'm trying to hit. Today's 16 mile run goal is 9:55/mile (race is 9-9:09/mile).

    Thanks for the reading recommendation.
  • fitrep1
    fitrep1 Posts: 22 Member
    Options
    trswallow wrote: »
    You should not be trying to run your long runs at race pace. You also should not carb load for your long runs. The point of the long run is to deplete your stored glycogen and force your body to start converting fat for energy.

    Here usiat Hal Higdon has to say about the long run:
    Run Slow: Normally I recommend that runners do their long runs anywhere from 30 to 90 or more seconds per mile slower than their marathon pace. This is very important. Listen to what the Coach is about to tell you! The physiological benefits kick in around 90-120 minutes, no matter how fast you run. You'll burn a few calories and trigger glycogen regenesis, teaching your muscles to conserve fuel. Running too fast defeats this purpose and may unnecessarily tear down your muscles, compromising not only your midweek workouts, but the following week's long run. Save your fast running for the marathon itself. There are plenty of days during the week, when you can run race pace. So simply do your long runs at a comfortable pace, one that allows you to converse with your training partners, at least during the beginning of the run.

    Exactly! Carb loading is great as long as you stay in the aerobic state where as carbs will be broken down for food. For training, you can up your carbs to something like 1-3-4 ratio but really it may not be as helpful as you would like.
    Also, on a side note, making sure you keep up with the BCAA's will help your body flush the lactic acid so it can be broken down. Got to keep the ATP FLOWING!
  • RoyalMoose11
    RoyalMoose11 Posts: 211 Member
    Options
    BCAA game is pretty strong from my foods and supplements. Are you suggesting Protein-carb-fat totals to be at 1-3-4?

    I also increase my calories per week based on my miles per week so I don't think it's an issue of having an empty tank. Thanks for the feedback folks.
  • fitrep1
    fitrep1 Posts: 22 Member
    Options
    RoyalMoose11 wrote: »
    BCAA game is pretty strong from my foods and supplements. Are you suggesting Protein-carb-fat totals to be at 1-3-4?

    I also increase my calories per week based on my miles per week so I don't think it's an issue of having an empty tank. Thanks for the feedback folks.

    1-fats, 2-protein and 4-carbs. This is just a ratio guideline. How you break up your meals throughout the day is up to you. It is only a guide though.

Categories