"Carbing Up" prior to a big run????? Please advise....

While I'm no expert, "carbing up" the night before a race can lead to stomach problems in the mornings.....I've done 5 half marathons, I used to eat spaghetti the night before a race, now, usually, we are out of town with friends, so I stick with something that won't upset the tummy, and I do the SAME THING every race morning...a bottle of water, some powerade, and peanut butter and crackers. That never changes.

Everyone's body works differently. You may be fine. Start doing what you can now and see how you feel BEFORE the actual race. Our training isn't just for the mileage, it's also for nutrition practice.

One thing I did try at a half this year was hard jolly ranchers. It was a hot day, my mouth was dry, and the aide stations had them. I shouldn't have done it, but I was desperate. Luckily, I had no problems!!

Good luck! When is your race?

Good for you for working to run your first half marathon! I've run 4 half marathons and I just finished running my first complete marathon. Some things I've learned...

Plan out meals the night before and the day of your long runs. When you find a combination (or several combinations) that work, then stick with that.

I do try to eat something with more carbs and less fiber the night before -- but I don't go overboard. Basically, a simple spaghetti meal works for me as long as I don't eat a lot of salad or meat. The morning of a long run or race was more challenging to find the right foods as I tended to have stomach issues a few miles into the run (there is a saying that no runner remains stopped up, if you know what I mean...). Many of my friends eat a banana and some peanut butter on a bagel but that was a no go for me. I finally found that three or four small oatmeal cookies (without raisins) and a cup of chocolate soy milk did the trick for me. Again, it took several trials before I found what works.

The other thing is how to stay fueled during the run... another trial and error matter to take care of before the half in May. I learned to eat my breakfast an hour and a half to two hours before the run. Then, during the run, I ate a gel (GU Vanilla for me) at about mile 5 and another one at mile 10. The gels take some getting used to but they really seemed to keep me going. There are gummy snacks and jelly beans made for runners but I struggled with choking on them while running. Also, I tend to stick with mostly water and just a little bit of a sports drink. During the race, you will likely have a choice of water and sports drink at every table. I found that alternating them seemed to keep my electrolytes in tune without chancing the stomach issues from too much sugar from the sports drinks. On my own, I drink mostly just plain water.

This article has some great info about a runner's diet - http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_1/162.shtml

I will say that if you have stomach issues, you might want to consider taking Imodium the morning of a long run or of the half marathon. There is nothing more miserable than having to go and not having a place to stop. Sorry for the TMI - but it is a reality when you are out there pounding the pavement.

Good luck! You'll do great! And since it is your first half marathon, you will set a PR (personal record) no matter what the time on the clock says.

Beth

Crossing that finish line and achieving a goal is VERY addictive!