Here’s how to load up with carbohydrates, or carb load, in the week before your marathon race, so you are well-fuelled for your big day.

Carbohydrate is a key fuel for endurance racing.  Carbohydrate from your food is absorbed by the body and broken down into Glucose which in turn is changed into Glycogen. This is called carb loading or the carb load.

carb load with good quality carbohydrates

Glycogen is stored in your muscles and liver and is the predominant fuel you will use to complete your marathon.  Your muscles use the glycogen to fuel your muscles as a car uses fuel to power its engine.

In the week before the race you must ensure adequate supplies of complex carbohydrates are consumed and you should aim for 70% of your daily intake to come from these complex carbohydrates.  Complex carbs (as opposed to simple carbs) are generally found in whole foods (whole grain, whole wheat and whole foods such as fruit and vegetables).

Provided you ingest adequate complex carbs and don’t run your race too fast you will be assured of not hitting the wall in the latter stages of the race.

There's a Lot More Where That Came From…

This article is a condensed snippet taken from Nick Mitchell’s information-packed manual How to Run a Marathon. Your essential manual to enable you to run a successful marathon includes training schedules, advice on everything you can think of and lots you probably haven’t even thought of! You need this manual if you want to cross the marathon finish line with energy to spare, in a personal best finishing time and with a big smile on your face. More details here: VirtualHealthClub.com/marathon