When did you start "carbo loading"

[greysgirl]

I have been looking forward to the carbs part my whole training lol.

My race is a week from Sunday. I know Saturday night I won't eat a heavy carb dinner but when did you up your carbs a bit in preparation? I'm not going to eat a pound of pasta or anything but I generally watch my carbs and try not to eat too many because I am also trying to lose weight but obviously in the days leading up to my race I want to make sure I preform the best I can. What about water? Did you increase your water intake a lot in the days leading up? 

[gt7301b]

I slightly increase my carbs, but I don't usually carbo load that much. We usually eat pizza or Panera before most races. I avoid salads before anything over a 10k, cause too many leafy greens do a number on my tummy. Mr. GT also swears by Panera pumpkin/Easter cookies as a part of his training. I might also allow myself a real coke on Wed or Thur before a 1/2 or a full, really I just want an excuse to drink a real coke.

I try and drink more water the day before a race because if I drink too much the water the morning of I will have to stop during the race.

[G22]

May 14, 2014 15:19:00 GMT -5 gt7301b said:

I slightly increase my carbs, but I don't usually carbo load that much. We usually eat pizza or Panera before most races.

This. I don't really change how I eat too much before races.

Though I confess: I ate an entire thing of Little Caesar's breadsticks (yes all 8 pieces!) the night before my last half and pulled out a PR the next day. Maybe I'm onto something

[greysgirl]

May 14, 2014 15:36:02 GMT -5 G22 said:

May 14, 2014 15:19:00 GMT -5 gt7301b said:

I slightly increase my carbs, but I don't usually carbo load that much. We usually eat pizza or Panera before most races.

This. I don't really change how I eat too much before races.

Though I confess: I ate an entire thing of Little Caesar's breadsticks (yes all 8 pieces!) the night before my last half and pulled out a PR the next day. Maybe I'm onto something

Haha! I do love breadsticks!

[patches31709]

Drink water, but don't drink too much water! I think I drank a little too much water before my last half because I had goosebumps by mile 3 and it certainly wasn't cold out.

[ebeth]

For a full I usually carbo 'load' all week the week before. But that usually means not eating at a deficit and also having pasta and/or rice with dinner.

For a half I just make sure I'm not at a deficit all week and maybe have a dessert or two. Dinner the night before is carby too.

[jamalynn]

Depends on the race. Mostly, I am trying to eliminate veggies and fruits before a race and replace that with carbs. I don't go crazy though b/c if I am really full, that doesn't help either. I also sip water throughout the day starting 5 days out to make I am well hydrated.

[gumi]

why would you not eat a lot of carbs the day before the race? That is how you carbo load. You need to stack up on carbs right before you race. You can do a few things:

stack up a few days before you race, while also training
stack up only 1-2 days before the race, and do no training

just don't eat high-fiber carbs the night before...stick to white. when I did marathons, I always ate a ton of white rice before a long run or race and I swore my it.

I no longer do marathons and I eat high carb in general so I don't carb load.

[biomaj5]

May 15, 2014 15:42:22 GMT -5 gumi said:

just don't eat high-fiber carbs the night before...stick to white. when I did marathons, I always ate a ton of white rice before a long run or race and I swore my it.

Can you explain why you stick to white? When I carb-load for a race, I eat whole wheat pasta, because I thought it is heathier. Is white better for pre-race carbs, and brown better for day-to-day carbs? Thanks

[greysgirl]

May 15, 2014 15:42:22 GMT -5 gumi said:

why would you not eat a lot of carbs the day before the race? That is how you carbo load. You need to stack up on carbs right before you race. You can do a few things:

I don't want to feel super heavy running the next day was my thought. 

[taratru]

May 16, 2014 8:12:39 GMT -5 biomaj5 said:

May 15, 2014 15:42:22 GMT -5 gumi said:

just don't eat high-fiber carbs the night before...stick to white. when I did marathons, I always ate a ton of white rice before a long run or race and I swore my it.

Can you explain why you stick to white? When I carb-load for a race, I eat whole wheat pasta, because I thought it is heathier. Is white better for pre-race carbs, and brown better for day-to-day carbs? Thanks

Because high fiber/complex carbs make you poop. 

[gumi]

May 16, 2014 8:30:14 GMT -5 greysgirl said:

May 15, 2014 15:42:22 GMT -5 gumi said:

why would you not eat a lot of carbs the day before the race? That is how you carbo load. You need to stack up on carbs right before you race. You can do a few things:

I don't want to feel super heavy running the next day was my thought. 

white carbs are actually pretty light?
but hopefully you digest them between night and morning anyway.

so, ideally you would eat a tried and tested high-carb dinner, do minimal activity, and then eat something VERY easy to digest, and high carb, before the race (like a powerbar or even gel).  but if you don't eat carbs the night before, you will basically burn off the carbs that ate previously.

i doubt anyone here truly carbo loads.  the amount of carbs necessary to actually be considered a load would send everyone into anxiety mode.  but yeah, carbs = glycogen = energy so you want topped off glycogen stores, which means carbs before the race - not days before the race.

hope that helps. 

[gumi]

May 16, 2014 9:18:10 GMT -5 taratru said:

May 16, 2014 8:12:39 GMT -5 biomaj5 said:

Can you explain why you stick to white? When I carb-load for a race, I eat whole wheat pasta, because I thought it is heathier. Is white better for pre-race carbs, and brown better for day-to-day carbs? Thanks

Because high fiber/complex carbs make you poop. 

they are also slower digesting.  that last thing you want on race day is your body still digesting the pasta you ate last night. 

i think when we talk about race fueling, a lot of the standard nutritional advice goes out the window.  it's just a different conversation.

[greysgirl]

May 16, 2014 9:24:58 GMT -5 gumi said:

May 16, 2014 8:30:14 GMT -5 greysgirl said:

I don't want to feel super heavy running the next day was my thought. 

white carbs are actually pretty light?
but hopefully you digest them between night and morning anyway.

so, ideally you would eat a tried and tested high-carb dinner, do minimal activity, and then eat something VERY easy to digest, and high carb, before the race (like a powerbar or even gel).  but if you don't eat carbs the night before, you will basically burn off the carbs that ate previously.

i doubt anyone here truly carbo loads.  the amount of carbs necessary to actually be considered a load would send everyone into anxiety mode.  but yeah, carbs = glycogen = energy so you want topped off glycogen stores, which means carbs before the race - not days before the race.

hope that helps. 

It does help thank you  

[biomaj5]

May 16, 2014 9:18:10 GMT -5 taratru said:

May 16, 2014 8:12:39 GMT -5 biomaj5 said:

Can you explain why you stick to white? When I carb-load for a race, I eat whole wheat pasta, because I thought it is heathier. Is white better for pre-race carbs, and brown better for day-to-day carbs? Thanks

Because high fiber/complex carbs make you poop. 

Bwahahaha. Thanks I've used whole wheat pasta to carb load for a few races with no ill effects, so maybe my GI tract is weird or something.

[biomaj5]

May 16, 2014 9:28:32 GMT -5 gumi said:

May 16, 2014 9:18:10 GMT -5 taratru said:

Because high fiber/complex carbs make you poop. 

they are also slower digesting.  that last thing you want on race day is your body still digesting the pasta you ate last night. 

i think when we talk about race fueling, a lot of the standard nutritional advice goes out the window.  it's just a different conversation.

My trainer was the one who told me to use whole wheat instead of white, but I've discovered over the years that I need to sometimes take her advice with a grain of sand because she's not a runner. I'm going to add this instance to that list, and try fueling with white pasta before one of my longer long runs and see what happens. Thank you

[taratru]

May 16, 2014 9:24:58 GMT -5 gumi said:

May 16, 2014 8:30:14 GMT -5 greysgirl said:

I don't want to feel super heavy running the next day was my thought. 

white carbs are actually pretty light?
but hopefully you digest them between night and morning anyway.

so, ideally you would eat a tried and tested high-carb dinner, do minimal activity, and then eat something VERY easy to digest, and high carb, before the race (like a powerbar or even gel).  but if you don't eat carbs the night before, you will basically burn off the carbs that ate previously.

i doubt anyone here truly carbo loads.  the amount of carbs necessary to actually be considered a load would send everyone into anxiety mode.  but yeah, carbs = glycogen = energy so you want topped off glycogen stores, which means carbs before the race - not days before the race.

hope that helps. 

And truly, to get a full "load" effect, you would need to deplete your glycogen stores before even beginning.  So even though none of us really do it "right", it sure is nice to throw down some white bread and rice a few days before a full.