How to nutritionally prepare for a race
Does the following situation sound familiar? You’re running a long distance event such as the Flora London Marathon and you’re leaving no stone unturned in your quest to get round as fast as possible. You’re training assiduously, your race kit is tried and tested, your shoes are well broken in and your schedule includes a structured taper – so you’ve covered everything then? Or have you?
Correct nutrition in the final week of your marathon taper can mean the difference between a personal best or a personal worst and should be a key component of your preparation. If you’ve heard about carbohydrate loading but are unsure how to go about it, realbuzz.com is here to answers your questions and separates the fact from the fiction by drawing information from personal experiences of the different methods of preparing nutritionally for a marathon. So, if you want the low-down on carbo-loading, read on:
Carbo-loading principles
Carbo-loading for the marathon was pioneered in the UK in the 1970s by running legend Ron Hill, who experimented with ‘the diet’ as it was known then. Ron Hill won a gold medal for the marathon in the 1970 Commonwealth Games, winning in two hours and nine minutes; a phenomenal performance which would stand up against any championship marathon time four decades on. Crediting part of his success to his nutritional preparation, ‘the diet’ centres around two distinct phases, namely depletion and loading.
The depletion phase
This phase involves eating minimal or nil carbohydrate, keeping hydration levels high and stocking up on protein. Effectively, your carbohydrate fuel tank runs low to empty – you become depleted.
The loading phase
Immediately following the depletion phase, you switch to the loading phase. This is effectively the reverse of depletion, whereby protein intake is reduced and carbohydrate is increased significantly. Hydration is still maintained at a high level.
The end result
The effect is that your carbohydrate fuel tanks in your liver and muscles super-compensate for the depletion phase and maximise their supplies, so that you start your race with a completely full tank.
Carbo-loading advocates describe going into races bursting with confidence and claim the following benefits:
- Boundless energy
- Never hitting the dreaded ‘wall’
- More energy in the final testing miles
Carbo-loading detractors advise that a modified carbo-loading system is just as effective, particularly because of the side effects that can be experienced, which can include:
- Nausea
- Fatigue
- Excessive hunger
- Reduced immune system function
- Irritability
- Subsequent bloating
- Poor pre-race fuel stocks
Clearly, carbo-loading is not to be taken lightly and can be approached in three different ways; full blown, modified and basic. So, if you want to give it a try for your next long distance event, use our comparison table below and see which system is best for you.
Carbo-loading – the realbuzz.com comparison
Assuming that your race is on a Sunday, start the programme with a run of approximately ten miles on the preceding Sunday, at the same time as your planned race but at a much slower and easier pace. The remainder of your training during this final week tapers towards the big day and the focus is on your nutrition and hydration.
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Full blown carbo-loading system Description: Nil carbohydrate during depletion phase. Depletion phase – Sunday to Thursday 12.00 (noon) Loading phase – Thursday 12.00 to Sunday morning Notes: Eat a normal pre-race breakfast, by now you should be feeling very full. Pros: Could result in a personal best |
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Modified carbo-loading system Description: Small quantities of carbohydrate eaten during depletion phase. Depletion phase – Sunday to Thursday 12.00 (noon) Loading phase – Thursday 12.00 to Sunday morning 1. On Thursday morning, complete a short run of approx four miles. Notes: eat a normal pre-race breakfast, by now you should be feeling very full. Pros: Lower risk, the ability to super-compensate may be slightly less but should still result in good carbohydrate stocks. Cons: May not maximise fuel stores as well as the full blown system. |
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Basic carbo-loading system Description: Carbohydrate allowed in slightly reduced quantities from normal intake. Depletion phase – Sunday to Thursday 12.00 (noon) Loading phase – Thursday 12.00 to Sunday morning Notes: Prepare exactly as you would for any race. Pros: No risks or side affects and easy to adhere to. Cons: Does not invoke the super-compensation technique so fuel stores are unlikely to be at absolute optimum. |
Which way now?
For the novice marathoner, the basic system is most suitable. You are learning the event and you can do without potential problems in the final week. However, as your experience grows, you may like to try more advanced methods of fuelling up. Clearly there are risks associated with the full blown system and the possibility that your fuel stocks may not reach maximum if you fail to load sufficiently in the final days. However, if you get the timing right, the benefit of a completely full tank is certain to make the difference as your race progresses.
One solution is to try for the middle ground and experiment with the modified system for your next event. The risk of experiencing any side effects is lessened, yet there are still significant benefits to enjoy. If you find that it works for you, you can then decide if you really want to go the whole hog and try the full blown method or simply stick with the tried and tested system that you know works for you.