In the days before a big race, endurance runners customarily fuel up on pasta, bread, bagels, crackers and English muffins. ”Carbs,” they say, help them go the distance.
Indeed, carbohydrates-fruits, vegetables, grains, potatoes, rice-are the runner`s main source of energy during a rigorous workout. The trick comes in manipulating diet and exercise so that the marathoner`s energy level peaks at the starting gate.
The ”carbo-loading” theory, introduced 20 years ago, has recently undergone revision.
In the week before an event such as a 10K race, experts say, runners should generally go light on training and heavy on carbohydrates. That way the body stocks glycogen, the energy-producing byproduct of carbohydrate calories. Heavy exercise is fine seven days before the race, but it should drop off dramatically after that, says Dr. Andrew Coggan, an exercise physiologist at Ohio State University. Moreover, it doesn`t hurt to be sedentary.
”Rest your muscles a few days before,” Coggan advises.
At the same time, a moderate carbohydrate diet (one that derives half its calories from carbohydrates) is recommended. On the last two days, up those
”carbs” to 70 percent, Coggan says.
Rundown on carbos
The original carbo-loading routine involved moderate to intense activity during pre-race preparation. For roughly half the week, the runner avoided carbohydrates entirely. In the final three days before the race, the prescribed diet called for nothing but carbohydrates.
The starve-and-overload method was devised to trick muscles into holding their glycogen.
According to registered dietitian Missy Crawford, the approach was extreme.
”About everybody agrees that the carbohydrate-depletion phase was unnecessary, if not detrimental,” says Crawford, who is executive director of The National Kidney Foundation. ”It brought on physical and mental fatigue. And how you feel about your level of performance going into the race can affect how you do.”
As far as pre-race foods go, Crawford suggests pasta with tomato sauce, Italian or French bread without butter, and sherbet or sorbet.
More tips
The experts also recommend the following:
– The evening before the race, eat a light meal, preferably low in fat, moderate in protein and high in carbohydrates.
– Eat a light breakfast the day of the race or a late-night snack the previous evening. A banana or bagel will do. ”A little bit of food can maintain blood sugar levels,” says nutritionist Nancy Clark, author of the
”Sports Nutrition Guidebook” (Leisure Press, $13.95).
– Avoid alcohol and caffeine because they dehydrate the body.
– Before and during the race, drink plenty of fluids, especially cold water and diluted electrolyte drinks such as Gatorade. The best way to avoid dehydration is to check your urine when you wake up on the day of the race. If it`s clear, your body has enough fluid, Clark says. Dark and concentrated urine is a sign of dehydration.
– Replace lost fluids after the race. Water and fruit juice are preferable. ”Beer is OK from the celebratory aspect, but it won`t work” in replenishing the body, says Barbara Bowman, a professor of dietetics and nutrition at Georgia State University.
– Avoid sugary snacks. Sugar provides a temporary burst of energy followed by a letdown.
