What is Carb Loading and Why is it Important?

By Yotam Kaplan – Long-distance running coach and marathoner.

The Tel Aviv Marathon is fast approaching, and if you've also been bitten by the running bug, there's likely another hot topic on your mind: nutrition.

What should I eat before?

Do I have to eat during the run as well?

Carb loading—what is it exactly?

And do I need to do it too?

What is the best way to fuel the body after such an intense effort?

Can veganism harm my performance as a runner?

And many other questions that suddenly pop up.

In a series of three short articles leading up to the marathon, we will try to make some sense of the mess and understand what the right nutrition is for us.

In this first article, we will focus on nutrition before the race, or what is commonly known as "carb loading."

What is Carb Loading?

First and foremost, the purpose of carb loading is to bring us to the race with optimally filled energy stores.

This will directly affect our performance, especially if we are running a half-marathon or a full marathon. Additionally, during the carb-loading phase, we reduce products rich in dietary fiber, fats, and protein, as these may interfere with the digestive system during the run. Moreover, it is recommended to direct most of our menu toward replenishing the body's glycogen stores, which come from carbohydrates.

To tailor the nutrition, it is first necessary to distinguish between the distances we are preparing to run: 5 km, 10 km, a half-marathon, or a full marathon.

The longer the distance, the more early preparation the body requires.

Full marathon runners will start nutritional adjustments as early as two days before the race, meaning Wednesday morning.

Half-marathon runners can start on Thursday morning, and 10 km runners can suffice with the evening before the race, maintaining a regular diet until then. 5 km runners are not required to make nutritional adjustments and can maintain their normal dietary routine.

The menu, as mentioned, will mainly include low-fiber carbohydrates and will minimize high-fiber vegetables and fruits, fats, and proteins. Additionally, a high amount of fluids and salts should be consumed because the body will lose them during the race.

So, what does a sample menu look like?

Here is a sample menu for an average marathon runner weighing about 70 kg:

Wednesday:

Breakfast – 1 cup oats + banana + 10 walnuts + 100 ml plant milk (soy/nut/rice) + 1 tbsp cacao nibs

Snack – 2 slices of white bread + nut butter (almond/peanut/hazelnut) + banana + 1 cup fresh juice (preferably beet juice)

Lunch – Large plate of white basmati rice (about 2 cups) + a small amount of lentils/beans (half a cup) + half a sweet potato/potato without skin + a bowl of clear broth (e.g., miso soup/clear vegetable broth)

Snack – 2 dates + 5 walnuts + 1 cup fresh juice

Dinner – Large plate of pasta with homemade tomato sauce + a little nutritional yeast/grated tofu on top + a slice of banana cake for dessert

Thursday:

Breakfast – White flour bun + 1 tbsp peanut butter + banana + fresh juice (preferably beet juice)

Snack – White flour bun + 1 tbsp nut butter/raw tahini + banana

Lunch – Large plate of white basmati rice (about 2 cups) + a small amount of lentils/beans/tofu + half a sweet potato/potato without skin + a bowl of clear broth (e.g., miso soup/clear vegetable broth)

Snack – 2 dates + 5 walnuts + 1 cup fresh juice

Dinner – Large plate of pasta (250g before cooking) with homemade tomato sauce + a little nutritional yeast/grated tofu on top + a slice of banana cake for dessert

Friday Morning (Race Morning):

Breakfast – White flour bun + a little peanut butter and jam (at least one hour before the start) + black coffee/espresso about 30 min before the start.

A few notes regarding the menu:

• The menu is an example; of course, it is recommended to make adjustments based on your personal knowledge of your body.
• The menu is for a marathon runner; half-marathon runners should adopt this type of menu starting Thursday morning. 10 km runners can adopt it from Thursday lunch/evening and can suffice with 2 dates/banana/a slice with silan (date syrup) about 30 min before the start on race morning.
• Remember that what should guide us is arriving with full energy stores and avoiding any digestive discomfort during the race.
• Most importantly: do not try any new type of food before the race. We don’t know how our body will react to it, and we don’t want unpleasant surprises. Therefore, you should test the food and nutrition during the preparation stages (perform carb loading before long training runs, etc.).
• Enjoy this carbohydrate festival—it doesn't happen every day! Prepare delicious food that you love and eat it with people you love.

In conclusion, remember: veganism shouldn't harm our ability as endurance athletes; in fact, quite a few studies from recent years show the exact opposite. Moreover, we see more and more elite endurance athletes choosing to adopt this diet, stating that vegan nutrition benefits their bodies. As vegans, we are usually more aware of what we put into our bodies, and this has great significance during strenuous aerobic activity.

In the next article, we will talk about nutrition during the race.

Who needs it? What is needed? And how much? Do you have to consume gels and isotonic drinks?

Until then, go and try to load some carbs :)

Want another example of a vegan menu? Click here

Vegan coaches, nutritionists, and physiotherapists interested in publishing on "The Vegan Athlete" are welcome to send suggestions to: lefflerpro@gmail.com