General Discussion Triathlon Talk » Carboloading before a HIM Rss Feed  
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2012-08-16 10:27 AM

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Subject: Carboloading before a HIM

 Hey guys A couple of questions as I'm nearing Steelhead (this Sunday!)...

1) When do you do the official carb dinner-the night before or two nights before? And why then?

I have followed the 48 hour rule for a while, because I guess it makes sense to me that it would take that long for carbs to end up in my bloodstream, but I know not all carbs are created equal, so open to any and all ideas.

2) What are some ideas for carb dinner?

I've done the traditional pasta for a long time (Shrimp Fettuccine Alfredo is my fave), but now, in light of rethinking a lot of nutrition, discovering juicing and veggie complex carbs, trying to come up with ideas for a healthier (and probably way more nutritious?) meals.  So, what do you choose to eat?

3) The day before the race, what do you eat for your meals?

________

Any ideas are appreciated! Just trying to fine tune this thing

And....would all of you send some good vibes our way for Lake Michigan to cool it with the riptides? We are all hanging by a thread of hope to have a 70.3 on Sunday

 

thanks!



2012-08-16 4:30 PM
in reply to: #4366111

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Subject: RE: Carboloading before a HIM

Probably completely person specific based on preference, but here goes.

I eat weat angle hair or speghetti noodles starting two nights before an event (42g carbs per serving)  I make the whole box of them, and mix with olive oil, a little garlic powder, and salt.  No Marinara for me.  I then eat them for lunch and dinner the day before the event.  For breakfast the day before and the day of, I eat 2-4 slices of 12 grain wheat toast with jam, and 1-2 banana's. I also drink lots of water/gatoraid/poweraid starting 2 days prior. 

I have no scientific reasoning other than what I've come across on the internet.  I always have energy for events, but much of this has to do with how you fuel during races as well.  And again, It probably changes vastly from person to person.

2012-08-16 4:45 PM
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Subject: RE: Carboloading before a HIM

Just eat what you normally do just like other things in races nothing new on race day. Day before race eat big breakfast and lunch and avoid big dinner. Eating lots of fiber the day before your race fills your colon and can cause problems.

2012-08-16 8:36 PM
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Subject: RE: Carboloading before a HIM

Thank you for sharing your thoughts, Kevin!

Kathy, thanks for the insight.  You are right, it may be too late to change things drastically for this race, completely agree with nothing new before the race rule... However, I still would like to hear people's ideas to have in mind for future races.. and I have a few running races this fall

2012-08-16 9:37 PM
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Subject: RE: Carboloading before a HIM
Lyoshka - 2012-08-16 10:27 AM

 Hey guys A couple of questions as I'm nearing Steelhead (this Sunday!)...

1) When do you do the official carb dinner-the night before or two nights before? And why then?

I have followed the 48 hour rule for a while, because I guess it makes sense to me that it would take that long for carbs to end up in my bloodstream, but I know not all carbs are created equal, so open to any and all ideas.

2) What are some ideas for carb dinner?

I've done the traditional pasta for a long time (Shrimp Fettuccine Alfredo is my fave), but now, in light of rethinking a lot of nutrition, discovering juicing and veggie complex carbs, trying to come up with ideas for a healthier (and probably way more nutritious?) meals.  So, what do you choose to eat?

3) The day before the race, what do you eat for your meals?

________

Any ideas are appreciated! Just trying to fine tune this thing

And....would all of you send some good vibes our way for Lake Michigan to cool it with the riptides? We are all hanging by a thread of hope to have a 70.3 on Sunday

 

thanks!

 

Carb loading is a process not a one meal trick. You need to start loading about a week out and taper off 24-36 hours prior to the event. If you load up 48 hours before in one meal, those carbs will almost all be gone by the start gun (it does not take 48 hours for the carbs to get in your body). I usually like to cut fiber out mostly since it slows digestion down but keep the complex carbs going until the evening before and switch the more simple carbs (easier digestion) the morning of. Another thing to ponder is to eat high glycemic foods/drinks race morning. That will increase your blood sugar and have you starting off in a better spot that eating low glycemic foods that don't do as much for your todd sugar. 

2012-08-16 10:54 PM
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Subject: RE: Carboloading before a HIM

There are various protocols for effective loading.  I tried it once, and frankly it is painful, it made me irritable and nervous, and I will never do it again.  It involves a period of serious depletion, some hard workouts with very little in the tank, etc.  I'm not at all convinced that it is worth doing for anybody.

Kathy's advice is spot on.  Eat normally (assuming that you normally eat well) leading up to the race, probably a bit lighter and maybe a bit earlier than usual the night before, and avoiding a lot of fiber.

If you follow those simple guidelines, very little else about your meal the night before is likely to make any difference in your race.



2012-08-16 11:53 PM
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Subject: RE: Carboloading before a HIM

Since I was a kid, I have always eaten large portions of spaghetti and garlic bread the night before a swim meet, and usually will have a spaghetti sandwich the morning of my race.  I did this before an 8 mile run last year, and I always feel like I have more energy the day of the event.  Maybe it is psychological, but has worked for me for about 30 years.  

Considering that my next race is my first Ironman, I will probably do more research about the carb loading for the entire week before an event.  Fortunately, I love carbs!  

2012-08-17 4:30 AM
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Subject: RE: Carboloading before a HIM
As has been said, there is much more to carboloading than simply eating a pasta dinner or two in the days leading up to the race. As Michael said, it is complex, requires some experimentation and is no fun.

Further, the research says carboloading is only effective (and not for all) if they do not plan to supplment with carbs on race day. Once an athlete starts consuming carbs in a race, then there is no benefit to going through the carboloading process. The other downside of carboloading is that, if you do it correctly, you will gain weight; since the process isn't always effective and since most triathletes will be taking in carbs while racing, I see no good reason to carboload.

I would say Kathy's advice is excellent; eat the way you normally would, cut back on the calories as you approach race day (i.e. Taper your nutrition as you taper your training) and then following your fueling plan on race day.

Shane
2012-08-17 8:15 AM
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Subject: RE: Carboloading before a HIM
I'd listen to Kathy.  Don't out-think yourself here.
2012-08-17 8:33 AM
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Subject: RE: Carboloading before a HIM

gsmacleod - 2012-08-17 2:30 AM As has been said, there is much more to carboloading than simply eating a pasta dinner or two in the days leading up to the race. As Michael said, it is complex, requires some experimentation and is no fun. Further, the research says carboloading is only effective (and not for all) if they do not plan to supplment with carbs on race day. Once an athlete starts consuming carbs in a race, then there is no benefit to going through the carboloading process. The other downside of carboloading is that, if you do it correctly, you will gain weight; since the process isn't always effective and since most triathletes will be taking in carbs while racing, I see no good reason to carboload. I would say Kathy's advice is excellent; eat the way you normally would, cut back on the calories as you approach race day (i.e. Taper your nutrition as you taper your training) and then following your fueling plan on race day. Shane

They say you learn something new everyday....  I just did. (no sarcasm intended)  Just because I have been eating pasta every night before a race for 30 years, doesn't necessarily mean that it has helped.  Probably was more of a placebo effect than anything, but I will still be doing it.  It's my "normal"  

2012-08-17 9:28 AM
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Subject: RE: Carboloading before a HIM
Good posts from Kathy, Michael, and Shane - it seems to be more benificial to eat healthly and possibly cut down on the amount of fiber and fatty foods in the day before the race than it does to load your system up with a bunch of pasta. My best races from a GI and energy perspective were the ones where i had a balance between carbs and lean protiens the day before, and eating your last meal earlier.


2012-08-18 7:42 AM
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Subject: RE: Carboloading before a HIM
Science or not, if your habit is to have pasta the night before, I'd stick with that, even if it's just a placebo effect. I've been a marathon runner since the days when people depleted then loaded and all that nonsense, and I still feel better with my pre-race pasta most of the time. Maybe lighten it up with marinara sauce, veggies, garlic, and olive oil, and/or seafood.  I have raced sucessfully on other stuff (I always have a Cambodian curry dish called amok the night before the Angkor Wat HM), though. Would caution you to eat enough. Before my HIM, we were going to get pasta, but the town's sole Italian place was jam-packed, so ended up at a Japanese place with yakisoba. Portions were on the small side; the next day I felt hungry throughout much of the race (I was raiding the pretzels at the aid stations on the run), though I don't think my performance suffered. Ended up at the Italian place afterwards--could have had six helpings of spaghetti at that point!
2012-08-18 3:43 PM
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Subject: RE: Carboloading before a HIM
I've also heard that carb "loading" post workout for the moths and months of training you do is of critical importance. The explanation as to why I'll leave to others or Internet research cause I don't remember.
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