Tapering, carb loading and over eating

RJC

This perplexes me with every tapering cycle. It's not so bad this week but next week I'll be going through psychological hell as I debate whether I'm over eating or carb loading.

I wouldn't over eat in general but when doing high mileage I would make sure I had enough on board most of the time. If I stop running my appetite tapers off and I get by on a low blood sugar level.

In general I have to remind myself to eat a few cereal bars between meals but I never know whether I'm pigging out in the last week or carb loading.

I have read some previous posts on this here on how people supplement their regular diet in the last few days and I've even calculated my carb requirements by doing calculation from 'Eating for Endurance'

As I line up the big debate in my head is 'Have you over eaten and ruined all the training or have you under eaten and are about to meet the big bonk at mile 17?'

Sosa

I am doing my first marathon RJC,so i have no idea.

I plan to eat loads of porridge,bagels,pasta,recovery bars,cereal bars.
Basically anything high in good carbs and low in fat ( if possible )

Also later next week i am thinking about pizza....must be loaded with carbs with all that dough.

Suggestions from seasoned marathon runners on what you eat the week beforehand would be ideal.

TFBubendorfer

I decided a few marathons ago that the best thing to do is to keep your normal diet. I don't carboload any more, and it doesn't make the slightest bit of difference reg. the Wall.

groovyg

I'd be the same just eat normally. Pre marathon I usaully drink lots of fluids and maybe drink some high five in the days running up to the marathon. If you have the training done you should be fine.

Abhainn

I would n't advise carb loading all week before marathon. You'll end up putting on weight (because of reduced milage) feeling bloated and sluggish.
I would actually reduce carbs a little up untill the Fri anyway. On the Sat and Sunday I'd load a little.

On morning of race it'll be 2 weetabix, 2 slices of toast with jam or peanut butter with good strong coffee by 6:45
Id bring along a few fig rolls to munch on untill I'd arrive in Dublin

Sosa

groovyg wrote: »

If you have the training done you should be fine.

Thats what i was thinking,i will eat my usual.
I kind off carb load anyway...porridge,bagels,pastas etc...

No sense changing your meals now.

Bring it on !

plodder

I'd make the last two days pretty much carbs only (and water). There's really no point in eating a big steak the night before the marathon, or anything very fatty either. And, I'd also eat a little more than you might feel like. Nerves might possibly suppress the appetite a bit. I made an effort to "load" a bit last year, and I think it helped me (didn't hit the wall for first time). And of course the big mug of sweetened black coffee just beforehand helped as well...

Aimman

What I have been doing, and seems to work for me, is change from porridge to bran for the next few days until Sunday morning, when I go back on the porridge.

I eat a bit more nuts and seeds, cottage cheese for additional protien and oils etc. Maybe a snack of wholegrain toast and peanut butter too.

Then cut out protien (meat etc) from Saturday to help the carboloading on the sunday evening (not too late in the evening)

but other than that, just stick to normal eating for all other meals, snacks etc.

Tinder

I am in the same boat only I have not been able to run since last Sunday, so am really worried. I hurt my right knee on a long run, I fell of a curb at the end of the run and pulled something in the knee and am resting it in the hope it will be ok on the day.

Don't think I will bother loading as I have not been doing anything for the week except worrying!

I think I might try and do a little tomorrow and then see if I can make the start line let alone the finish line.

Re the gels, where can you buy them, will they be on sale at the Expo?

Gutted!

RJC

This is the dilemma. To eat a regular diet (i.e. training diet) and cut back on the running or to taper the calories for the next few days to accommodate for the reduced training and then to carb up with a bag of pasta a day and porridge and brown bread sandwiches (not all at the one time).

I remember Stupid Private had a good take on this for his last marathon.