Your Guide to Carb Loading Before a Race

Carb loading is a practice used by distance runners before a race.

By eating more carbohydrates, the body has more energy to make it through longer endurance events (90 min+).

Carb Loading Benefits

• Allows you to run faster, stronger
• Prevents you from “hitting the wall”
• Increases running distance at a steady pace by up to 20%

Marathon runners should start carb loading 3 days before race day – 2 days for half-marathoners.

To calculate how many carbs you should eat in the days before a race, multiply:
Body Weight x 5 = total carbs in grams

Find your carb count

Eat your carbs evenly with meals and snacks throughout the day.

• Breakfast – 20%
• Morning Snack – 15%
• Lunch – 20%
• After Dinner Snack – 10%
• Dinner – 20%
• Afternoon Snack – 15%

Meal Ideas

• Potato: 26g
• Bagels: 55g
• Muffins: 26g

Other ideas: Low-fat granola, white pasta or rice, ramen

Snack Ideas

• Soft Pretzel: 90g
• Sports Drink: 36g
• Graham Cracker: 11g

Other ideas: Dried fruit, juice, gummy candy, tortilla chips