Carbo-Loading the Right Way

Workout:  60 minutes on the elliptical.  To fight the boredom that automatically comes with the elliptical (because listening to music, watching tv and reading all at the same time while on it still makes me bored) I would go at a normal effort for 2 minutes followed by 1 minute at a harder effort.  I would switch between going faster and increasing the level for the 1 minute at a harder effort.

Tomorrow is a monumental day.  I am going for a run because my body is feeling more than ready to go.  It will be a treadmill run because Billy may be doing a trail race and if he isn’t doing that he has to go to school early so no babysitter.  That is okay because as you know I have quite a love for my treadmill.

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It’s the New York City Marathon this Sunday and whether you are for or against it continuing to be held it is still going on.  *****EDITED TO ADD:  The NYCM was just canceled! You can read about it here!

There was an article written on NYTimes.com that talked about a study that is beneficial running a marathon.

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I am always a little crazy about what I eat the days before a big race.  I always talk about how I cut out fiber for two days before the race and use the marathon as an excuse to eat 100% carbs for the two weeks leading to the race but I guess that isn’t the best way to do it…

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Fine, from now on I will just cargo-load the day before the race but that doesn’t mean I won’t carbo-load for the two weeks following the marathon.

Just focus in on the day before the marathon and you will do great!
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Lunch was my same old boring meal, I really need to get more creative than just using cheez-its for croutons and think of something else to eat for lunch.  

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I am almost out of my beloved smuckers jam so I am off to Costco for more.  I am also going to Costco because I am kind of mad at them for selling me peaches that went bad after 3 days to return them… I won’t do a close-up to spare you the grossness.  

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Do you feel like you’ve got your carbo-loading figured out or are you still trying to perfect it?  What does work for you?

Who has a race this weekend?  Who has a long run?  Who is hanging out on the couch all weekend:)

Last fruit that you bought?

Any exciting lunches today?

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55 comments

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I ran the longest I ever have this morning!!!!! Feeling really really good :) And now, I’m off to Costco, too! Mental note to stay away from the peaches…

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Stay far away! Congrats on your longest run ever! You are incredible!

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okay even I want to jump in on this one and say way to go Katie!! sooo..i hope u kno after that kickbutt long run, u better toss into that Costco cart something to reward the belly. ;) #runhardeatharder

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The couch is calling my name all weekend! :)

I would love to be smiling like you during a marathon in the future :O

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You listen to your couch this weekend:) Have fun!

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I am running my first half-marathon this weekend! yay! Loved reading about the carb issue. It’s always been so unclear to me!

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AHHHH GOOD LUCK AMANDA!! You are going to do amazing!

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I read this article too – I was more fascinated by the fact that Marathon Training is an actual class at a university! In terms of carbo-loading, I know pasta works for me, and sandwiches with whole grain bread. I haven’t tried much else though. I’m interested in what others say, so that I can try it before my long runs and see what else works!

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ME TOO… I want to take that class:)

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Yay- happy you can run again!
I’m a big fan of carb loading, and I think I’ve done it pretty well in the past! I usually go for pasta but don’t eat too much the night before so that I’m not bloated and full when I start the race.

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You’ve got it girl! It is hard for me to not eat too much pasta though:)

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I think I’ve got my carb loading down. 3 bananas the day before instead of two. Sandwich at lunch. Cereal for snack. And both pasta AND sweet potato at dinner time. It’s my breakfast the day of that I love though — french toast with banana, maple syrup, PB, and molasses. Yum!
This week is my recovery week. My knee has really been bothering me, so it will be my weekend off and use the extra time to stretch, heat and ice. Hoping to start back slowly on Monday!
Boring lunch — spinach salad with roasted beets and sweet potato, sunflower seeds, and dried cranberry. I had a slice of French bread on the side and used a slightly watered down spoonful of molasses as a dressing.
Good luck tomorrow, Janae!! Hope it goes well!!
Ps. I think this is the first post since Brooke’s birth without a picture of her!!!! :O

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Come make that breakfast for me right now:) I am so so sorry about your knee. Way to take some time off though! I know… I haven’t taken any today…. ahhh must change that now!

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WOW! Thanks for letting me know. I just updated my post now. Thanks Kerri.

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I’ve heard the exact same thing on carb-loading….it’s the day before that really matters. Good luck on your run tomorrow. I think I’ll run a few miles tomorrow and then get in a bodypump class. Have a great weekend!!

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Thanks Kim! Running and bodypump…way to go!

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Last fruit I bought were apples from this apple orchard nearby. Best apples ever!!

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Apples straight from the orchard are quite possibly the most delicious things in the world.

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Oh my goodness looking at your pb&j is giving me ideas… strong ideas..

My boyfriend and I were going to go running today on a short campus loop but blah we are both just not feeling it! it’s cold and dreary and maybe sunday will be our run day. Ah well maybe today is a cross training day!

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I think you need to have a pb&j sandwich asap! Sunday WILL be your run day:)

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I’ve never known anyone to actually return their fruit. Good for you! I would, but I always forget and throw them out (it doesn’t happen too often).

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I have never done it before but they went back SO fast and they were $9 and I am cheap ha! Wish me luck:)

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Janae, the same thing happened to me with Costco peaches! I never return anything but mine started growing some weird alien-like mold so I returned them and I got a full refund. What is it with Costco peaches?

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No race this weekend but I do have a double run planned (normal Sunday run with Matt in the morning, intervals in the evening with my run club!). I am still figuring out exactly what to eat before a race but am getting better. I def have to avoid fiber though for a while. This afternoon I bought a pomegranate and it made me insanely happy! Glad you are feeling better :)

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I’m racing a half marathon tomorrow…It’s the same course I did two years ago for my first half, and I have such great memories of it :) I’m oping to get my first sub 2:00 time as well! I did do a bit of carbo loading today, both healthy (Mediterranean spiced quinoa) and not so healthy (Moose Tracks frozen yogurt). I firmly believe that frozen yogurt makes me run faster and have it before all my races!

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I wish I had read that before my half marathon last weekend. I don’t think I had eaten and drank enough before and during the race. Big lesson learnt.

What’s in that salad? Looks yum.

Stink that NYCM has been canceled but it’s understandable.

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I just bought grapes for a fruit plate since I don’t feel like cooking and I have to bring something to girls night. Everyone loves a cheese plate. Costco is great about taking back products, I’m sure it will be fine.

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Thanks for sharing that info w/ your athletic readers. As a biologist and dietician it drives me CRAZY when people excessively carb load. A heavy carb-loaded b’fast the morning BEFORE an event is the best/only time needed to carb load. Muscles can only store so much glycogen. Tangent over…
I have learned that red meat (BBQ!!) is my perfect pre-event meal. I am incredibly speedy when I have eaten iron-rich food.

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I have been a “stalker” for a while, but I have really fallen in love with your blog. Just stopped by to spread some love dust…
-1mommytoomany

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I’ve been spending a lot of time on the elliptical and your right it is boring, I need to hit that pavement and get back into my running routine. Carb loading, thanks so much for the info, I love the formula on how much to have!

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I def do the carb-o-loading the day before, I’ve always felt that’s most beneficial ;)

Prob doing a HIIT run tomorrow a.m. Have fun on the treadmill, and enjoy it!

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Lol you might think it was boring but that lunch looks soooo good! And I had a salad from the salad bar at whole foods, I stopped there between the gym and Girls On the Run practice!

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I think nutrition is one of the hardest parts of running! I never really know what to do. I’ll give this a shot, though. :c)

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I don’t eat bread, grains or legumes. I’ve been doing it about a year and I feel great! (well, except for today – dang you Halloween!)
I just make sure I eat very healthy with lots of fruits and veggies a couple days before the race. Sometimes I’ll have a sweet potato the night before. I also make sure my protein intake stays high. I have ran 3 Ragnars, 3 half marathons and a couple of 5K’s without consuming bread or pasta. Crazy, but I just eat banana’s and Trader Joe’s apple crushers. I usually have a protein shake too, at least 2 hours before the race. So far my GI is best on race days! Weird. I’m still working on the race fuel part.
I have no races – but next weekend is the Las Vegas Ragnar! woot woot!

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I have a 10k this weekend. The Cider Donut Run in Amherst, MA. Looking forward to the apple cider donut :)

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Oh the woes of trying to figure out the proper way to eat. I’m not even that big into racing or competing, but I still find the whole ‘what works and what doesn’t’ thing impossible to figure out, especially because things that work one time end up not working another. Silly body… give me some consistency here! One thing that always works, though, is bananas. If I had to live on just one thing for the rest of my life, it would probably be bananas (and almond butter, and chocolate ;) ) And that just so happens to be the last fruit I bought as well – can’t risk being left without them!

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No racing this weekend for me, but I am helping pace my friend for her last long run before her first half marathon.

The last fruit I bought was a ton of apples before the hurricane.

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No races for me this weekend. Next 5K is Thanksgiving morning – figured it wouldn’t hurt to have a few calories in the bank before the big meal! haha I primarily run 5K’s so I haven’t tried carb loading because I actually run better on an empty stomach.

Good luck with the run tomorrow!!!

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Good luck at Costco, I hope you’re able to exchange them or get a refund!

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Ok super creep but what is this “special recipe” strawberry jam you have??

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Hahahah I think it is just smuckers and I got it at Costco! It is my favorite!

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I wish my last purchase of fruit was Honeycrisp apples but alas my grocery store did not have good looking ones. :( we did buy bananas though.

Training run in morning for my next wknd half (my first one!)

I am still trying to figure out carb loading but luckily for the GI tract my race is at night so I have all day to make sure the tract is ‘taken care of’ :)

I have been fighting a knee issue that seems to be ‘jumpers knee’ I sure hope it feels good next wk and that my lack of running for the last 3 wks doesnt hurt me too badly. (keep your fingers crossed for me next wk, will you? )

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Interesting study. I have my marathon in December. I figure I have it figured out (last year was my first and only marathon.. I carbo-loaded for two days prior and ran 3:40, which was my goal). It is true that I always start off these long runs/races being incredibly bloated.

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I have a race this weekend … my first EVER full marathon on Sunday! It is the Rails to Trails Marathon in Wisconsin. :) So excited but nervous. I’ll definitely take into consideration your helpful advice on carb loading tomorrow. :) Love your blog, as always.

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Ahhhhh good luck on Sunday! You are going to rock it! Please let me know how it goes!!!

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This weekend we (husband, sister and I ) are racing a 10k. Can’t wait to smoke the thing!
I do have my carb loading figured out. I don’t change anything else about my diet (since I have my routine all figured out anyway) but I do eat some past the night before a race.
The last fruit I bought is peaches from Costco. They are still good and in the fridge. But I always make sure to buy the firmest peaches I can find. No squishy peaches!
Nothing exciting for lunch. But making it did break my Pampered Chef pan in thirds.

The Kidless Kronicles

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YAY for boring as heck elliptical today because it’s a sign ur back is coming around!! i’ll be thinking happy healed thoughts for ur run tomorrow!!!

ugh, i have to day i’m sooo bummed the marathon got cancelled. as for carbo-loading, i did a post touching on this a few days ago and i think that fueling for runners is something we ALL continually have to work and tweak away with. since it’s so personal to each person and their stomach it’s tricky and we can only keep learning by good old trial and error. use wat resources and wat experts have to say too of course to help us come up with those trials. :P

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Interesting about the carbo loading! Too many carbs right before a run make me feel so lethargic!

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This was really interesting and does make a lot of sense. I definitely notice that I retain a boatload of extra water after eating lots of carbs, so having them concentrated the day before sounds good :) In fact I’ll test this out tomorrow since Sunday I’m running a super early 7 miles before the US Half in SF, my last 20 miler before my December marathon!

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I am running the City of Oaks Marathon in Raleigh, NC on Sunday. I actually applied for the NYC marathon this year and didn’t make the lottery. I have a tradition on running my marathon Sunday morning then coming home and watching NYC marathon on TV. I feel really bad for all those runners that have worked so hard all year and don’t get to run. It’s sad.

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7 miles today. Last Sunday I ran my first half marathon (2 h. 10min.) so I’m not doing longer runs for two weeks, took the advice from one of your previous posts :). I ate potatoes, oatmeal and cereal the day before and oatmeal and a banana again in the morning. It worked great.
Bought clementines today and they turned out very sour, still too early for them. Hope they take those peaches back at Costco! No fruit should go bad in 3 days unless something is terribly wrong with it

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I plan on couching it all day today and running 15 miles tomorrow. If I make it, that will be the farthest distance I have ever run at once. I hope I can do it!
I just got a bag of gala apples that I am very excited to pair with some peanut butter later today.
I feel like this post is missing a picture of Brooke :)

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Thanks for the article! I never know if I carbo- load to much/to little so the little formula helped me! I won’t be running a marathon for a while, but next time I will definitely do this.

Oh and if it makes you feel better, I have always taken stuff back to costco if it doesn’t stay good even when I’ve had it a week. You pay for good produce their so they never even ask questions. Hope you had a good 5 mile/pain free run today:)

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I’ll be keeping the cargo loading tip in mind for my next race! I typically do the same thing as you :)

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