Hello and Happy Tuesday! I’m feeling a little better today, but still have about 3 tons of mucus to flush outta my nose ifyaknowwhatimean. Sorry, that was gross. But it’s grosser for me. 
(source)
90% of the time I cannot decide on what to have for breakfast (mostly because I love ALL breakfast foods). I think I should just declare this meal my official breakfast and eat it until the end of time (it’s coming Dec ‘12 you know).
I wanted PB toast and an egg sandwich so I made one of the each – open face style! Best of both worlds foods.
Last night I spent some quality time with my new Runner’s World. Apparently, carb loading isn’t just fun – it’s science! There is a great article about carb loading sufficiently to help avoid hitting the wall. 
The article is called “Fill ‘Er Up” by Dimity McDowell. There was a carb load of info, but here are some of the most helpful bits…
Since you’ll be eating a lot of carbs – fill up on low fiber ones. This kinda goes against most healthy eaters beliefs, but throw the high fiber grains out the window to avoid stomach issues and filling up too fast.
Start carb-loading 2-3 days before the race. It’s not just one pre-race dinner that will fill your tank.
EAT ALL CARBS! Okay, not exactly. But, the article said to switch your diet to 85 to 95% carbs. <- I was surprised at those numbers.
Surprised, but willing 
I joke that I love running for the carb loading, but I do feel a little better that there is legitimate science behind it. 
So, I gotta grab a snack before I head to work. It’s science.
Question: What’s your carb-loading meal or snack of choice?
Read RW article and was inspired. Read foodtrainin website and it said carbo load is BS and old. Trainin for a full 26.2 and not sure of info.
Thanks, now I need a cinnamon bun.
I usually have pizza or pasta before a long run (and after!). I had pizza before my 5ks as well since it sits well in my stomach. I would have had pizza even if I wasn’t racing, I just really like pizza.
Did you know watermelon is packed full of vitamin C? How on earth did you get a cold in the first place?! 😉 I think you seriously need to eat more watermelon in order to cure yourself! x
I read that same Runner’s World last night and happily went out & bought bagels today. I love that it’s carb loading time!!
I also read in there that week 2 of taper you will often feel very unsure of yourself & possibly doubt your training – remind you of anyone last week?? *points at self* 🙂
I vaguely recall speaking with a girl who needed to get it together. Is she together now?
For the most part. She’s been pretty calm, just getting the normal race jitters now.
Carbs? Potatoes come as the best answer for me. Baked potatoes. Brown Rice. Fruit. Processed carbs like breads and things are okay, but I really do feal better when I’m getting “quality” carbs
I am pretty much all about the pizza and the pasta for carb loading.
What a helpful article! You should try out the carb loading calculator that’s provided in the Runner’s World article. It’s pretty nifty (and I like the number of carbs it’s telling me to eat pre-race on Saturday 🙂 http://endurancecalculator.com/EnduranceCalculatorForm.html
Thanks Danielle!
Not sure how I feel about carb loading just because I don’t want that bloat feeling before a race. Although, I love me some carbs all the time. I love that picture of the big piece of bread – I wish plain white bread was full of antioxidants and vitamins b/c I’d be happy to it all the time!
Been carb loading most of my life….that’s what they were saying to do right???
I saw that article and was surprised by the numbers as well. I like how someone said they eat rice breakfast, lunch and dinner. Is there a carb besides bread? That loaf you are holding looking like a good snack.
The Kidless Kronicles
Pizza and ice cream!! 🙂
Good thing carb is my middle name. I still havent gotten my issue of RW yet. wtf!
Cinnamon rolls for sure (I have one on my desk right now!) and the occasional giant plate of pasta with loads of sauce and Parmesan on top. Yum! I do love the carb loading side of running, such a great bonus!
haha, <3 the pics today Mons!!! 😉
The nickname crosses over to the web 🙂
dang, now i really want a cinnamon roll. the funny thing is that i lived in dubai for over 2 years, and there was a cinnabon in every mall (and the city is mostly malls anyway). i got it… once. i think i was too scared of carbs… but arabs are obsessed with it, no wonder the population is getting more and more obese and diabetic (keep in mind they don’t run marathons like you do!). but i think there is an ikea somewhere in dublin, so i might go on a mission (and get a ton of random crap i never think i needed in the process).
I really like to make fried brown rice the night before a race. I think carb loading can be marginally helpful, but since the body can only bank so much glycogen I am not sure that it makes a huge difference. I think being well hydrated, rested and getting in some electrolytes is the real key(for me at least). I also rarely run full marathons…
funny but i randomly blogged about carboloading today too, havent read the runnersworld, i just wrote the post a couple weeks ago and was too lazy to write a new post today.
You’re probably lazy because you hit a wall. You need more carbs for energy.
I SAW that thing about 85-95% carbs in Runners World! Since I would like all my meals to be carbs with a side of carbs anyways I am fully committed to putting this plan in action before my race Sunday. Good luck to you!
What race are you doing again? I forgot.
Chicago!
Bagels. Lots and lots of bagels.
I wish you luck!
Just found your blog and twitter feed, lovin’ it! 🙂 3 months ago I started working with a nutritionist and she’s been getting me off the grains. Plenty of carbs, and lots of good fats and protein, but specificly little to no grains. I was super scared my training would suffer. Not at all! My pre-race dinner for anything endurance is filet mignon, potatoes, veggies, and a salad. I tried pasta twice and it didn’t settle well with my tummy either time.
Although, I’m embarking on my first marathon (prev. I’ve done halfs, sprint, and olympic tris), so maybe those rules will change.
While others may covet the cinnamon roll, I covet the awesome looking bread you’re about to bite into… 🙂
Hi Quix!
That bread was a roasted garlic loaf from La Brea Bakery and it was amazing!
No one has to convince me to eat all carbs. Yum, yum, yum! haha I’m not even a runner. Maybe just in spirit. 😀 And yeah, I can see how fibrous foods can cause issues later on! 😯
So funny, I read this article yesterday at the gym and I’ve seen several other bloggers writing about the subject today (I also wrote about it today!) I thought it was really helpful because I never do the right thing when it comes to pre-race carbs. The last two marathons, I’ve had pizza the night before but I’m not sure that worked for me. I’m gonna go with brown rice every day for like at least three days before…and try to keep things nice and plain the night before. I’m interested to see how my new strategy helps me on race day.
That cinnamon roll needs to get in my belly, carb loading or not!
Is that a trick question? ALL carbs! 🙂
Love cheesy bread if I want something savory, and chocolate chip cookies (homemade by yours truly) if I want something sweet.
Funny side note: My husband texted me the other day with: “S.O.S. we have no sweets in the house, what do I do? 🙁 ”
It was the cutest most pathetic thing ever! Poor guy…I made him some cookies like a good wifey should…I even helped him eat a few 🙂
Love that text!
I am running my first marathon next month and have also unfortunately found out that carbs make me blow up, mostly because I have eliminated nearly all processed foods from my diet. I stick with good sources of protein, fruits and veggies, but a couple of days before a long run or race, I’ll indulge in either cinnamon raisin or pretzel bread with melted peanut butter on it…then I feel all bloated the next day and eat my normal fruits, veggies and protein the day before the race. I know this goes against nearly what all running advice gives, but it works for me!
What about rice? That’s not very processed in comparison.
Today is “cinnamon roll day” in Sweden, so you seem to be right on target with your food! It’s also National Taco Day, today. Plan accordingly. 🙂
Now I want tacos for dinner and a cinnamon roll for dessert!
See, this is another reason why I love runners. They understand that carbs are essential for energy and revel in it!
I personally can’t get away from rice as my carb of choice. White, black, brown, short grain, long grain, wild… I love them all!
I have never carb-loaded, but I wanted to dive face first into that cinnamon roll. I think the pain from eating it just might be worth it… 🙂
I’m in the midst of my first ever round of marathon training, and this carb news is the best thing I’ve ever read! I knew I should be having a lot of carbs, but 85% is even better (I also need to work on cutting out the high-fiber stuff). I’m going to go with cereal during the week of my race, and the old reliable pasta the night before.
That…cinnamon roll…looks…heavenly.
Heck, I should run a marathon just to have an excuse to carb-load! Haha
I like cereal for my carb loading. Any excuse to eat four bowls is good in my book.
Also, I tested out the theory that candy corn makes for good pre race fuel and it worked. I ran a really great half marathon on Sunday all thanks to the handfuls of candy corn I ate on the days leading up to the race.
I always eat cereal 4 bowls at a time! My body likes carb loading 🙂
It’s always good to know that science is behind you. 🙂
Sounds like its time for a Neti pot!
I stick with the old classic – pasta with marinara. Super easy to make or find if I’m out at a restaurant and super easy on the stomach. Also have the option for bread on the side for more carb loading goodness.
The carb-loading article made me gulp! I can totally eat 85-95% carbs if I try, but I don’t like to – it makes me feel sleepy!
I want to run a marathon solely for the carb-loading. Not kidding.
me too!!
I do the same thing with my breakfast sometimes too! I can’t decide if I want salty or sweet so I make both, eggs on one side with cheese and pb on the other.
In the last year I’ve virtually eliminated the low fiber carbs from my diet, but I know it’s necessary to incorporate more so that I can get the best performance out of my runs. Marathon training is getting intense and I find myself running out of gas and now I think I’m just not eating enough of them. Thanks for the magazine reference. I’ll need this to start prepping my pre-race plan!
Oh, and fiber is the devil. I avoid it like that annoying wedding guest that wants to show you pictures of their funny looking kid.
Pasta, bread, pizza? Mmm.
I don’t really “carb load”. What I do is maintain my eating style (that I normally keep while running 50-60 miles a week) even with the reduced mileage of taper. Bam, carb loaded and ready to run. No special meals or higher thinking required.
My favorite go to carb-loading meal the night before a long run is a gigantic bean and rice burrito! I load ‘er up with rice, black beans, veggies, salsa, and guacamole. Specifically a Chipotle burrito if possible. I discovered this worked best for me by accident but it really loads me up with carbs and veggie goodness and so I stick with it. Why mess with a sure thing (especially if that sure thing is a burrito!)?