Carb Loading for a Race

In the past I’ve eaten nothing except lean beef, rice, and maybe some bananas for 1.5 days leading into a race. This has worked okay for me, but choking down cold/dry rice from a tupperware, does leave something to be desired.

I want to have a bit more fun with it (not too much) and to extend the carb loading to 3 days.

Biggest misconception out there is eating the classic huge plate of pasta the night before. It’s important to increase carbs over an extended period of time for your body to properly digest and store them as glycogen in the muscle/liver. If you want that big plate of pasta, eating it 2 days before will allow your body more time to process the food. Doing this and having a more moderate portion the night before will be to your benefit.

  • 3000 calories a day 

  • 70% carbs by calories 

  • not high in fiber 

  • lots of water

  • salt all meals

3 Days Out (Thursday)

  1. Eggs and bread

    1. 250 cal bread

    2. 3 eggs

  2. Sandwich

    1. 2 tbsp honey

    2. 1 banana 

    3. 250 cal bread

  3. Beef and rice 

    1. 1/4lb 90/10 beef

    2. 1.5 servings dry rice 

    3. 1 banana

  4. Beef and rice

    1. 1/4lb 90/10 beef

    2. 1.5 servings dry rice 

    3. 1 banana

  5. Overday oats

    1. .5 cup oats

    2. 200 cal sweetener (maple, agave, honey)

    3. 2 tbsp chia seeds

    4. 140g almond milk

  6. Snacks

    1. 400 cal worth (probably Rice Krispies)

2 Days Out (Friday) [sushi replacing meal 5 & no snacks]

  1. Eggs and bread

    1. 250 cal bread

    2. 3 eggs

  2. Sandwich

    1. 2 tbsp honey

    2. 1 banana 

    3. 250 cal bread

  3. Beef and rice 

    1. 1/4lb 90/10 beef

    2. 1.5 servings dry rice 

    3. 1 banana

  4. Beef and rice

    1. 1/4lb 90/10 beef

    2. 1.5 servings dry rice 

    3. 1 banana

  5. Sushi

    1. 5 single rolls (krab, tuna, avocado, salmon, and yellow tail)

1 Day Out (Saturday) [same as 3 days out]

  1. Egg and bread

    1. 250 cal bread

    2. 3 eggs

  2. Sandwich

    1. 2 tbsp honey

    2. 1 banana 

    3. 250 cal bread

  3. Beef and rice 

    1. 1/4lb 90/10 beef

    2. 1.5 servings dry rice 

    3. 1 banana

  4. Beef and rice

    1. 1/4lb 90/10 beef

    2. 1.5 servings dry rice 

    3. 1 banana

  5. Overday oats

    1. .5 cup oats

    2. 200 cal sweetener (maple, agave, honey)

    3. 2 tbsp chia seeds

    4. 140g almond milk

  6. Snacks

    1. 400 cal worth (probably Rice Krispies)

Day of (Sunday)

  1. 1 Bobo’s Oat Bar & 2 bananas plus 24oz water with LMNT right away 2 hours before 

  2. Gel 15 min before