How do I carb load before a marathon?
Carb load by increasing carbohydrate intake to 8-10g per kg of body weight per day for 2-3 days before your marathon, while reducing training volume. Focus on easily digestible carbs: rice, pasta, bread, bananas, potatoes. Avoid fat, fiber, and protein heavy meals in the final 24 hours.
Carb loading maximizes glycogen stores in your muscles and liver, which can extend your time-to-fatigue by 15-30 minutes in a marathon — often the difference between hitting the wall at 30km and finishing strong. The protocol most endurance dietitians recommend: start 2-3 days before race day. Increase carb intake to 8-10g per kg of body weight per day. For a 70kg runner, that's 560-700g of carbs daily — roughly 2,240-2,800 calories from carbs alone. Simultaneously, reduce training volume by 70-80% during taper so your body stores what you eat instead of using it up. Carb sources should be familiar and easily digestible: rice, pasta, bread, potatoes, oatmeal, bananas, dates, pancakes, rice cakes, sports drinks. Avoid high-fiber foods (beans, cruciferous vegetables, bran cereals) in the final 24 hours — they cause GI distress. Keep protein modest (20-30g per meal, not zero) and fat low. You'll gain 1-2 kg of weight during loading — that's water stored with glycogen (each gram of carb holds 3g of water). This is normal and even helpful for hydration. Don't try new foods during carb loading — practice the protocol during a weekend long run 4-6 weeks before race day. Race morning: 100-150g of carbs 2-3 hours before the gun (oatmeal with banana, toast with honey, rice with jam).