Many athletes likely know they should fill up on carbs when gearing up for long events, but figuring out which ones, how many, and when to eat them can be overwhelming to decipher.

A common practice is to stock up on carbohydrates the day before race day, so muscles get the glycogen they need for energy. This is part of what’s known as carb loading, but it’s much more complex than that. The body can only store enough carbohydrates for approximately 90 min of intense exercise.  If you’re planning for a race or competition that will be more than that, proper carb loading can benefit and should begin 2-3 days before your event. This gives your muscles a chance to properly store carbohydrates for energy.  When done correctly, carb loading will allow you to perform your best, and avoid “hitting the wall”. This is when your body runs out of carbohydrate (or glycogen) stores and turns to burning fats for energy, which means your body has to work harder to convert it into fuel.

So what’s the best way to properly carbohydrate load? To fill your glycogen stores to the brim, you should start 2-3 days before the event, and consume 7-10 grams of carbohydrate per kilogram of body weight. For example, a 150 lb (68 kg) person (150/2.2=68) should have between 477 and 680 grams of carbohydrate per day. If you’ve tracked your carbohydrate intake before, you know that’s a lot of carbohydrates. While it is a lot, with proper planning it can be done!

When we think of carbohydrates, we usually think of pasta, bread, rice, etc. These are great forms of carbohydrate and are usually well tolerated. Other forms are oats, popcorn, bagels, and pancakes. Fruit is also high in carbohydrates, along with fiber. Fiber can cause mid-race stomach trouble, so choosing a lower fiber option is generally better. The number 1 rule when choosing carbohydrate foods: Choose “safe foods” that you know you will tolerate best. This is not the time to experiment with new high fat or spicy foods.

What about during your event? If we know the body can only store enough carbohydrates for 90 min, what do we do to replenish? Eat more carbs! Strive to take in a minimum of 30-40 grams of carbohydrate per hour. 60+ grams per hour can be beneficial, but if you haven’t trained with that amount, be careful as it could cause stomach issues on race day. And don’t forget recovery. In order to give your body the best chance to bounce back quickly, strive to consume 60 grams of carbohydrate + 25-40 grams of protein within 30-45 min of your event. Good luck!

‍