Fuelling for the GNR - Half Marathon Carbohydrate Loading

This coming weekend will see one of the biggest and best half marathons come to the North East of England in the form of the Great North Run. I am of course biased when I say this being from Newcastle, but having also completed the race, I can vouch for the amazing atmosphere and scenic coastal finish which makes the Great North Run so hugely popular.

Having completed the race, I can also attest to the difference that nailing your nutrition pre, during and post-race will have on the way you feel and perform. Not only during the race, but also in the hours and days after. By this point, all the hard miles should be done, it’s now about keeping those legs ticking over and fuelling up for the big day.

Carbs for are king when it comes to moderate-high aerobic based activities and the demand for carbohydrate is further required when activities start exceeding 1h. Whilst Mo Farah can potentially negate taking in carbs during the race, for everyone else, a sufficient carb intake before and during the race is especially important to make sure you perform the best you can.

Carbo Loading – The Simple Way

Carbo loading is essentially when an athlete will increase the overall amount of carbohydrate in their diet in the run up to a sporting event or competition in order to maximise the amount of glycogen stored in the working muscles. Think of glycogen like the fuel tank in your car. The more you have (within a certain limit) the longer you can go for before needing to refill the tank. For a 30-minute run, low glycogen levels are not a huge issue, but when you’re running for 90 mins +, then this becomes far more important, not just for your performance, but for your overall enjoyment during the race as well.

A simple yet effective carbo-loading protocol can be seen below…

Reduce your mileage 4-5 days before the race.

2-3 days before race day - focus on making carbohydrate the main source of your meals and reduce protein and fat containing foods.

Add some carbohydrate-based snacks such as fruit, dried fruit, oat bars or rice cakes.

Aim for around 7-10g/kg carbohydrate in the 2-3 days before the race. That equates to roughly…

420g - 600g for a 60kg Athlete

490g - 700g for a 70kg Athlete

560g - 800g for a 80kg Athlete

Carb loading is not designed to be an excuse to eat everything in sight. Yes, an increase in carbohydrate intake is necessary, but a careful reduction in protein and fat intake is also required to ensure you’re eating ample of carbohydrate without massively increasing your calorie intake.

Food choices then become reasonably important when undertaking a carb loading protocol. High carb/moderate protein/low fat foods are best. Foods such as rice, pasta, potatoes, bread, low fat cereals, yogurt, fruits and vegetables should comprise a large chunk of your daily intake as they provide enough carbohydrates to help stock glycogen without providing excess protein/fat making you feel bloated and sluggish.

An example day (adjusted to your size and training levels) could look something like…

Breakfast: Oats with milk, honey and a banana.

Lunch: Hummus and salad sandwiches with a piece of fruit and flavoured yogurt.

Dinner: Pasta in a tomato sauce and chopped vegetables.

Snacks: Oat bar, handful dried fruit, toast with peanut butter and honey.

Pasta makes the perfect car loading dish.

Race Day Morning

An effective carbo-loading protocol will have your muscles sufficiently filled BEFORE the day of the race. The only thing you should be focusing on during the morning of the race is eating a light, carb rich breakfast to help top up liver glycogen and to give you some energy. One of the biggest mistakes made with car loading is trying to cram everything in at the last minute. All this will achieve is excessive bloating, being hugely uncomfortable and a good chance you will be running to the portaloo mid race.

A light, carb dense breakfast is your best choice in the morning, ideally 2-4 hours before the race (based on your individual preferences for eating before running.) Any one of the following examples can be a great choice....

Bagel with peanut butter, chopped banana and honey.

0% Greek yogurt with Muesli and mixed berries.

Overnight Oats.

Rice Pudding.

Leftover chicken stir fry with rice.

Scrambled Eggs on toast.

Fruit smoothie + dried fruit

During the Race

As mentioned earlier, for elite level athletes like Mo Farah who will complete the race in around 60 minutes, carbohydrate intake during the race may not be needed at all. For the rest of us, especially those running for >90 mins, carbohydrate intake during the race can help maintain energy levels, reduce fatigue and improve wellbeing.

If this is the case, then taking on board 40-50g carbohydrate after the first 45-60 mins, followed by 20-30g every 30 minutes or so until completion will help maintain energy levels and ensure you can maintain speed until the end.

40-60g carbohydrate would equate to one of the following...

500ml Isotonic Sports Drink

50g Haribo Mix

60ml Sports Gel

50g Sweetened Dried Fruit

Luckily, there are many kind folk lining the streets of Newcastle handing out sweets, gels and drinks to help fuel you throughout.

Caffeine, in the form of gel, liquid or tablet can also be used before, and towards the end of the race, to help reduce feelings of fatigue and to give you a boost in case of a sprint finish.

In regards to hydration, drinking sufficient fluids before the race is key to ensure you are not dehydrated going into the race. As hydration levels are dependant on the weather, race intensity, fitness levels and other factors, the simplest way is to drink to thirst by sipping fluids every 20-30 minutes during the race, especially if temperatures are high.

Get all this sorted and you'll be raring to go come race day, making it a day and a performance to remember!!