Carbohydrates For Runners

Every engine needs fuel. A runner's engine is no different.

It needs fuel and in this case it's carbohydrates that are especially important for runners. However it's not just any carbohydrates. You don't need to worry about your energy stores if you're doing a 5k or 10k as your natural levels will be enough, but if it's a half or full marathon you're doing then you need to consider boosting these stores and this is where eating the right carbs at the right time is so important.

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What is a carbohydrate?

Carbohydrates are one of the three macronutrients (in addition to fat and protein) that we need to provide us with energy. Not many foods are pure carbohydrates; most are a combination of these three macronutrients and the two micronutrients, vitamins and minerals.

They come in many forms and can be categorised as sugar, starch or fibre. Carb rich foods include vegetables, fruits, whole grains, pasta, potatoes and bread. They are also in sports drinks, and sports nutrition supplements and during the carb loading phase these are all important.

We need the right carbs in our diet not only to provide us with energy, but also to provide us with essential vitamins and minerals and to promote a healthy gut.

Nutritionists often talk about 'good and bad carbs'. A cake, chocolate or sugary drink consumed for a sugar fix mid afternoon are bad carbs, with few nutritional benefits and that immediately raise blood sugar levels. They can be addictive and can lead to weight gain. Good carbs include fruit, vegetable, lentils and wholewheat pasta.

Monosaccharides are the simplest units of carbohydrates and the simplest form of sugar. They are the building blocks of more complex carbohydrates such as disaccharides and polysaccharides. The common monosaccharides are glucose, fructose, and galactose and disaccharides, meaning "two sugars", and are commonly found in nature as sucrose, lactose and maltose: in other words these first two are simple carbs, ones that are easily broken down and used by the body as energy more quickly. The others are complex carbohydrates that take longer to digest and will result in a steadier rise in blood glucose. A combination of simple and complex carbs is the best approach for carb loading.

How much?

In the UK the NHS recommends around 250g of carbohydrates a day. Remember though that this depends on your weight, gender, activity level and blood sugar control. To give you an idea here are some examples of what this actually looks like on your plate:

• 5-6 egg-sized boiled new potatoes (180g)

• 1 small jacket potato (150g cooked)

• 7-10 deep fried chips (80g)

• 3 tablespoons or 100g cooked rice

• 3 tablespoons or 100g cooked couscous

• 3 tablespoons or 100g cooked pasta

What is carb loading?

There has been a huge amount of incredibly complex research published about 'carb loading', much of it way more complicated than it needs to be. The principles are fairly fundamental, but if you want to delve into real detail there is plenty of it available. Ultimately if you haven't done enough training carb loading won't help you very much. Following your training plan is the priority. However if you have done that then it is something you should have a good look at.

Essentially it's about building up your glycogen stores above their normal levels before your race, so you have plenty of fuel for race day. In the body, carbohydrate stores are called glycogen. This glycogen is predominantly found in two places: your liver and your muscles. Carb loading involves eating more carbs than normal (carbs, not just pasta!) and exercising less than normal so you don't burn all up all the carbs during this period. Given that this is the taper period anyway the reduction in exercise isn't an issue, or at least it shouldn't be. So, what does this actually mean in terms of how many carbs you should be eating and when? The longer your race distance the more beneficial carb loading can be. However you must practise carb loading and your long runs are the obvious time to do this.

Eating lots of these is not carb loading!

Different approaches to carb loading

Unfortunately there isn't just one simple approach to carb loading. A number of different strategies have been developed and it will be a case of finding out which one works for you,

These different approaches depend on the amount of time before an event that you start the process. Some runners take a one day approach, whereas other will use a six day approach before their event to 'load'. Three days is considered optimum.

The governing body of the sport, World Athletics, suggests a high-carb diet of 10-12g carbs per kilogram bodyweight over the 36-48 hrs pre-race for elite runners. So, for example, a runner weighing 60kg would aim to consume around 600-720g carbohydrates per day. That isn't easy and remember that this is for elite runners, so it's a guide only. 6 to 8g is more realistic for us 'average runners'.

A single day approach could consist of light exercise then complete rest, combined with significant amounts of high glycemic foods and fluids the day before a race. This can increase glycogen levels by more than 80%. High glycemic foods are those that are ranked highly on the glycemic index: they are foods that are quickly digested and absorbed and cause a sharp rise in blood sugar. These include white bread/bagels, white pasta, white rice, white potatoes, breakfast cereals such as Rice Krispies or cornflakes, pancakes, potatoes, rice crackers, fruits such as raisins, bananas, mangoes, pineapple, and sweetened dairy products such as fruit yogurts.

The six day approach is far more complex and will need some real focus and research.

Drinking some of the carbs can help reduce that stuffed feeling. Suggested drinks include fruit juice, chocolate milk, and energy drinks.

It's also important to reduce your total fibre intake in the 24-48 hours leading into a race to minimize content in the intestines.

On race morning, aim to consume a meal approximately two to three hours prior to the start time of about 80-100g carbs and containing fibre (this will to help prevent a heat-stress injury. Wholemeal toast. with some jam or marmalade is ideal.

Common mistakes

Practicing the carb load process is absolutely crucial. Rehearsing your preferred strategy will give you the confidence you need to make it work on race day. These are some of the reasons why it might go wrong.

• Too much exercise – carb loading isn't just about eating the right amount and type of carbs, it's also about reducing the level of exercise significantly. If you need to get out of the house, go for a walk, not a run.

• The wrong carbs - keep a note of what carbs you're consuming and make sure you focus on the right ones.

• Too much fat – the right fats are an important part of a balanced diet but not during carb loading. You don't want to gain weight now.

• Too much fibre – low-fibre options is the only approach is you need to eat fibre. Too many wholegrain and complex carbs could cause stomach discomfort.

• Trying new or different foods - Don't try anything new. Stick to what you're familiar with and that you have eaten during your training plan. Now is not the time for branching out.

The ultimate carb loading fruit

Eating the right carbs at the right time doesn't have to be a highly complex process and if you get it right it can make a huge difference to your performance on race day. Remember also to consider the use of energy gels during training and on race day. The carbohydrates found in energy gels often come from simple sugars such as dextrose, maltodextrin, glucose, or fructose, as these are easy to digest and absorb. These will maintain your energy stores throughout your race and help prevent you from literally running out of energy, or 'hitting the wall', as it's known in the trade! Check out this post for more.

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