I've been talking to a variety of nutritional experts recently and exploring the idea of 'Carb Loading' in the final few days before the marathon.
I've found out that my body ordinarily has enough glycogen (energy) to last for about 90 minutes of exercise. Well, clearly that's not going to be enough to sustain me for 26.2 miles (and many, many hours) of the London Marathon. So in order to address this, I need to start stocking up on body fuel supplies 3 days before race day.
I've also been told about a process called Carb Depletion that, in the past, has been popular with sports professionals. The idea being that for the first 3 days of race week you continue to train but you're not allowed to consume any cabohydrates.. no rice, no pasta, no bread, no vegetables which basically leaves fish, meat, eggs and salad. If you've ever followed the Atkins Diet, this will sound familiar. After these initial carb free days you are supposed to switch tactics, stop training and stock up on as much carbohydrate as you like. The thinking behind this process is that by 'starving' the body of carbs for a few days it will be very keen to store more of the precious glycogen, when you come to reintroduce them, than it would have done by just simple carb loading.
However, if you have ever tried carb depletion you'll known it comes with a few problems. The first is lack of energy - and we all know how grumpy and lethargic you can feel when lacking in energy! You've just stopped giving your body the fuel it needs to keep going. Luckily our bodies are pretty adept at finding energy sources, so it will grab energy wherever it can find it..fat stores are what the dieters aim for but converting fat into energy does take time. In addition to lack of energy you may also find yourself suffering with headaches.. and as I suffer with chronic migraines, I don't think I'll chance it.
However, the 3 day carb loading just before the London Marathon is something that I will be doing. So during Thursday, Friday and Saturday I will be trying to make sure I eat plenty of carbohydrates and hope that I will be sufficiently stocking up my glycogen supplies.
What about Protein? By incorporating a source of protein with my carbohydrate rich meals, I'll be giving myself an extra energy boost. Protein slows down the rate carbohydrates are digested which means energy is released at a slower and steadier rate (lowering the GI, or Glycaemic Index, of the meal) and therefore ideal for endurance sports events.
For once, I'm trying not to worry about my calorie intake... I've got a feeling I'm going to burn it all off on Marathon day!
Author Resource:-
Joanna Sayers is a Freelance Writer with over 15 years experience of writing for a variety of print and online media. She's also daft enough to have taken up marathon running to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support. Click http://www.joannasayers.com to learn more about her.
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