I’m running Revel Mt. Charleston marathon this weekend. And even though this is my 11th marathon & I am a certified running coach, I still do research the week before to remind myself what I’m supposed to do!
I asked my BODI & Running community what their top questions about how to eat or workout during the week before a race (half marathon, full marathon or even 5K or 10K race). I’ll be answering those questions here.
How many days before the race should you carb load (just the day before or night before)?
Research shows that carb loading can improve performance by 2-3%! That’s A LOT.
The answer for this depends on the race distance. There are MANY schools of thought on this one, but this is my recommendation for carb loading before a race:
5K or 10K race: No carb load needed
Half Marathon: 1 day carb load (day before race) if race time is expected to be over 90 min (no load necessary under 1:30 half marathon).
Marathon: 3 day carb load (8g per kg of body weight)
Simply eating a pasta dinner the night before your race is NOT carb loading. I recommend tracking your carb intake a few times during training on the day. before your long run. You’ll quickly see that you are no where near the amount you need for carb loading and you can start practicing. This will also help you digest the extra carbs during your load and actually even increases you body’s ability to store glycogen! If you truly want to run your fastest marathon, I highly recommend taking carb loading seriously. This podcast is good for a deeper dive.
Do you also recommend hydrating extra days before a race?
Yes, you’ll want to increase your water and electrolyte intake in the days before the race. You’ll want an extra 30 oz per day or so. Your body will need more water to store the carbs (this also prevents constipation).
You do NOT need to over-do it. Just be conscious about getting in more water and I always have 2 electrolyte drinks on the day before the race (and another cup of it the morning of the race). My go to electrolytes are BODi Hydrate and Tailwind (also has calories so great for carb loading).
Will I Gain Weight Carb Loading?
Yes, storing carbs will increase your weight because your body is holding on to the carbs. You could gain even 2-3 lbs and you may feel a little more squishy! This isn’t fat so DO NOT WORRY about it. I recommend not weighing yourself at all.
Do you Carb Load Differently for a 50k vs. Marathon?
You should still carb load for a 50K. However, when I ran my 50K, I knew I’d be running slower and not worrying about my pace, so I was less serious about carb loading. When you’re running a marathon at a faster pace, you’re burning glycogen faster. In an ultra marathon where you’re running at a lower intensity, you’ll burn less glycogen. Usually, you also can ingest more food during the race. However, carb loading fully for a 50K will NOT hurt you! (And if you struggle to ingest a lot of food during a race, then you definitely should).
What Foods Should you AVOID during marathon race week?
Early in marathon race week, you can eat totally normally.
However, during the carb load, it will be very difficult to eat enough carbs without getting super full lif you’re eating a lot of fat. In total, you’ll likely eat a little more calories during your carb load, but really it should just be the ratio of carbs vs. protein/fat that changes, not total calories. To do this, you’ll want to eat less fat. I
made this mistake in my first marathon- a coworker made me Reese’s peanut butter cup cookies and I ate like 6 of them and then my tummy hurt!!!
Around 1.5 days before the race I recommend reducing and minimizing fiber. This reduces the likelihood of a mid-run bathroom break or GI distress. This means peeling your potatoes, sticking to white rice and white bread. I also made this mistake and stuck to my Dave’s Killer Bread as my pre race fuel (4g fiber PER SLICE) and had to make a bathroom stop during the marathon, costing me 2 min.
One thing you don’t want to do is eat a bunch fo foods you never eat. You should practice with some of the foods in training. For example, I do not eat regular bagels normally in my diet but I usually eat at least 4 in the days leading up to my marathon. But I will buy them and put them in the freezer and eat them before long runs to practice.
If you don’t tolerate pasta and bread well, what besides veggies and fruit do you recommend to carb load?
Here’s a list of gluten free carb-loading foods:
- Potatoes (no skin if day before race)
- Rice (white only day before race)
- Banana
- Orange juice
- Lentils, quinoa, beans (ideally 2-3 days out, NOT day before race)
- Sports drinks
- Rice noodles
- Oatmeal (check for Gluten free)
Other Questions I Got About Race Week and Taper:
When tapering before a race, I get really scared 
. Like I might fall or hurt myself if I run the week before a race.
This is normal! We put so much work into our training and we can become paranoid that something is going to ruin everything. I usually get paranoid about getting sick. Trust that your body knows what to do!
You can also ask yourself: what would happen if I did trip and fall? Most likely you’d be OK. Worst case, you’d miss your race. But even considering the consequences can help put your mind at ease.
Do you recommend wearing racing shoes or “super shoes” like Nike AlphaFly?
I do. “super shoes” as they are called are said to improve marathon times by up to 3%. But, the amount of benefit depends on a few things, including how fast you run. The faster your run, the more benefit you get. (This article is helpful)
Another benefit of super shoes is that they can reduce the impact on your legs and help you recover faster.
I got my first pair of carbon plated racing shoes before my BQ at Revel Big Bear in 2022. I bought Nike AlphaFlys on sale, with no returns. While during the race I felt fine, immediately afterward my toe were in so much pain! I lost 4 toe nails. They weren’t the shoes for me! But, they did help me keep my goal pace for the entire race.
I now run in Sacony Endorphin Pro 3, which are WAY more comfortable for me. I love these shoes and will be racing in them this weekend!
Downsides; they are pricey and don’ last as long as other running shoes. Make sure you reserve these only for key workouts, long runs and races and don’t wear them everyday! And if you don’t want to buy them, you do NOT have to!
When Should I stop Strength Training before a Marathon or half marathon?
If it’s your goal race, I recommend stopping strength training 10 days out. If it’s a tune up or race for fun, you can strength train during race week but I wouldn’t recommend doing any lower body workouts within 3 days. If you want to replace strength training with something, I recommend foam rolling or mobility work, but don’t over do it!
Do you have any other race week questions!?