A runner's guide to carbo loading

Is carbo loading right for your running?

You may have heard of carbohydrate-loading (carbo-loading) and many runners presume that they ought to be eating lots of rice, potatoes and pasta before a competition that requires long-distance running endurance. What's really important though is the type of running event or activity you are about to undertake.

The distance of a run or race will dictate whether carbo-loading is right for you. Here's our guide to carbo-loading for runners.

If you are competing in a running race that lasts longer than 90 minutes you should aim to eat a high carbohydrate diet that contains eight to ten grams per kilogram bodyweight every day for the three days prior to the event. If you are entering a shorter duration race base your requirements on six to eight grams of carbohydrate per kilogram in the days before the event.

To calculate your total running carbohydrate requirement each day, complete the following equation:

Weight (kg) x carbohydrate requirement = Total carbohydrate requirement per day

For example, if you are 60kg and you are entering a short duration running event, six to eight grams of carbohydrate per kilo bodyweight will be sufficient (as 60 x 7 = 420g per day of carbohydrate).

To put this into context and allow it to aid your running, you will need to know the different carbohydrate contents of some key running-friendly foods:

Bread – 1 slice (thin) 10g; 1 slice (medium) 15g
Potato – Jacket (medium) 50g
Chips – (average portion) 40g
Rice – (medium portion) 45g
Breakfast cereals – Cornflakes (30g portion) 25g
Weetabix – (1 biscuit – 20g) 15g
Porridge – 20g; with milk –160g
Sponge cake – 1 slice 25g
Scone – 25g
Mars Bar – 40g
Banana – 20g
Glass of fruit juice – 15g