Race week carb plan

How many carbs to eat in the three days before your race, and what that looks like on a plate.

Marathon · 4:30 · 154 lb · Carbohydrate loading

Three days out

490 g7 g per kg · Ease in: more carbs, less fibre and fat than usual.

What 490 g looks like: 615 g dry rice · 655 g dry pasta · 725 g oats · 18 bananas · 945 g sourdough. Each one alone covers the day. Mix them.

700 g10 g per kg · Keep meals familiar. Nothing new this close to the race.

What 700 g looks like: 875 g dry rice · 935 g dry pasta · 1.0 kg oats · 26 bananas · 1.4 kg sourdough. Each one alone covers the day. Mix them.

700 g10 g per kg · Same again. Eat dinner early so you sleep well.

What 700 g looks like: 875 g dry rice · 935 g dry pasta · 1.0 kg oats · 26 bananas · 1.4 kg sourdough. Each one alone covers the day. Mix them.

140 g2 g per kg · 1–4 hours before the start, mostly from foods you know sit well.

2–3 hours before the start

What 140 g looks like: 175 g dry rice · 185 g dry pasta · 205 g oats · 5 bananas · 270 g sourdough. Each one alone covers the day. Mix them.

The position statement gives 10–12 g per kg for the 36–48 hours before events longer than 90 minutes, and 1–4 g per kg in the 1–4 hours before the start. These numbers use the lower end. General guidance for healthy adults, not medical advice. ACSM, AND and DC joint position statement: Nutrition and athletic performance (2016) · Burke et al., Carbohydrates for training and competition (2011)

Herbed lentil mushroom rice pot115 g carbs · 614 kcal per serving

Black bean sweet potato enchiladas108 g carbs · 673 kcal per serving

Lime coconut red lentil curry106 g carbs · 771 kcal per serving

Pick Fuel training and NourishWeek builds the week around it: dinners, snacks and the shopping list.