Aspire guide
Race Day Nutrition
Race Day Nutrition manual
Carb Loading Protocols
Evidence-based carb loading strategies for endurance events, including 3-day and 1-day protocols.
Why this matters
By Luke Rodriguez, MS, RDN
Read time
5 min
Audience
Athlete + Coach
Use it for
Race Day Nutrition
Start here
One meal does not carb load.
Coach prompt
Before championship week, calculate each athlete's loading range in grams per kilogram and decide which foods they will repeat for the full 72-hour…
Print & share
Printable handout preview
One-page sheet
Carb Loading Protocols
Read time
5 min
Audience
Athlete + Coach
Start with the printable
One meal does not carb load.
Best next move
Use it this week
Before championship week, calculate each athlete's loading range in grams per kilogram and decide which foods they will repeat for the full 72-hour…
Quick reference map
Use the guide like a structured handout
In the library
Format
Read the full ebook here, then jump to the one-page handout when you need the shareable version.
Best use
Open the sections you need, print the handout, then send both to coaches, parents, or athletes.
Quick start
Start here
Evidence-based carb loading strategies for endurance events, including 3-day and 1-day protocols.
When it matters
Load for long events
- Use carb loading for races that last about 90 minutes or longer.
- Marathon, half marathon, and long XC are the high-return use cases.
Modern protocol
Three days is enough
- Push carbohydrates up during the final 2-3 days before the race.
- Reduce training volume so the extra carbs have somewhere to go.
Event targets
Match the load to the race
- 5K and 10K: normal pre-race fueling matters more than formal carb loading.
- 90+ minute events: about 6-8 g/kg during the final 2-3 days is the practical target.
Common Mistakes
Not eating enough. 8–10g of carbs per kilogram of body weight is a genuinely large amount of food.…
Too much fiber. The week before a marathon is not the week to eat a big kale salad for every meal.…
Too much fat. Fat is calorie-dense and filling, which means it competes with carbs for stomach…
Starting too late. One big dinner the night before a race doesn't cut it. You need 2–3 days of…
Overdrinking plain water. Glycogen stores water. You'll gain 2–4 lbs during a proper carb load —…
Days 1-3: Depletion Phase
Reduce carb intake to 40-50% of calories
Maintain moderate training
Purpose
Depletes glycogen, primes muscles to supercompensate
Unlock the rest of the manual
Full access opens every section, the ebook PDF, and the printable handout companion.
What to do next
Use it this week
Before championship week, calculate each athlete's loading range in grams per kilogram and decide which foods they will repeat for the full 72-hour…
Source topics
carb loading • glycogen • marathon • race prep