Carb Loading: Methods?

When I carbo load for a race I just increase my caloric intake a little days 3 and 2 before the race and just eat normally the day before. I try to avoid carbonated drinks, and some gatorades that don't go well with my stomach

I like to throw back a 24 of Molson the night before a marathon.It's packed with carbs.

i think it might be a bad idea to carb deplete as well. my husband is a doctor and he says it's a risk because you'd be more likely to have a suppressed immune system. who has any other opinions.

Last year I drank a lot of water the day before (much more than normal) and had horrible cramps the first 7 miles or so. A guy that I was running by asked me if I had had a lot of water the day before. I told him I had. He had told me that he had the same experience the year before and to fight it off and I would feel better once I had sweated some of it off. By mile 8 I was feeling great and ended up running a negative split for the first time.

I wouldn't recommend having too much water the day before.

Carb depletion seems to be mentioned often around here. I thought that was proven to be ineffective a long time ago, and the only place I see it discussed is around here. Can anyone back up any depletion theories with some links?

bueller...bueller

I can't give you any links, but from my own experience, I have found that it works for me. If you want empirical evidence, I have done better with depletion that w/o it. That said, I hate it and am on the last day of meat and eggs.

Before Boston I tried Crazy Jason's glycogen depletion/carbo loading. I felt wasted during the process and had a bad race for a lot of reasons which I keep written in my wallet. For Chicago I am just going to increase the percentage of carbs in my diet for the three or four days prior, and lots of water.

I have never run close to Jason's times, so he's a better authority. Everyone's different so my only suggestion would be not to do it for the first time before a big marathon. Here's Jason's deal:

6 days out until 4 days out:

Begin carbo depletion. Eat a little fish, lots of raw veggies, some cooked veggies and LOTS of water. Jog about 90-100 minutes each day SLOWLY.

3 days out:

Begin to put carbs back in slowly today.

2 days out:

Eat your carbs! Maybe do 1000 at MP or rest.

1 day:

Maximize rest. Have a fight with your wife over dinner about how you have been tense all day.

Marathon: Take the bus to Hopkinton and lay around for four f***ing hours while it gets hotter and hotter. When it's 87 you know it's time to get up. Get bad directions to the start line from a fat cop and wind up at the very last corral. Struggle in a panic to get to the front while Hopkinton residents threaten you with brooms because they think you are trying to pee on their lawn like everyone else. Have a bad race. Force a smile when your co-workers congratulate you. Write down your excuses and keep them in your wallet. Strive to do every single thing differently in Chicago.