Just mention the subject of “carb loading” around an endurance athlete and prepare to hear the merits of pre-race bagels, pasta, and the like. An excuse to down bottomless bowls of pasta and scarf down an entire basket of dinner rolls all in the name of performance enhancement; where do I sign up?!
These pre-race rituals are certainly no secret as it seems almost every endurance race from marathons to triathlons now have pre-race pasta dinners (for a small fee of course). With all this hype, it is no wonder that many individuals believe that a big pasta dinner is the key to nailing a fast time the next day. Before you decide a pre-race pasta binge is the way to go, however, know that there is a science - and thus appropriate strategy - to carb loading that every endurance athlete should know.