There are three more days until race day - so let the carb loading begin! Carb loading can be as ‘scientific’ or as informal as you like: at the scientific end of the spectrum, you’d be looking to consume approximately 10g of carbohydrate per kg of your body weight each day for the next 3 days. In order to do this without toeing the line feeling like a lump of lard, you need to reduce protein and fat intake (you don’t really need much protein now - its main role is in muscle repair/regeneration and given that you are doing almost no training now, there’s nothing to recover from) so that you aren’t increasing calorie intake overall, just the proportion of your intake that comes from carbs.
If you’ve never done this kind of measured carbo loading before, now is not the time to start experimenting! It’s the sort of thing you would need to have practised for some of your build up races. 10g/kg per day is a lot of carbs and it can leave you feeling quite heavy and ‘full’. A better approach for those new to carbing up is to simply ensure that you have a decent portion of carbohydrate at each of your three meals per day, and two carbohydrate snacks.
For example? Porridge or shredded wheat for breakfast (increase carbs by adding chopped banana and honey). A slice of malt loaf and a few dried apricots for a mid morning snack. Then a wholemeal sandwich for lunch with a bean salad. A handful of pretzels mid-afternoon with a chocolate milk drink. Then for dinner, rice or pasta with a small amount of low fat sauce. Use full-sugar soft drinks, such as Ribena or orange squash, to sip throughout the day, which will add extra carbohydrate.
Ensure you have fluids with you over these last few days so you can drink when thirsty but don’t drink unless you feel the need. And remember, moderation is key. Don’t sit down the night before the race and eat an entire packet of pasta! Small, but regular carb feedings are the way to go.
Tomorrow: dealing with pre-race nerves