The Great Big Carb Load

(This is more technical post, more for fellow runners and myself as a future reference, but if you are interested in it, read on.)

Carb load, the thing I heard about doing before big games or big races, but never understood. I kept hearing about it, though, so I dug in. I listened to podcasts and read articles. I decided to do it.

What? Carb loading can supposedly increase performance 2-3% (Hawley, Schabort, Noakes, & Dennis, 1997). When it comes to longer races, this can mean minutes off a time. Sign me up!

Why? Carb loading is only really beneficial for events over 90 minutes. It is at this point that the body runs out of glycogen in the liver and goes to the muscles for fuel (Adeva-Andany et al., 2016). Fully stocked muscle glycogen promotes further performance. While it is true that the body can burn fat for energy through ketosis, this is an energy intensive process, and that's not what performance athletes want (Boyers, 2019). They want all of their energy going towards getting a new personal record.

When? Carb loading can be done for 1-3 days prior to an event. I chose to do 3 days per the calculations from Feathersone Nutrition (n.d.). I think this was right per the calculator, and I wanted to give myself the best shot at success.

How? I used the calculator from Featherstone Nutrition. When I first looked at almost double the grams of carbs I think I usually eat, I balked. Then I realized this was about substitution, not addition (less fat and protein in exchange for more simple, easy to digest and store carbs). Here's what I did:

-Kept in low fiber, high carb fruits like applesauce and bananas.

-Swapped my spicy protein cocoa and hot chocolate for Nesquick (20-22 g net carb gain).

-Switched out high volume, high fiber carbs for low volume, low fiber cards (eg oatmeal for bagels (2-37g net carb gain).

-Added carb rich condiments like jam (10-20 g net carb gain).

-Increased carb rich snacks like oat bars and pop tarts (19-33 g net carb gain).

-Ate lots of pasta for dinner (about 50 g net carb gain).

-Added high carb vegetables (eg peas and potatoes) when I had vegetables (about 15 g net carb gain).

-Decreased vegetables overall [As Jen Scott (2024) points out, this won't hurt a person when it is just three days.]

-Drank sports drinks (about 35 g net carb gain).

Experience: I felt both hungry and full at the same time. I normally eat a higher fat, higher fiber, higher volume diet, so my stomach felt more empty, and more...I guess starchy? Overall, it was not bad. I do think I felt a bit antsier at times, as well as sleepier, but was that from all the sugars in my bloodstream, or the taper crazies (Gupta, n.d.; Olivas, n.d.)? I'll never know.

Results: It worked! I PR'ed by 10 minutes, which is about an 8% improvement from my first half-marathon (and that was five years ago). I never felt like I hit a wall in the race, and I stopped taking fuel an hour in. (I probably should have taken one more gel at 90 minutes, but I didn't.) I had a kick left at the end, and I ran 7:23/mile for my last tenth of a mile. While I was a little sore after the race, I seem to have recovered more quickly than I did the first time. I heard on a podcast after the race that carbohydrates during a run decrease fatigue and increase recovery afterward (Coyle, 1992; Brooks & Norris, 2024). Maybe carb loading helps with this, too? 

All in all, I have to say I would do this again. It really was not as hard as I thought. It made a difference. I felt better. I enjoyed my run. Win!

References:

Adeva-Andany, M. M., González-Lucán, M., Donapetry-García, C., Fernández-Fernández, C., & Ameneiros-Rodríguez, E. (2016). Glycogen metabolism in humans. BBA clinical, 5, 85–100. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbacli.2016.02.001

Boyers, L. (2019, May 16). Burning fat vs, glycogen. Live Strong. https://www.livestrong.com/article/331651-burning-fat-vs-glycogen/

Brooks, A., & Norris, L. (Hosts). (2024, February 10). How far should you run before you run a marathon? An update... (No. 52). [Audio podcast episode]. In Tread Lightly podcast. https://lauranorrisrunning.com/tread-lightly-podcast/

Coyle, E.F. (1992). Carbohydrate supplementation during exercise. The Journal of Nutrition 122(3), 788-795. https://doi.org/10.1093/jn/122.suppl_3.788

Gupta, A. (n.d.). Anger management tips: 6 foods to avoid when you feel angry. Health Shots. https://www.healthshots.com/healthy-eating/nutrition/anger-management-tips-6-foods-to-avoid-when-you-feel-angry/

Hawley, J. A., Schabort, E. J., Noakes, T. D., & Dennis, S. C. (1997). Carbohydrate-loading and exercise performance. An update. Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.), 24(2), 73–81. https://doi.org/10.2165/00007256-199724020-00001

Olivas, M. (n.d.). RUN HACK: How to deal with taper for a half or full marathon. Run Eat Repeat. https://runeatrepeat.com/run-hack-how-to-deal-with-taper-for-a-half-or-full-marathon/

Scott, J. [@MarathonMama_RD]. (2024, February 7). @kaydiruns is showing examples of her carb loading today and she is doing a fantastic job. I know. [Video]. Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/p/C3EhtIUrsE2/

The Race of All Races (Half-Marathon #2)!

Where do I even begin? This is going to be a long post, so hold onto your hats!

I dreamed of completing this race after my first half-marathon five years ago. I put it off, saying the time in life was not right. Well, this time was not exactly right either, but after having a good 10K race last year at Mesa Marathon, and being given as a discount code as a result, I decided to go for it. 

The Training:

I started training Thanksgiving 2023. I used the First Half Marathon Training plan from Run to the Finish (2023), and I must say, I really enjoyed it! This plan contained more strength training than I have ever done in a training cycle before. I think it helped! I had some minor ball of foot pain in my left foot, and then my right foot [maybe metatarsalgia (Mayo Clinic, 2021), and towards the end, a little tightness in my right need and left ankle/Achilles, (plus a few days of upper right hamstring pain due to treadmill running six miles one day) but I made it! Praise the Lord!

The Day Before the Race:

I read different things about carb loading, but decided to try the full three-day carb load recommended by Meghann Featherstun (n.d). (I figured that I would rather do it than not do it and wonder if it could have helped.) I purposely took a day off work Thursday so that I could clean the house and do my cooking and "on my feet" stuff so that I could try to rest Friday. I ended up deciding to do a shakeout run and some errands Friday, but it was WORTH IT!

The Shake-Out Run:

My training schedule said one mile. This was three to four, but I wanted to go. Then I doubted myself. Then I wanted to go. I told myself I might regret not going if I didn't, so I went! I wasn't going to demo the new Cielo X1 racing shoes from Hoka, but then they offered me a free fanny pack so why not? When else am I going to run in $275 shoes? Probably not ever. The shakeout went great (a total of 3.32 miles) and I was a little faster running with people, and that encouraged me.

The Expo:

Mesa Marathon held the expo inside this year. Bib pickup was outside, but the timing check, photo walls, and some vendors were inside. This was a nice change given the weather. I did the passport program again, because I am a sucker for free stuff. If I am able to keep running this race and going to the expo, I might eventually earn enough points for a free entry. We will see.

Besides errands, I did set aside some time to paint my nails on Friday. I read that Shalene Flanagan used to do that on the day before a race, and so, I did, too (Sebor, 2020). I went with a color that matched what I wanted to wear and was closest to the orange color I saw on the medals. (Yes, I am that person!) 

I tried to move my meals up an hour, and with that, I was able to go to bed at 8:15 pm. Wow! I am never to bed that early unless I am sick. I did not sleep great, but I did not sleep awfully, either. In total, my watch said I got about 6 hours and 45 minutes of sleep. Pretty good given that I got up at 3:15 am!

Race morning:

I didn't have time to do much at home. I got up, washed my face and did my hair, made coffee for my husband, got dressed, did PT, and then grabbed a no bake peanut butter ball and an eight ounce bottle of water for the car and was out the door. My husband nicely drove me over to the busses, and dropped me off right in front of them, a huge blessing since it was raining!

Race day conditions: 

Not good! I checked the forecast all week and prayed for good conditions. It looked like it might rain all morning, just at the start, or before the start. In the end, conditions could have been worse, but it was mid-forties and raining and not so pleasant. I wore a tank top, hoodie, and rain jacket and stood under the heaters for as long as I could. Then, about 5:30 am, I made a bathroom stop, ate my banana and drank my water, and went for a five minute shakeout (0.47 miles). Then I started unlayering, adding arm sleeves, a garbage bag over my torso, and a hat. The race was supposed to start at 6:30 am, but got delayed until 7:00 am, and then brought back to 6:50 am. I ended up squeezing in an extra bathroom stop before the start, which I think was helpful.

Goals: 

A. Under 2 hours 9:09/mile

B. Under 1:55 8:46/mile

C. Run Hive (2024) race predictor time based on March 2023 15K and 36 years old: 1:51:04 or 1:52:45 and 8:28/mile

Course: 

Point A to Point B. (Thank you, Lord, for bag drop trucks that brought our belongings back to the finish line.) We ran through the streets of Mesa, past orange groves and homes and communities. People were out and about on the course with posters, cowbells, and shouts to encourage. One assisted living community's members were out on the sidewalks in their wheelchairs. Right towards the finish, there was a younger kid with a sign that said, "Tap here to power up." I definitely tapped for the kid! The course was well-marked and police presence was there to ensure safety. The race marked mileage well, and had a few extra signs with fun sayings to increase motivation.

Miles 1-3:

I tried to keep the pace steady and not go out too hard. Coach Elisabeth of Running Explained (2023) says to go out about 10 seconds faster than desired, so when I saw 8:40/mile and it felt good, I went with it. I decided not to run with podcasts, as I usually do, mostly because of the rain. I also wanted to soak up the scenery. I did that, as well as thinking and praying. It was truly a special time!

I grabbed water at mile two and took my berries and oats fruit puree pouch at about mile three/thirty minutes. I had to tug it out of the side pocket of my capri leggings, and when I uncapped it, some of it squirted all over my white gloves. I hoped that people would not think it was blood, especially after Fiona O'Keeffe's Olympic Trials marathon episode (Monti, 2024). I tried to hide my gloves for pictures because of this. 

Miles 4-6:

I tried to hold a steady pace and save anything I could for the end. I told myself to keep getting water at the water stations. I felt a slight tightness in my left calf and had a few side stitches, but breathed through them. [Hearing Emily Sisson talk about breathing through hers and taking second in the Olympic Trials Marathon gave me hope (Chavez, 2024).] I took a strawberry Clif gel at 60 minutes (a little after mile six), but that only to a good samaritan I asked to open it for me, as neither my cold hands nor my teeth would do it! I think I startled him a bit when I asked, as I saw him turn off his earbud and ask me what I said again. Thank you, sir, whoever you are. You saved my race!

Miles 7-10:

This was my neck of the woods, and I enjoyed running through it! I still felt good and was clocking about 8:40 miles and felt good. I told myself to pick up the pace for the last 5K, if I could. To distract myself from the pace, I tried to pick people off. Many brightly colored running outfits gave me things to work for.

Miles 10-13.1:

The end was in sight! I kept picking people off and thought of my husband and parents at the finish line. I just wanted to get to them! I let myself off my water at every stop and fuel every 30 minutes rules here and just ran! I did pickup the pace, dropping from the 8:30-8:40 minutes/mile range to 8:27, 8:24, 8:15, and 7:23 for the final kick. I was working hard at the end! Some of it was vanity, because I wanted my family to see me working hard. Some of it was wanting them to know that it was worth it for them to come out to see me, too. The finish line was a bit bunched up, but I got my medal and someone had opened the gate, so my family got into the runners area with me to get my finish certificate and drop bag.

After the Race:

I got my certificate and finished at 1:52:52, far exceeding my expectations! I wanted to see if I could get down to 8:35 minutes/mile there at the end, and I didn't quite make it officially, but my watch measured long (13.15 miles), probably because of my bobbing and weaving, and on it, I got the 8:35 minutes/mile, and I'll take it. 

Could I have run harder? Probably, but seeing that I have not run a marathon in five years, I wanted to finish, not go out hard and bonk. My calves also hurt pretty bad after I stopped, so they need some work.

As I went to have my husband take pictures of me, it started raining again, harder. (The rain had held off for most of my race). We got pretty wet going back to the car. It was a bit of a circle to get back home, but we did. I stretched, foam rolled those calves, and got dressed to go back out to brunch. Of course I got a hamburger, as is tradition. Then I came home and sat on the couch with a heating pad and blanket for most of the day. Oh, and the rain did eventually go away, letting the sun to come out. A beautiful addition to a beautiful day.

Final Thoughts:

Carb loading worked! I felt sustained energy the entire time. My heart rate was in Zone 5 the entire time, so I think I was pushing myself, but I was not breathing too hard and was even able to try to encourage a few 10K walkers as I passed them in the last few miles.

Family is everything! My husband sacrificed time, money, and so much more to support me in this. (He even ate my evening carb loading pasta meals with me without complaint!) My parents drove about two hours just to see me finish, while they had company. (Sorry cousins!) I was HEALTHY! After all the sickness I was exposed to, that was never a given. I prayed for no rain, and while the Lord did not grant that, he did grant no rain for most of my race. The marathoners had that burst of rain at their hard parts, and I imagine it was not fun.

I shivered for several hours after the race, and not because I was cold anymore. Was it the caffeine? Or as my mom suggested, the endorphins of running? I am not sure, but something to monitor for the future.

All in all, it was an amazing day! Better than I could have hoped or dreamed. Thank you, Lord! Thank you family! Thank you to my home city of Mesa, Arizona for putting on a great race!

References:

Brooks, A. (2023, March 9). Half marathon training schedule: Transition from the 10K to half. Run to the Finish. https://www.runtothefinish.com/half-marathon-training-schedule/

Chavez, C. (Host). (2024, February 7). Emily Sisson after finishing second at the 2024 US Olympic Marathon Trials (2:22:42). [Audio podcast episode]. In The CITIUS MAG podcast with Chris Chavez. https://citiusmag.com/podcast/citius-mag-podcast-emily-sisson-2024

Featherstun, M. (n.d.). Carb loading: What, why, and how-to. Featherstone Nutrition. https://www.featherstonenutrition.com/carb-loading/

Mayo Clinic. (2021, November 1). Metatarsalgia. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/metatarsalgia/symptoms-causes/syc-20354790

Monti, D. (2024). Mantz, O'Keeffe win thrilling Olympic Trials marathon-RRW. Dye Stat. https://www.dyestat.com/gprofile.php?mgroup_id=44531&do=news&news_id=667933

Run Hive. (2024). Race time predictor. https://runhive.com/tools/race-time-predictor

Scott, E. [@runningexplained]. (2023, August 2). One of the biggest pacing mistakes in racing is going out too fast. Often our goal in the half marathon [Post]. Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/p/Cvcqr-GLcLw/

Sebor, J. (2020, January 6). What Olympian Shalene Flanagan does before every race. Women's Running. https://www.womensrunning.com/culture/shalane-flanagan-before-racing/

Real Life Marriage: When Opposites Attract

I did a lot of research when I was dating my husband. Yes, I am that person. I wanted to see how our personalities aligned, when we should cross certain milestones in our relationship (like saying the, "L" word), etc. I also did some straight up search of public legal records, but I will save that story for another time. Anyway, what I found in all my research was that my husband's and I's personality types were not really a good match. I thought about it and prayed about it, and I reasoned that if God brought us together, He would make things work out, and He did, and He is.

I am more of a concrete person (a judger on the Meyers-Briggs Type Indicator). My husband is more of a dreamer (a perceiver on the Meyers-Briggs Type Indicator). This serves us well when we need to plan things. He dreams up the idea. I work with him on the details of the steps we need to get there. Together, we can succeed.

Sometimes, though, our differences bite us in the behind. He dreams, and I cannot see a way to achieve the dream. In wrestling with the abstract, I throw out all the reasons I am not sure something can work and bring him down like a lead balloon. This discourages him and can cause him to not want to share his dreams with me. This cycle drives us apart, rather than bringing us together. It can also pit us against each other and make us each other's worst enemy rather than best ally.

The other night, though, we had a beautiful moment that made me thank God he made our opposite personalities attract. I have been struggling with something for a long time, needing an out, yet not seeing a way out. "What if..." my husband asked. He was just throwing out an idea, but suddenly, I had my out. I had a dream, that even if not realized, made me feel like I had a choice. I suddenly felt lighter, more hopeful, and more positive about the future. What a gift! What a gift it was to have a husband who could dream when I could not.

Yes, opposites do attract. There is a certain allure about someone who is different. I certainly would not want to marry myself! Differences can detract too, though. They can cause conflict. I hope I remember next time I experience conflict caused by personality differences, that these differences are a gift, a gift I need, and a gift that can bless me far beyond my wildest dreams. God knew what he was doing. God knows what He is doing. Glory be to God!

What I Used/What I Used Up (Week 6)

Simplifying a bit here and just sharing what I cooked and what we used up. (I need a better system for what I overbought, but don't have one yet, so am eliminating that section.)

What I Used of My Meal Plan-

Breakfasts:

Bagels

Cereal

Instant Pot hard-boiled eggs (Omnivore's Cookbook)

Strawberry banana muffins (Bucket List Tummy)

Super simple granola

Lunches:

Bagels

Big kale pasta salad (Budget Bytes)

Carrot and romaine salads with shredded chicken, salsa, and mint vinaigrette (The Best 50 Salad Dressings)

Potato pancakes with brown gravy

Dinners:

Broccoli and mushroom pizza (Good Housekeeping Family Italian Cookbook)

Not-from-a-box mac and oat chez (Oatrageous Oatmeals)-thawed from the freezer

Ricotta spinach calzone (Good Housekeeping Family Italian Cookbook)

Sausage calzones (Good Housekeeping Family Italian Cookbook)

Lemon basil Pasta of the Prairie with potato alfredo sauce (Sinful Nutrition)

Snacks:

Applesauce

Bananas

Banana pumpkin muffins (Happy Herbivore)

Clementines

Cinnamon toast crunch soft baked oat bars

Crispy rice peanut butter bars (Rise and Run)

Fruit pouches

Hot chocolate

No bake 3-ingredient peanut butter bites (The Real Food Dietitians)

Plain bagels with strawberry jam

Peanuts

Red velvet cupcakes (Handle the Heat)

Single serve baked oatmeal and oatmeal mug cakes

What I Used Up--

Freezer:

Brown gravy
Strawberries

Fridge:

Carrots
Mule hot sauce
Parmesan cheese
Red onion

Pantry:

Big can pumpkin 
Can of corned beef
Lemon basil pasta
Red food coloring
Two cans of beets

What went bad:

Nothing that I know of!

What I Prepped for Next Week: 

Broccoli, carrot, and shredded chicken lunch boxes

Can't beet me smoothie III (Rise and Run)

No bake cookie (Matt's Fit Chef)

Red flannel skillet hash (Betty Crocker)

What I Froze for Future Me:

Pumpkin chocolate chip oatmeal muffins (Slender Kitchen)

Open Hands

Will we, or won't we?

Do we, or don't we?

So many contingency plans.

Where will we ultimately be?

This anxiety

tries my mind and body

and my spirit.

Grasping tightly is not good for me.

So I'm trying to let go,

let my humanity show,

loosen my grip,

trust and know.

All these plans

I need to hold with open hands

because ultimately all these things

are not in mine, but in the Lord's hands.

What I Used/What I Used Up (Week 5)

 

What I Used of My Meal Plan-

Breakfasts:

Carrot cake protein oats

Cereal

Mug cakes

Overnight protein oats with sliced strawberries

Super simple granola

Fluffy pancakes (All Recipes)

Lunches:

Carrot and romaine salads with shredded chicken, salsa, and mint vinaigrette  (The Best 50 Salad Dressings)

Dijon lentil salad (Budget Bytes) (Thawed from the freezer)

Lentil stew with butternut squash (Good Housekeeping Family Italian Cookbook) (Thawed from the freezer and cooked in the Instant Pot)

Potato pancakes with brown gravy

Dinners:

Broccoli and mushroom pizza (Good Housekeeping Family Italian Cookbook)

Campagnelle with chicken and pea-mint pesto (Good Housekeeping Family Italian Cookbook)

Poutine grilled cheese (BS' in the Kitchen)

Ricotta spinach calzone (Good Housekeeping Family Italian Cookbook)

Sausage calzones (Good Housekeeping Family Italian Cookbook)

Snacks:

Bananas

Banana pumpkin muffins (Happy Herbivore)

Crispy rice peanut butter bars (Rise and Run)

Fruit pouches

Hot chocolate

No bake 3-ingredient peanut butter bites (The Real Food Dietitians)

Peanuts

Pumpkin chocolate chip oatmeal muffins (Slender Kitchen)

Single serve baked oatmeal and oatmeal mug cakes

What I Used Up--

Freezer:

1 bag frozen broccoli

1 bag frozen spinach (still have part of another)

Green peas

Marinara sauce

Mashed potatoes

Mixed vegetables
Mushrooms
Shredded chicken (frozen for use this week)
Sliced strawberries

Fridge:

Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce

Kale

Lettuce (old head)

Mint leaves 

Mozzarella cheese (small bag)

Salsa

Pantry:

1 bag of chocolate chips (I have another)

Marshmallows

1 can Progresso soup

Box of rotini

Sriracha-like seasoning 

Walnuts

Whole wheat penne

What went bad:

Nothing that I know of

What I Replenished Before I Ran Out:

Bananas (Staple)
Broccoli (Staple)
Eggs (Staple)
Milk (Staple)

What I Overbought and Now Need to Use Up:

Clementines
Ginger root
Lettuce (Staple)
Sausage

What I Prepped for Next Week: 

Big kale pasta salad (Budget Bytes)

Carrot and romaine salads with shredded chicken, Chipotle salsa (Platings and Pairings), and mint vinaigrette  (The Best 50 Salad Dressings)

Super simple granola

What I Froze for Future Me:

Chipotle salsa (Platings and Pairings)

Spiced lentils with carrots (Budget Bytes)

Vegan spinach walnut pesto (Rise and Run)

Yoga with Adriene: Flow (Review)

Another year, and yes, I did complete the Yoga with Adriene challenge again this year. I will share about the challenge and then how I did it, and what my experience was like.

Session lengths: 9-27 minutes

Style of practice: Slow flow vinyasa, with some core work; overall, I found this a simpler, easier, gentler practice than in years past

How to access: Via the Yoga with Adriene YouTube channel or via her website

What I did: Not the challenge exactly-rather, I used the daily yoga time to stretch, foam roll, and then participate in whatever part of the yoga flow was left. I felt that I needed to continue my stretching and foam rolling and without time to do that and 20 plus minutes of yoga, I combined the two. I found that most practices started slow enough that I did not miss too much.

My experience: As usual, I found Adriene to be a calm and fun guide. I think she had a little more flow, and less sarcasm this time, which was a balm for my weary soul. As always, she gives great cues and plenty of grace.

I appreciated these practices because it did feel like they were more about flow: smooth moves and transitions, rather than just poses and performance. The practices encouraged a lot of yogi squats and other mobility moves, which my tired body appreciated and enjoyed.

I found the e-mails less helpful and insightful than in the past. This might be me more about me than the actual content, though. Day 25, "Action," however, held this nugget, and I think it sums up a lot of the journey: "Remember this practice is about meeting you where you are at each day. No acting or performance skills required. "

I did manage to carve out time for a fairly undistracted Day 30 (the day participants plan their own flow). I did do a lot of flowing to find what felt good. After a long day, that looked like a lot of cat/cow, full body stretches, several periods of savasana, and of course a little crow practice, the one challenge that Adriene includes in most all of her journeys, and which I can now do, at least for a few seconds.

Conclusion:

I enjoyed this journey. All in all, it was good just to have time and space carved out for me, to stretch or foam roll and/or scroll my phone. A few nights, the yoga really came in clutch and helped calm my nervous system. While I am relieved to not have a practice I feel like I "have to" complete every night, I will probably continue to practice shortly, as it is helpful and good for me, for time, space, flow, and all the other reasons....