Carbo-Loading and Pasta
If you’ve participated in any endurance sports, no doubt you’ve heard the phrase “carbo-loading” which refers to consuming a bunch of carbohydrates before an event.
The purpose of the carbo-load is to maximize the glycogen in the muscles that will be released during the physical activity. (When you see a marathon runner crash, it’s typically due to a glycogen shortage.)
The preferred meal to store up glycogen via carbohydrates is typically a pasta meal. It’s commonplace for marathon runners, triathletes, and long distance bike riders to consume a large past dinner the night before an event.
The next time you see a marathon runner cross the finish line, think about what kind of pasta he or she may have had the night before.