Running Mania

Paraphrase of the article's lede: Somebody once had a heart attack in a marathon for which they carb-loaded. Clearly, carb-loading causes heart attacks.

After the first few paragraphs, the article was solid (but, as far as I know, it's been a couple of decades since the depletion-overload tactic has been common).

ian wrote:After the first few paragraphs, the article was solid (but, as far as I know, it's been a couple of decades since the depletion-overload tactic has been common).

Yet people still talk about carbo-loading the night before or the days leading up to a race.

Jwolf wrote:

ian wrote:After the first few paragraphs, the article was solid (but, as far as I know, it's been a couple of decades since the depletion-overload tactic has been common).

Yet people still talk about carbo-loading the night before or the days leading up to a race.

… but not preceded by a depletion phase. Also, on the day before a race, when replacing some of one's protein and fat calories for carbs, it certainly feels like carb "loading", even if the overall intake is within the range needed to top up cellular and liver glycogen stores. Unless the article was aimed at brand new runners whose intuition is based on conventional wisdom from generations past, it seemed to me like the author was trying to express currently standard practices as some sort of little-known breakthrough.

Not to be a total dick here, but... Hasn't it also been a few decades since somebody broke the Canadian men's marathon record?

I'm trying to figure out how that comment relates to the article I posted.

Jwolf wrote:I'm trying to figure out how that comment relates to the article I posted.

We stopped doing depletion runs and carbo-loading, we stopped breaking records. We claim to know more than we used to, but we're actually running slower.

turd ferguson wrote:

Jwolf wrote:I'm trying to figure out how that comment relates to the article I posted.

We stopped doing depletion runs and carbo-loading, we stopped breaking records. We claim to know more than we used to, but we're actually running slower.

Well, Canadians aren't the only ones in the world that are running. And in general, times are getting faster, and records are being broken. And there's lots more going on besides carb-loading.

Anyway, I posted this mostly for the average people who think that carb-loading is useful. And why it might not be.

Bring back the leather racing flats and cotton singlets!

ian wrote:Bring back the leather racing flats and cotton singlets!

I'm already wearing my budgie smugglers

I'm not under the impression that carb-loading is going to help me. But it's yummy and gives me an excuse to pig out on pasta, so that's good enough. :)

ultraslacker wrote:I'm not under the impression that carb-loading is going to help me. But it's yummy and gives me an excuse to pig out on pasta, so that's good enough.

I'm definitely under the impression that *anything*-loading is going to help me before an ultra. Sure beats heading into a race fasted, that's for sure.