20/08/2026
Most runners and cyclists know they need to load up on carbohydrates before a big race. But the classic strategy, eating a big bowl of pasta at 9:00pm the night before, often leads to poor sleep, an upset stomach, and feeling sluggish when the race morning alarm goes off.
Carb loading isn't about eating as much food as humanly possible. It’s about efficiently saturating your muscle glycogen stores.
Here is our practical, real-world take on it:
1. Start earlier, don't just eat bigger ⏱️
Effective carb loading begins 36 to 48 hours before your event, not the night before. This gives your body time to absorb and store the glycogen without forcing your digestive system to work overtime while you're trying to sleep.
2. Reduce the fibre and fat 🥐
In the final two days before a race, reduce high-fibre and fatty foods. Fibre slows down digestion and stays in your gut, which is the last thing you want when running or riding for hours. Swap to easily digestible, low-fiber carb staples like white rice, bagels, oats, and bananas.
3. Why liquid and targeted sports nutrition are necessary 🎯
This is where people hit a wall: trying to eat 8–10 grams of carbs per kilogram of body weight purely through solid food is hard work. It leaves you feeling uncomfortably full.
That’s why supplementing regular food with targeted endurance fuel is way better.
Tailwind Endurance Fuel / High-Carb Mixes: Sipping your carbs throughout the day adds 50g–100g of pure, digestible carbohydrates to your daily total without filling your stomach up
Veloforte Bars & Chews: Real-food, dual-source carbs that deliver concentrated energy in small, delicious bites are perfect for topping up glycogen during travel or race-eve prep
By pairing clean, simple food staples with sports nutrition, you get all the stored energy you need.
How do you handle your pre-race fuelling? Are you team "big bowl of pasta" or do you prefer keeping it light with high-carb drinks and chews? Let us know below! 👇
Build your race-day fuelling plan: readysweatgo.co.uk
