Casey is a 37-year-old runner. he is training for his first marathon. he has heard from his experienced running partners that he should eat a lot of pasta in the days before the marathon. he wants to know how much pasta he should eat, and if there is anything else he should focus on, nutritionally, in the days leading up to his race. questions: describe for casey how carbohydrate loading can benefit endurance athletes’ sport performance (don’t forget to mention if other nutrients/fluids are important for carbohydrate-loading or just carbohydrates). then, provide casey with three detailed examples of meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner) appropriate to include in his carbohydrate-loading plan.

Casey should begin reducing his training load while slowly increasing his carb intake.

Explanation:

This practice of tapeing plus adding fuel to those muscles basically will help him load the body's fuel tank, which means, his muscle glycogen capacity, so that when the starting gun goes of, his muscles will be fully loaded and his stomach will not need to be stuffed.

He shoul give himself at least five day prior by slightly increasing his carb intake and then, two days before the marathon, really start to pound those carbs

To get into specifics, aim for a carb intake clos to 3.6 to 5.5 grams per pound of body weight in those one to two days immediatly before the competition. It seems a lot, but fat and protein often get put on the back burner in the hours before the race.

The easiest way to achieve a simple, successful carb- load is to include carbohydrate rich foods at every meal and snacks such as bread, pasta, rice, cereal, potatoes, and fruits. This foods are quick to digest and do not often contain the fiber which has been known to cause GI distress as the mileage piles up.

Breakfast: 1 sandwich, 2 slices of whole wheat bread, light mayo, roasted turkey, chciken breast, romaine lettuce leaves. 2 oz pretzels dipped in 6 oz light low-fat yogurt.

Lunch: 1 chicken taco, grilled chicken, 1 soft whole wheat tortillas, 1/2 cup shredded lettuce, 1/2 cup reduced fat shredded cheddar cheese.

Snack: 1 cup of fat free pudding topped with 1/2 cup each of blueberries, raspberries, and blackerries.

Dinner: 6 oz grilled salmon, 1 cup wild rice topped with 1 tsp light vegetable oil, 1 cup steamed cauliflower and broccoli medley, and 1 cup of berfry cobbler.