Carbo-loading how-tos

Crisp Sundays in October mean marathon time. Whether you're running in the LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon this Sunday or another long-distance-athon, it's time to start loading up on carbohydrates. Here are a few tips:

Start twirling your forks of spaghetti two days before the race. Anywhere from 4 to 5 grams of carbohydrate for each pound of body weight. That's 540-675 grams of carbos for a 135-pound runner. Easily digested carbos low in fiber are a better idea, while proteins and fats should be limited. Bring back the whole grains after the Sunday feat is finished.

According to sports dietitian Monique Ryan, the whole idea behind carbo-loading is to top off your muscle glycogen stores as long-distance events will tap into muscle glycogen for fuel. Read more and check out this sample carbo-loading menu in the Chicago Tribune. Darn, no spaghetti anywhere on the menu.