Why 500g target?

Your liver can store 80-100g of glycogen, your muscles about 300-500g or glycogen. 500g is therefore a simple target to remember.

Food to avoid or limit?

Reducing fat and more importantly fibre intake may decrease the likelihood of stomach discomfort during a race. This is because fibre takes longer to digest.

Practical guidelines

• Eating carbohydrate rich foods for a day or 2 (along with an exercise taper) should be sufficient to maximise glycogen stores. Complex protocols are unnecessary.

• Do not confuse carb loading with over-eating.

• Gut training, by challenging the stomach with increasing loads of carbohydrates, can improve carbohydrate absorption, reduce gut distress, and improve performance

• There are many different ways to achieve high glycogen stores.