Carbo-loading is something we\’re sure to see mentioned when reading up on cyclist training. It\’s important not to run low on glycogen during a ride. Sure, riding a bicycle burns fat; but fat has been likened to the wax of a candle, and glycogen to the wick. A wick-less candle doesn\’t burn very well, does it? Therefore we riders need carbs.

What\’s the method for carbo-loading? Back in the 1970s it meant several days of  a very low carbohydrate diet along with intense training, then eating high-carb just before the event. Those days of little glycogen sound miserable to me.

Nowadays the advice is to keep to your usual diet, but to increase the percentage of carbohydrate in your diet to 70 percent. You don\’t really need to stuff yourself with pasta, either. There are other nutritious, high-carb foods.

I haven\’t participated in enough events, such as centuries, to have any real experience with carbo-loading. When I do my weekly long ride, I take along Clif Bars and GU-Gels as my main food. I also experiment with fig bars, Combos, and so on.

I\’m very lazy as far as diet goes, anyway, I really need to get back on track. Maybe I\’ll even try carbo-loading some day.