Three days before the marathon, focus on eating carbohydrate-rich foods, like pasta, bread, fruit, potatoes, and milk/dairy products. Carbohydrates give you the most energy during the marathon, not fat or protein. Be selective about your carbohydrate intake. The idea is to increase the amount of calories that come from the carbs, not to just eat more of all types of carbs. Carbohydrates are one of the most important aspects of your diet and will enhance the effectiveness of your training. A low carb diet and a “proper” workout are not the same thing. Your body requires carbohydrates as a main source of fuel when you are running. If you are lacking carbohydrates, your body will convert fat and protein into carbs for energy. When this happens, it is an extremely inefficient type of energy for the typical long-distance runner. If you don’t receive enough carbohydrates in your daily diet, you will eventually experience mental and physical exhaustion. There is a common myth that eating carbohydrates will increase body fat. However, consuming too many calories is the real culprit in gaining fat. Eating too many carbohydrates (or “carbo loading”) is never the best option. The preferred method is to maintain a balance when it comes to consuming carbohydrates for marathon training.