Why do you eat pasta the night before a race? The science of carb-loading

October 5, 2025 •

4 min read

According to data cited by Runner's World, elite Kenyan runners, who dominate distance events, often get over 70% of their calories from carbohydrates. A staple in this high-carb regimen is pasta, which is why you eat pasta the night before a race to fuel your performance.

Quick Summary

This article explains how and why athletes use pasta as part of a carb-loading strategy to maximize muscle glycogen stores for endurance events, detailing the proper meal timing and ideal food choices for peak performance.

Key Points

Glycogen Stores: Consuming pasta helps to fill your body's glycogen stores, which are the muscles' primary fuel source during long, intense exercise.
Carb-loading Strategy: The optimal strategy involves increasing carb intake over several days before a race, not just one large meal the night before, to properly top off energy reserves.
Timing is Key: For many, the biggest carb meal should be two nights before the race, with a lighter, simpler meal the night before to aid digestion and prevent bloating.
Choose White Pasta for Race Prep: Opt for lower-fiber, refined white pasta in the final 24-48 hours before the race, as it digests more easily than whole-grain varieties.
Pair with Light Sauce: Avoid heavy, high-fat, or spicy sauces, as these can cause gastrointestinal distress; stick to simple, tomato-based options.
Practice During Training: Never try a new meal or food combination on race day; always practice your fueling strategy during long training runs to ensure it works for you.

The tradition of pre-race pasta dinners

For decades, the pre-race pasta dinner has been an institutional tradition in the running community. From local 5Ks to the world-renowned Boston Marathon, athletes gather to consume a meal rich in carbohydrates, believing it holds the key to success on race day. But this ritual is rooted in solid sports science, focusing on a nutritional strategy known as carbohydrate loading, or 'carb-loading'. While it has evolved from simply gorging on a huge plate of spaghetti, the fundamental principle remains: filling your body's energy reserves to the brim before a prolonged athletic effort.

The science behind carb-loading and pasta

To understand why pasta is an ideal pre-race fuel, we must first understand how our bodies create energy. When we consume carbohydrates, our bodies break them down into glucose, which is then stored as glycogen in our muscles and liver. This stored glycogen acts as our body's most readily available fuel source during exercise. During long, intense races, like marathons, our bodies can deplete their glycogen stores after approximately 90 minutes of effort, a phenomenon commonly known as 'hitting the wall'.

The goal of carb-loading is to super-compensate these glycogen stores, effectively enlarging your body's fuel tank. Pasta is a perfect vehicle for this strategy because it is high in carbohydrates and generally easy to digest. Paired with a light, non-fatty sauce, it provides a concentrated dose of the energy-rich carbs needed without bogging down the digestive system with excessive fat or fiber, which can cause discomfort on race day.

The correct way to carb-load

Contrary to popular belief, effective carb-loading is not about eating one massive plate of pasta the night before a race. Instead, it is a multi-day strategy that often coincides with the 'tapering' phase of training, where athletes reduce their mileage. During this period, usually two to three days before the race, athletes increase their carbohydrate intake while decreasing fiber and fat.

For example, an endurance athlete might aim for 8–12 grams of carbohydrates per kilogram of body weight during this 36–48-hour window. For a 70kg runner, this could mean consuming between 560 and 840 grams of carbohydrates per day. Eating smaller, carbohydrate-dense meals more frequently throughout these days is often more effective and comfortable than a single huge meal.

Timing your final meal

For most endurance events, sports dietitians recommend having your largest, most carb-heavy meal two nights before the race, not the night immediately preceding it. This allows ample time for digestion and storage, preventing a heavy, bloated feeling on race morning. The meal the night before should be familiar and simple, focusing on easy-to-digest carbohydrates like white pasta with a low-fat, tomato-based sauce.

Choosing the right kind of pasta

While any pasta offers carbohydrates, athletes can tailor their choice based on their goals and digestion. The difference primarily lies in fiber content, which affects digestion speed.


Feature	White Pasta (Refined)	Whole Wheat Pasta (Complex)	Legume-Based Pasta (Alternative)
Carbohydrate Type	Quick-digesting, higher glycemic index	Slow-release, lower glycemic index	Varied, can have lower GI
Fiber Content	Lower fiber, easier on the stomach right before a race	Higher fiber, can cause digestive issues for sensitive stomachs	High fiber, may increase satiety but risks GI issues
Protein Content	Modest	Modest, but slightly higher than white	High in plant-based protein
Nutrients	Often enriched with iron and B vitamins	Richer in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants	Excellent source of plant protein and fiber
Ideal Timing	Best for the final 24-48 hours pre-race	Better for sustained energy during general training	Good for recovery and general diet, but high fiber is a risk pre-race

For the night directly before a race, many athletes prefer white pasta due to its lower fiber content and faster digestion. However, a whole-grain or alternative pasta may be a better choice for regular training meals, where slower-release energy is beneficial.

The big picture: race week nutrition

The pasta dinner is just one component of a larger race-week nutrition strategy. Proper hydration is critical, and athletes should increase their fluid intake in the days leading up to the event. While consuming carbohydrates is the priority, athletes should also ensure they are getting moderate amounts of protein for muscle repair and a small amount of healthy fats. Crucially, athletes should only consume foods they are familiar with to avoid any unwelcome surprises on race day. Trying a new, experimental recipe or a spicy sauce is a recipe for disaster.

Conclusion

Eating pasta the night before a race is a time-honored tradition for a good reason. The meal serves as a key part of a strategic carb-loading plan, designed to maximize muscle glycogen stores for optimal endurance performance. While the focus has shifted from a single large meal to a more structured, multi-day approach, pasta remains a primary and effective source of carbohydrates. By choosing the right type of pasta, pairing it with a simple sauce, and following a smart hydration plan, athletes can arrive at the starting line with a full energy tank, ready to perform at their best. Just remember: practice your race nutrition during training, not on race day. For more detailed information on nutrition for endurance athletes, consider visiting the resources at Precision Hydration.

Frequently Asked Questions

No, gorging on a huge meal of pasta the night before a race can cause bloating and digestive discomfort. A more effective strategy is a moderate, carb-heavy meal two nights before the event, with a simple meal the night immediately preceding the race.

Carb-loading is primarily beneficial for endurance events that last longer than 90 minutes, such as a half or full marathon. For shorter races like a 5K, a normal, balanced diet with adequate carbohydrates is generally sufficient.

For a pre-race meal, stick to a simple, tomato-based sauce that is low in fat. Avoid creamy, heavy, or spicy sauces, as they can slow digestion and increase the risk of stomach issues during the race.

For the 24-48 hours immediately before a race, white pasta is often preferred because its lower fiber content makes it easier to digest. Whole-grain pasta is great for general training but can cause digestive issues on race day for some athletes.

Avoid foods that are high in fat, excessive fiber, or are overly spicy, as these can cause digestive upset. It's also critical to avoid alcohol, which can cause dehydration and deplete glycogen stores.

Feeling bloated is often a sign of consuming too much or eating too close to a race. To prevent this, spread your carbohydrate intake across several smaller meals during the two days before the race and stick to familiar, low-fiber foods.

Yes, many other carbohydrate-rich foods are suitable for carb-loading, including rice, potatoes, oats, bread, and fruits. The best choices are those that are easy to digest and have worked for you during training.