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The Glycogen Ceiling: Are You Fueling Right for to take your Sports Performance to the next level?
You’ve heard it a thousand times—carbs fuel performance. But here’s the thing: your body can only store so much glycogen, and once you max out, extra carbs aren’t giving you any added benefit. So how do you ensure you’re fueling optimally without wasting energy?
Let’s break it down...
What Is the Glycogen Ceiling?
Your muscles and liver store glycogen, a fast-acting fuel source that keeps you running at peak performance.
🔹 Muscle glycogen storage: ~300-600g (varies based on muscle mass)
🔹 Liver glycogen storage: ~100g
🔹 Total energy from glycogen: About 2,000-2,500 calories—enough for ~90-120 minutes of high-intensity running
Once your glycogen stores are full, any extra carbs you eat won’t be stored as glycogen—they’ll either be used immediately or, if in excess, converted to fat.
Short-Distance vs. Long-Distance Fueling
🏃♂️ 10K & Half Marathon Runners:
You rely heavily on glycogen since short races are high-intensity efforts.
Your goal? Start with full glycogen stores and top up during training with efficient carb intake.
🏔️ Marathon & Ultra Runners:
You need a hybrid fuel strategy—glycogen alone won’t cut it for ultra-endurance events.
Training your body to burn fat efficiently helps you go longer without bonking.
Incorporate low-glycogen training runs (more on this below).
Training Low, Racing High: The Smart Fueling Approach
You can train your body to use fuel more efficiently by alternating between low-glycogen and high-glycogen runs.
🔥 “Train Low” Strategy:
Do an occasional long run fasted (or with minimal carbs) to stimulate mitochondrial efficiency.
Your body gets better at burning fat, meaning you save glycogen for when it matters.
🔥 “Race High” Strategy:
In the days leading up to a race, increase carb intake to maximize glycogen stores.
Aim for 7-10g of carbs per kg of body weight 24-48 hours pre-race.
Fuel during the race to prevent glycogen depletion—especially in anything longer than 90 minutes.
Real-World Application: Fuel Like an Elite
✅ Short-distance (10K – Half):
2-3 days before race day: Eat moderate carbs (~3-6g/kg body weight).
24 hours before: Slight carb increase.
Pre-race meal: Carbs + protein, low fiber & fat to avoid GI issues.
Race day: No need for mid-run carbs unless your race is over 75 minutes.
✅ Marathon & Ultra:
Daily: Use a mix of high- and low-carb training days.
Long runs (once per week): Try a “train low” session to build fat adaptation.
Race day: High-carb intake leading up, then 30-60g carbs per hour during the event. (It is essential that you practice this nutritional strategy before race day!!)
The Take Home:
Understanding the glycogen ceiling means knowing when to fuel up and when to train your body to run on empty. If you’re always maxing out on carbs but not seeing performance gains, it might be time to rethink how you balance glycogen and fat metabolism in your training.
The food you eat and when you eat, matters.
If you would like to know more about fueling your body for next level performance, lets book a session to chat.
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