As marathon enthusiasts prepare for the Dubai race weekend, a unique collaboration is grabbing attention. Adidas has introduced a special pasta event to emphasize a key nutritional practice essential for runners.

Adidas' Pasta Initiative for Runners

With the marathon date approaching, Adidas has teamed up with Sagra, an Italian pasta maker, to offer a limited-edition ravioli called Adizero Pasta. This initiative, inspired by the brand's Adizero EVO SL racing shoe, highlights the time-honored tradition of carb-loading.

Carb-loading, an enduring strategy, is a nutritional approach where athletes increase their carbohydrate consumption in the days leading to a long-distance race. This practice aims to enhance endurance by maximizing glycogen stores in the body, a primary fuel during prolonged physical activity.

Scientific Insights on Carb-Loading

Dr. Nivine Hanach from the University of Sharjah provides insight into this practice. She explains that during lengthy races, muscles use glycogen as a vital energy source. Depleted glycogen leads to fatigue, affecting performance. Current guidelines suggest consuming 8-12 grams of carbs per kilogram of body weight per day in the lead-up to the race, focusing on foods like pasta and rice.

Adidas' pasta event will take place at Kite Beach, where registered marathon participants can enjoy complimentary meals by showing their race ID. Through a partnership with Careem, this initiative will extend across the city, allowing more runners to participate.

Community and Culture

Bilal Fares of Adidas EM remarks on the cultural shift towards community-focused initiatives in the running world. He states, "Marathon week transcends the race; it's about preparation and shared moments." This reflects a broader trend among brands to engage with athletes beyond mere performance metrics.

Upcoming Running Events in Dubai

Dubai's marathon events kick off on February 1, offering a range of distances including a full marathon, 10 km, and 4 km fun run. Following that, February has scheduled events like the Burj2Burj Half Marathon, Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon, and Skechers Performance Night Run, catering to runners of all levels.

As marathon day approaches, the consensus is simple: embrace the tradition, fuel right, and enjoy the journey.

Source:gulfbusiness