Marathoners think outside the pasta box to cook up meals rich in carbohydrates

By the time runners hit Heartbreak Hill next Monday, they will be subsisting on Gatorade, energy gel, and the occasional orange slice handed out by a spectator.

What really gives them the stamina to go 26.2 miles is the nutrition plan they follow in the months leading up to the 111th Boston Marathon. Despite a tantalizing array of energy drinks and bars formulated for endurance athletes, the elements of a healthy diet remain quite basic. "Carbs are still a runner's good friend," says Sue Miller, a nutritionist in Newton who also runs regularly. About 60 percent of the calories a marathoner consumes should come from carbohydrates, 15 percent from protein, and the remainder from fat, she says.

A highly visible form of carbo-loading takes place at the pre-race pasta party on Boston City Hall Plaza. But long before that, runners make carbs part of almost every meal. Many rely on a more diverse menu than the "eat pasta, run faster" wisdom from years past. Miller says complex carbohydrates, such as whole grains and oatmeal, provide the best fuel because "they take a long time for the body to break down, giving a steady release of energy." The carb-rich recipes the runners have developed can be appreciated by cheering fans, too, though smaller quantities are advisable.

The United States 2004 duathlon champion Amory Rowe is training for back-to-back endurance runs with her boyfriend, David Salem. Rowe, 32, and Salem, 50, will run the Boston Marathon and TREK II, a relay from Hopkinton to Florida that raises money for children's fitness. Rowe is the director of In the Arena, a non profit that sends elite athletes to work with young people. Together, the couple prepare many meals in their Cambridge apartment and log many miles. At the end of March, their training peaked at about 100 miles in a week. "When you run that many miles, you're constantly hungry," she says. She often craves red meat and salads more than carbs.

One of their favorite meals is risotto with chicken sausage, mushrooms, and raisins. "It's a stick-to-your-ribs hearty meal, but it's also quite healthy. It also keeps well in the fridge for a while and heats up easily, so we often make extra and eat it for leftovers," she says.

Risotto, of course, is just one of the many rice and grain dishes that fall under the carbohydrate category. Carol Chaoui, 43, of Wellesley, who is married to fellow runner Amin, also 43, make dishes he ate during his childhood in Morocco and Switzerland. She is running this year with New England Patriot Tedy Bruschi's team to benefit the American Stroke Association. During training, the couple eat sweet or savory Moroccan couscous, which they make in a traditional steamer. Preserved lemons, a staple of the cuisine, and fresh lemon juice and rind go into one of their favorite recipes for oven-roasted potatoes. "We love the mix of herbs and lemon, and the carbs in the potatoes are a nice change from pasta," she says. The couple and their four children usually eat the potatoes as a side dish with roast chicken or grilled beef and a salad.

Runners typically burn 100 calories per mile, but they still have to eat wisely. Billy Sheehan of North Andover, has been fueling up for the marathon and TREK II with son, Taylor, 21, who is also running in both events. The dad, 48, director of the DMSE Children's Fitness Foundation, has tried to follow what he describes as a "moderate, responsible, consistent nutrition plan" during their training. They grill meats year-round, usually rounding out each meal with a vegetable and baked sweet potatoes or mashed white potatoes or rice pilaf. "Breaking loose nutritionally for me is eating fried clams," he says.

"Mindless calories do add up," says Miller, the nutritionist. "Runners need to be replacing lost calories with carbs and lean protein. A bag of chips after a run is not doing their bodies any favors."

It doesn't do a thing for spectators either.