# Marathon Performance: Does high-carb fueling work?

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/normal-curves-sexy-science-serious-statistics-7212156/marathon-performance-does-high-carb-fueling-work
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/normal-curves-sexy-science-serious-statistics-7212156/marathon-performance-does-high-carb-fueling-work.md
Podcast: [Normal Curves: Sexy Science, Serious Statistics](https://stenobird.com/podcast/normal-curves-sexy-science-serious-statistics-7212156)
Published: 2026-02-23T12:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://www.normalcurves.com/marathon-performance-does-high-carb-fueling-work
Audio file: https://op3.dev/e/media.transistor.fm/18bcd963/78769e35.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/normal-curves-sexy-science-serious-statistics-7212156/episodes/marathon-performance-does-high-carb-fueling-work
Duration seconds: 3903

## Resource

How many carbs do you need to run your best marathon? Recent headlines suggest that 120 grams per hour is the magic number. But what’s the science behind that claim? To find out, we dug into the study fueling the hype — and were surprised by what we found. In this episode, we uncover numbers that mysteriously shift after peer review, figures that don’t match the text, and p-values that refuse to line up with their confidence intervals. Along the way, we swap bonking stories, revisit repeated-measures ANOVA, renew our antipathy for spreadsheets, and follow a trail of statistical termites to a surprisingly happy scientific ending. Statistical topics Article in press vs final publication Data management and workflow Multiple testing P-values and confidence intervals Repeated Measures ANOVA Statistical sleuthing Version control in research Within-person study design Methodological morals “Everyone makes statistical mistakes, not everyone fixes them.” “If the numbers aren't consistent, Excel is often part of the story.” “If a p-value doesn't survive the trip from text to figure, there's a problem.” Statistical Sleuthing Extended Notes References Ravikanti S, Silang KG, Martyn HJ, et al. 13C-labelled glucose–fructose show greater exogenous and whole-body CHO oxidation and lower O2 cost of running at 120 versus 60 and 90 g·h−1 in elite male marathoners . J Appl Physiol. 2025;139:1581–95. (final version) Article in Press of J Appl Physiol. 2025;139:1581–95. graph2table AI data extraction from figures. Use the discount code normalcurves20 for 20% off! Bob Kempainen gutting out the win at the 1996 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials. N=7 is a Dinner Party LinkedIn Post WebPlotDigitizer Holmer B. The new high-carb study that’s rocking the running world . Marathon Handbook . Dec 5, 2025.…

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