The pre-race pasta dinner is a staple of every major marathon.  It's a convenient opportunity to carbo-load, that is, take in plenty of carbohydrates to fuel your muscles for the long haul ahead.

A couple of cautionary notes from Nancy Clark, a sports nutritionist and author of "Food Guide for Marathoners: Tips for Everyday Champions."

First, says Clark, "Carbo-load does not mean stuffing yourself."

At your pre-race dinner, you should focus on the carbs, but eat the portions you would normally eat for dinner.

Because if you've been training properly, you've been carbo-loading on a daily basis.

Says Clark, "Carbo-load on a daily basis to fuel-up and refuel your muscles during training. Carbohydrate-rich foods include pasta with tomato sauce, plain baked potatoes, rice, breads, cereals, fruits and juices. Carbohydrate-poor choices include pepperoni pizza, cheesy lasagna, cookies and ice cream. These foods get the majority of their calories from fat. They taste great and fill your stomach, but they leave the muscles unfueled."

So, how do you carbo-load?