first half-marathon this sunday, confused with the carbo loading

I'm ready, at leat I want to think that, very excited and very scared, since it's my first marathon, but I did the training and felt good, and I'm in the nutrition part before the event.

I pretty much know what to eat, but I have some questions:

1. Is there something that I shoul NOT eat at all. I usually crave for chocolate, so I have one every day (50-80 cal) to avoid the anxiety, should I skip it this three days? I can do it.

2. I read that drink water will clean the elctrolites I'm drinking and I should drink only sport drinks the last two days, is that mean no water at all? or sport drinks besides the 2 qt of water I drink normally?if so,  how much os sport drink?

3. Can someone tell me what exactly you eat the night before and for breakfast, I' ve tried a lot of stuffs before my long rnnign, all of them work ok. I just want some ideas.

1. If you usually eat chocolate, there's no reason to skip it.  The only foods I'd skip would be things that you've never eaten before a run and you don't know if they'll make you feel weird.

2. Don't get freaked out about the electrolytes!  Of course you can drink water.  Especially now!  Drink plenty of water in the days before the race (yes, plain water).  On race day, unless it's really hot where you are, you probably don't need to worry.  I drank only water (and packets of gu).  As long as you get some electrolytes during the race, you'll be fine.  It's not a marathon. 

3. I think I just ate a cliff bar for breakfast and even that was forced.  I'm not one for early morning eating.  Just don't drink too much water too close to race time or you'll have to make a pit stop in the middle of the race (like me!).  Don't remember what I ate the night before.  Just eat something healthy (nothing too rich or fatty) and don't overeat or you'll feel like a bloated whale the next day.  For a half marathon, you don't need to worry about carbo-loading.

Oh, and good luck!!!  Have fun!

Good advice above.  Eat what you normally eat.  Drink water.

As to the meal before the race  ...  I eat pasta.  Actually, for the 3 or 4 days prior to a marathon I eat pasta.  Carbo loading isn't something you do just the day before. 

For me, I like to eat my dinner at mid afternoon the day before a marathon.  Avoids the Sat night crowds.  I get to bed early.  Get up a couple of hours early and have breakfast.  Combined, this causes my body to handle it's bodily functions before I head to the start line.  I take a GU or energy bar just before the event starts.

Running a HM is fun.  Once that amoeba of runners begins and forms to the horizon in front or in back of you  ...  it is amazing.  Have fun.  Don't overthink it.  Afterall, it's only running  ...  not quantum physics.

funny you say that.

I've never been a physical person, I just fell in love with running last two years, but actually I'm more in the academics part, not quantum physis academic, but right now, quantum physics looks easier than the half-marathon.

Everybody keeps saying is JUST HALF-marathon, it looks a pretty good distance to me.

Thanks to both of you anyway, hope I 'll get more ideas for the eating.

You've gotten great advice. I just want to add one thing.

It is helpful to drink lots of water before the race to help keep your body hydrated and it sounds as if you are doing that. Personally, I also drink water all night before the race -- anytime I have to go the bathroom I drink at least a glass of water. But then limit the water a bit the morning of the race. I drink, but time it to help avoid the "I have to pee" feeling for 13+ miles.

Remember to have fun. And let us know how it goes.

I haven't run a HM yet, but I've signed up for one and so have been reading a lot. I believe Runner's World advises having a relatively carb-heavy meal of 400-800 calories 4 or 5 hours before you run (nothing too fibrous) . Then something small like a banana just before if you can stomach it. (:

Good luck! And don't stress about stomach issues too much - I was so worried about what to eat at my first 10k, so I planned everything out, and had no stomach problems. My second 10k I had a piece of cake before the run, and also had no stomach troubles whatsoever. I know it's a different ballpark with an HM, but still. 

One thing I do recommend is having a cup of coffee and hour or two before you go out. For most people coffee stimulates a bowel movement (sorry, TMI, I know), and it's nice to get that, ah, out of your system before your run. :P Plus smaller amount of caffeine have shown to help athletic performance.