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Runners Load Up On Pasta Before Marathon

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- The night before the ING New York City Marathon, runners loaded up on pasta for its carb content in Central Park.

As WCBS 880's Jim Smith reported, nearly 2.5 tons of vegetable lasagna was put out for the runners Saturday evening.

Runners Load Up On Pasta Before Marathon

"I think I will win with this pasta," said Charee from France.

"I'm kind of filling up, yes, definitely," said Leon Vass of the Netherlands.

They couldn't eat too much with the marathon ahead of them. But marathon officials said pasta was a good idea.

"You need proper fuel, and carbohydrates is a key factor, and obviously, pasta does the job," said John Honerkamp, head coach of the New York Road Runners.

Pasta has been maligned lately as everything from a fattening carb to a possible catalyst for depression in women, but some runners said if you're about to take to a 26.2-mile course, it's worth it.

"You must believe it, then it helps," said runner Andreas Miner of Germany.

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