ski marathon before and during the race foods?

[Kurt]

I do a 55K cross country ski marathon each winter and have not done it since I started the paleo diet. I was wondering if anybody has any suggestions of what foods would be best to eat before and during this very grueling race that can be in conditions of -15 at the start? I in the past have drunk energy drink at each of the stops which are about every 7K. They also have semi-frozen bananas that are very difficult for me to choke down. Instead of carb loading as we have been taught, I assume you eat a good fat/protein meal with some carbs like sweet potatos the night before? I see people eat things like eggs and avocado the morning of. Anybody else attempt something like this and how did you do it?

Thanks,

Kurt