keep your eye on me (and day off food log)

My food log for my day off is posted at the end!

"Keep your eye on me." I told my husband on Sunday. "Keep your eye on me." I don't know if he smiled on the inside, he smirked on the outside. He had just thrown down the ultimate smackdown. The challenge beyond all challenges.

"Head to head.... Ironman 2010. Same course"

It made my heart beat fast! Head to head! An Eggers versus Eggers Ironman showdown! Smackdown! Hooray! Then he did make this abundantly clear:

"Just for the record...... if by some miracle we are running together down the finisher's chute..... I would resort to tripping and or tackling you so that I came across first." I laughed. Can you imagine that scene on Ironman dot com? Eggers running side by side and getting into a brawl at the finish line.... me sticking my left ankle over the line first......

Don't tell Curt I told you this but if I am anywhere near him.... even in the same zipcode during an Ironman then I will be the happiest kid in the world.

I reviewed the calculations as presented to me by the Wizard. I actually don't have to train any harder.

Right now I am 15 pounds lighter than when I did Ironman Florida in 2007 and went 10:58.
By that date I will be 15 pounds lighter still. (I have only 8 to go for this season.... we will lose that next 5 next season......) If you have weight to lose..... if you have weight to lose..... and I repeat if you have weight to lose..... 20 pounds means an hour off your Iornman time. So a full 30? My goal is attainable and I have to work as hard as I have been working. No harder.

Now: let it be known, if I get greedy and try to go too light.... that will add injury, stress fracture, illness and injury. I wont' get there then.

"Keep your eye on me." I told my husband, "All I have to do is get leaner." And do it the right way, the way I have been.

Dangerous for a girl with an eating disordered past such as mine to pin the finish time on weight. But for the first time in all of my years I understand the connection between proper body composition and performance. I understand proper nutrition and performance. We know that lean is good, but the question was.... how lean? You don't go by the number on the scale only. That's a guide. You measure your body fat each week, calipers. You monitor how you feel. You listen to your body. You let it come slow.

Believe me you I am being so careful. I am being monitored by the Wizard, my husband and pretty much everyone in my circle. They have their eye on me!

I get to race this weekend and I am so looking forward to it. I don't race locally as much as I want to, I have been hitting the bigger races and loving the travel. I get to race up at the lake in a beautifully stellar women's field. Hopefully the sun will shine and great fun will be had. I look forward to seeing old friends and meeting new ones. I know that the real improvements will be seen in my performance beginning right about now..... through Clearwater. We have this second 10 pounds to lose (8 to go!) and next week: we welcome back hill repeats, trackwork, and all that good stuff. I have begun the necessary work in the pool, I have begun the necessary mental homework.

Pumpkinman 1/2 Ironman will be another test of pacing, I will race that again controlled (argh!), then we get down to the nitty gritty, the good stuff. I can't wait.

Here is my typical food log for a day without training:

• 6am: protein powder + water, 1 banana, 1 cage free egg, 1/2 cup coffee
• 8am: greek yogurt with berries, green tea
• 10am: apple
• 12 noon 2 cups sweet baby lettuce, 1 cup Purdue grilled chicken strips, topped with carrots, celery, onions and my homemade vinaigrette dressing, 1/2 cup cauliflower, pureed mango topped with blueberries.
• 3pm: greek yogurt with berries
• 5pm: apple
• 6pm: 1 oz grilled chicken with broccoli, salad.
• 8pm: protein drink with water.

As I write it down it does not seem like a lot. I feel like I eat all of the time!