Eating on Credit

If you’re a triathlete, duathlete, runner, swimmer, cyclist or any type of fit person at all, chances are you’ve had someone quip to you: oh, I bet you can eat whatever you want and not have to worry about it.

Pshaw!

It’s no great secret (in the blogosphere, at least) that I have a little bit of a sweet tooth. But the truth is I’m a healthy eater whose not only conscious about what she eats and what she feeds the people she loves, but knows a thing or two about nutrition and what treats a body right.

I don’t always follow that knowledge, but I have it.

And one of my greatest sins against that knowledge (which is not included in the latest edition of modern sins recently released by the pope) is eating on credit. You know, those days when you KNOW you’re going to run after work so you eat enough during the day on the excuse that you need fuel for later… only to go home, plop on the couch and nap for the rest of the night to the tune of Cavaliers games, Friends re-runs and rom-coms on HBO?

That’s pretty much what 2008 has looked like for me. Gone are the days when I could come home, make and eat dinner, nap and then go for a 5-miler. Or so I had thought.

Following a bill of health-clearing doctor’s visit Monday afternoon, I came home to cook and overeat a high-protein meal with Neil. And just as the Cavs were about to tip off, I could hear my sleepy couch calling my name. I’ll admit I was really bummed about losing an hour for DST. Having light until 7:30 p.m., however, not only kicked butt, but demolished my excuses to nap and not run. Sidewalk or no sidewalk.

So, I pulled on my running tights and some combination of black jacket (to contrast against the snow) and white top layer (to reflect against in the dim light) to run for a hour at 9:30/mile pace on what turned out to be a) near-perfect running weather: an unwindy 35 degrees; b) almost the same conditions of weather, sludge and hills as St. Malachi; and c) good practice for Saturday’s race.

I ran around six miles—give or take a few fractions—that were moderately hilly, persistently puddly and slightly slippery miles on concrete that should mirror a portion of Malachi’s route (that last hill just isn’t replicable this far from San Francisco). So, I shouldn’t have the bulk of surprises I saw last year when I had zero hill, puddle and cold running experience. Sad, isn’t it?

Because I haven’t exactly been running my butt off this year (but have been credit-eating a new butt on), my goal for this race is simple: beat last year’s time of 45:03.60.

While my goal for the year is to average 8:00/mile pace across my races, I’d really like to take this early race in stride and be realistic about where my legs are right now. And they’re just not at 8:00/mile over five miles. Yet.

Besides, if I start reaching goals too soon, what’s the use in devising rewards for my milestones? How will I ever deserve an overhelping of cupcakes and fill up my new Frequent Cupcake Card (you read that correctly) from Main Street Cupcakes?

Once my miles, training, swims and races kick up again next month, I’ll be eating my rewards and enjoying them too. And not cupcake-binging on credit.