Dear Body,

This letter is long over due....

IMFL

Ironman World Championships, Hawaii

IMKY

3 Ironman's and 5 half Ironman's have gone by and it was extremely selfish of me to not thank you for all that you have done for me.
Body, thank you so much for everything that you have done for me. I am a student, a traveler, a wife to an amazing cyclist, a heart-healthy vegetarian, a daughter to two amazing parents, a sister to an amazing brother, a friend, an endurance athlete, a Kona and Boston marathon finisher, an animal-mommy, and a lover of life. I aspire to help people reach personal weight and performance goals and I wake up every morning wanting to make the most out of my life.
Body, I realize that I have not always been the best to you. There were times when you were sleep-deprived, overly stressed, left with an aching and sad heart, extremely nervous, uncomfortable scared and with brain-overload. However, there were the other times when you were extremely happy, in love, overly joyed and wanting more out of life.
Body, I apologize for keeping you malnourished at times and for making you feel restricted and hungry. You told me that you wanted to eat but for some reason, I neglected to listen to you and long hours went by without feeding you. You asked for specific foods and for whatever reason, you did not receive the right balance of nutrients that you wanted. Body, thank you for always talking to me because eventually, I listened.
Body, we have a great relationship with food and because of it, you are happy and satisfied. When you are happy, I am happy. When I am happy, others around me are happy. When I am happy and others around me are happy, we are really living life to the fullest.
Body, I do not strive for a number on a scale. I really do love my muscles as well as the fat on my arms, thighs, butt and hips. What matters to me more than anything is that you don't fail me. I promise I will keep you nourished regardless if that means buying a size bigger of clothes or seeing a little jiggle while I run. My happiness is not determined by a number on a scale or the size of my clothes.
I don't want you skinny because you have told me that you are not very happy when you are skinny. Body, I don't want you to have to carry more weight than you need to carry so I will be sure to listen to you when you tell me I am satisfied at meal and snack time. Body, I will always listen to you because you know me better than anyone in this world. I trust that you will keep me healthy and strong and I promise I will always keep you well-fueled.
Body, thank you for giving me the triathlon season of my life. I feel stronger than ever and I am ready to race in Wisconsin. We've been through some stressful and busy times with an internship and Ironman training, alongside balancing the rest of life. However, you did it body! You managed to keep me healthy and without sickness, overtraining, overreaching or an injury. You asked me for a weekly rest day or two and you returned the favor by giving me strength, speed, power and endurance during every training session. I know I left you sore at times but I made sure I gave you the right nutrients to help you recover. Sure, some days you were more sore than others but overall, I think we made a fabulous team.

Body, I can't thank you enough for giving me the opportunity to race in my 4th Ironman. 140.6 miles is a long way to go but I know you are ready. Did I mention that the 112 mile bike course is really hilly? That's ok, I know you can do it!
I've really enjoyed this journey and I know we are going to really enjoy this experience.

Love, Marni

P.S. Not sure if you remembered, but I'm really aiming for a Kona slot. Not sure if I'm asking too much since we don't know about our competition or the course but I think we can do this together. What do you think? That's ok if you don't want to to answer me now. You can let me know on Sunday September 12, 2010 in Madison WI.