Long-overdue shout-outs!

I often write about how I want to be a more informative and prolific blogger. What I should be writing about is how I want to be a more gracious blogger. However, it's difficult enough to get on here once a week and write down my boring thoughts while trying to catch up on the thoughts of my blogland friends (who are never boring, by the way). So, when I finally do make it here... I usually write down some mumbo-jumbo about the past week or provide a race report.

THIS POST... will be in part, different. I have a few long-overdue shout outs that NEED to be posted here. I've already given these folks private (aka e-mail) shout outs, but it's just not the same when it's not posted in blogland. So here it goes... a bit late, but coming with lots of Sunshine State love:

Bree Wee... for graciously sending me a CD filled with Big Island tunes! Perfect for chillaxin' and reminding me that South FL will never, ever be Hawaii (but for a moment or two, I can close my eyes and imagine that the Tradewinds are blowing through my hair). Thank you SO much, Bree. I hope that you know how much I appreciate what you did.

Half-Fast (Ian)... for sending along some post-Shave Your 5K challenge goodies! I received a winning tech-tee and a certificate of accomplishment (er, 'winnership')! Yahoo! My very first (and probably last) Blogland podium! Thanks, Ian!

Dave Harris at Naples Cyclery for taking on my Cervelo warranty when the original store that I had purchased the bike from was unable to AND for making it all happen SO fast that I actually had to ask Dave to try and slow down the process! That's just how Naples Cyclery works! They are so worth the drive for me! You guys rock it!

Heaven knows that there are other overdue 'thank yous' out there that I need to post; but these were the big ones that have been weighing on my mind. Again, Bree, Ian, Dave... THANKS BUNCHES!!!! Y'all made me a very happy gal!

In training land news...

This past Tuesday marked my final day of HR zone and swim pace testing with Coach Jen. I am soooo glad it's over. By Tuesday evening, I felt like I had raced at least an Oly distance (or a really hard sprint tri). I had a slightly weird outcome on my bike and run test. My LT was only 1 beat away for both... which is a bit unusual. Looks like I'm not pushing my run to the same degree of 'pukeness' (Jen's word) as I do with my bike. It is true, I tend to be a run whimp... oh, but it hurts so much. Anyway, I have been promised some serious run-induced suffering.

Pixie II is down at Naples Cyclery getting all greased up for the Madeira Beach tri this weekend. Last night I rode my no-name road bike. Poor thing. It gets dogged on b/c it has no name. Truth be told, I'm a road biker. I actually prefer the position options and geometry of a road bike. Just not my current, heavy road bike. Hmmm... maybe someday a featherweight carbon beauty will appear at my door. If that ever happened, poor Pixie would probably only get used during sprint/oly distance races.

Madeira Beach Tri... it's happening on Sunday whether I'm ready for it (er, my calves are ready for it) or not. It's listed as a "B" priority race for me, but honestly, I'm approaching it somewhere in "C" zone. I'm going to give it my all... it's good prep for the Heartland, but that's about it. I've also decided to be brave and try to get out of my shoes while still on the bike before T2. I've been practicing. Still can't quite get in after T1, but I think I've got the getting out part down pretty good! As long as the dismount line isn't super congested, I should do okay.