Today

...'Blue's black handlebar tape came in. Can't wait to put it on tonight after my ride...I'll definitely post pics.

...Picked up my race wheels from the bike shop in St. Paul, allegedly truer than true. We'll see next weekend when I'm on the IMWI course for 112 miles if this is the end of the forsaken wheel wobble...

...Bought brand new shiny black Continental 4000 tires for said racing wheels, to complement the black handlebars. Hey, if we're going Vader for Ironman, then dammit we're going all the way.

...Picked up 'Blue from a different bike shop where it had a drivetrain bath and got a brand new chain. "Any thoughts on what kind of chain you want?" Dude says. "The dopest, illest, best thing you have." Says I. The Machine is freakshow sparkly. 1000+ miles of grime and gross all cleaned right away. Can't wait to take it out tonight and feel how smooth it is. Sweet. By the way, at that bikeshop - where I've had some drama with incompetent idiots - there's now one guy who's allowed to touch my bike. And he has all these crazy tattoos, including two that look like puncture marks on his neck with blood dripping out. 'Blue was attended to by a vampire. Kickass.

...I got an email from "Ford Ironman Wisconsin". Granted, it was only for some info about a company that will help me pack up my bike and bring it to the race if I needed that, but still. It was an official email from Ford Ironman Wisconsin. And that's cool.

...I ordered t-shirts for the Team that will be cheering me on at Ironman - something like 18 people are going to be there! How cool is that, that I even have 18 people who give a damn about me!?!? Friggin' awesome, man.

...I weighed in at a svelte 185 today. 24 pounds lighter than when the blog started on January 9th. 5 pounds lighter than last year's race weight. 50 pounds lighter than when the Becoming began in late '03. Haven't weighed this since...hell, Boston in '96 I suppose. And did you know I had obliques? Who knew? And still 30 days left to shed those extra 5 (or more?) if I can. Dialing in people, dialing right in.