so proud of you Sauce .....

I know that was a seminal time for you.... I can only empathise - I have not yet had a DNF but do know the 3 or 4 tris I want to do next season increase my risk... GULP!

I'm expecting the unexpected.....
AND just need to remind you of the other shit that went down that weekend :) it will help that bitter pill go down.
Remember the 'Flying Brick' Zip car we had? fit both bikes so met that need but handled EXACTLY like a brick! not that I have ever driven a brick!
What about the 2 groups booked into our hotel that weekend... Could they have been more different? .... Hmmm - not on your Nelly!
The first group was a rag-tag of experienced and inexperienced triathletes, a nice bumbling group of every age gender AND shape :) we saw some of the first group at the funny little pasta dinner for participants the evening before... not the best meal in the world but the intention was good.
Don't forget we also got lost on the way there and back to the pasta dinner - not our navigation skills mind ... it was the inordinately complicated road signs.
Back at the hotel , while parking the 'Brick' remember what your eagle eyes saw?
Yup... a broken passenger side window in a smaller car... Do we need to get the bikes out of the Brick and into the hotel room? this place cannot be safe ??? Ah - there is a hotel employee there at the car.. over we trot .... Paint me Purple!!! there is blood amongst the broken glass! now what?

The hotel employee assures us this is a 'domestic incident' between a couple of wedding guests ... the 'other' group staying that night... he points out the security cameras and we leave the bikes - covered - in the car... Hmmm...

'Lets meet in the bar' there were 5 of us in our little group, 4 of us competing . We'd been at the swim clinic earlier in the day and JUST ONE BEER was the plan; followed by an early night.
We got to the bar first... and chit-chatted about the adventures so far that day whilst idly watching the wedding guests come in and out of a tent in the hotel grounds. The other three join us.. chortling about the dinner and the broken window we notice that the wedding guests were not very old... WOAH! the bride is a baby!!! so is the groom - Shotgun wedding we fear! the place was bristling with rented polyester dinner suits, baaaad dresses... and even worse decor... the tension was in the air - guests were chatting about the 'domestic' between a couple of key wedding participants that ended with the guy punching the car window.. it was better than any channel on the bar TV... we watched and listened ... until our solitary beer was drunk and a scary looking band was setting up .. our cue to get to bed... big day infront of us... A rainy , ugly morning like you said Sauce... although you forgot to mention it was sunny by the end of the race....

I am so proud the whole DNF made you sign up for more races - Way to go Sauce !!!