First off congratulations on even starting, and being able to finish. Nice race report, especially for someone like me who knows nothing of the intricacies of Ironman. I though you might be interested in the views of an unwashed.
I happened to be in Nice at the time, at the end of a long bike tour from Germany. On arrival it became clear why there were few hotel rooms available and so expensive! I knew some event was on during the ride in from the airport direction, and it was a little pain coming in on tour bikes with all the closed roads, but am always happy to see events happening. I watched a fair amount in the evening. I don’t know about other locations, but Nice seems very good for spectators. I could watch cyclists coming in and ultimately runners going in both directions. With the laps and cycling and running courses beside each other there was lots to watch. Way better that a pro cycling race with 5 minutes of excitement.
I have done a little randonneuring so some idea of the mind and body requirements, but I was totally in awe of all the competitors, but particularly the “slower” ones. The struggles are clearly visible, but so is the dogged determination. Some were barely moving at times but still putting one foot ahead of the other. I think it was more inspiring to watch than the top finishing pros. The fans were very enthusiastic as well, encouraging the participants with cheers and high fives, and you must have seen the highly energetic (all day) three sharks! Watching the event was actually one of the highlights of our trip, and so happy we got the opportunity to witness it.
Congratulations to everyone who participated.