What a day it was! The course not very spectator friendly for those on foot, so I set up camp in Roth where I'd see everyone come off the bikes and finish the last 4km of the run. I got in there early as I'd heard the crowds can reach 300,000 and I didn't want to get trampled.
I waited for a few hours in a coffee shop while the swim and the first lap of the bike was happening . It was a surreal experience. The same time last week I was running under a dark cloud of pain at the 35km mark of the marathon. Today, I was listening to the church bells ringing and drinking coffee in the cobblestones marketplace . The waiter was far from fluent in my language, and my German is terrible without my trusty translator standing by my side . It took me 5 mins to order a coffee and some toast from the guy (I can cope without the skim but would prefer not to do full cream scraped straight from the top of the bucket as a replacement; finding a compromise was a challenge) but he was able sing every lyric of the latest Jennifer Lopez hit and every other top 40 song on the charts .
I got to see Raelert and Wellington win by light years. They are both so so skinny , like bones wrapped in skin.
I made some friends with some Canadian supporters and we sat at wooden tables in the marketplace all afternoon with steins and bratwurst . THAT is the way to spectate!
Kirsten had a fantastic day, doing her fastest time ever on a very hot day. Everyone on tour finished the race, which is a great statistic. Johnnypants, Graham and Brian did it tough, but all made it home. GREAT finishers shirt, average medal, no towel. Awesome
Race though..... Next time I am here I plan to be wearing a race number!
We had our own meltdown by the water on Monday as a post race celebration. It was a 10 hour effort in the sun with many steins and a few pizzas (which arrive at the table in one piece!).

Did I tell you about Ernderdorf , which is the small town outside of Spalt, and our accommodation this week? Quaint village with a few nice pubs and the lovely lake. There's a barnyard in the dead centre if town. Pigs, cows chickens galore. At first we found this endearing, but it did smell a touch on the rural side.
As time has gone on, the barnyard smell has intensified as the wind blows it in our direction. The last few days we have gone to sleep with the pigs and woken up with the pigs. WE ARE OVER IT! IT STINKS!

The tour is now over and everyone had scattered their separate ways across the continent . Next stop.... Czech Republic!