I *did* finish my first triathlon last month, but the run went so poorly I felt like a failure. I moped and I lashed at a bit when people congratulated me for a job well done. It didn't feel well done to me! It took a week or two to be able to appreciate how far I had come and what I had accomplished. It also motivated me to greater things in my triathlon on Sunday. I'm glad that you've gotten past the disappointment and are looking towards a positive future of triathlon.