Wow, V, you're tough. Way to hang in there and finish. 3 laps of the same running course sounds like torture when you are ready to be done!

Too bad about the water temperature. I'm not sure it's worth the $ to own a fullsuit for that "once in a while" race that you need it - like you said, you generally try to avoid them. Maybe a neoprene cap would have helped keep some of the warmth in? Maybe these arm-parts, like arm warmers - they would leave a gap, but maybe keep in some of the warmth, too?: http://www.trisports.com/quintana-ro...edsleeves.html. Having said that, when I wore my sleeveless at 56 degrees or whatever freaking cold temperature I wore it at, I felt like my armpits were just shedding body heat. I guess it's hard to say where the insulating factor would have come from best.

Bottom line, only 241 other people finished (presuming they all did), which puts you in pretty limited company. Congratulations!