Given the forecast days out, I think they could have started the military race earlier. I also don't know whether it was completely necessary to clear the military bike course before the swim start. I understand it's easy to second guess, but the forecast was very clear (and I know because I was watching it closely all week, and this was not some unexpected summer storms) that once the line of storms came through, as they were clearly going to mid to late morning, all bets were off.

Anyway, probably should have left this one alone. All I was saying is that there are varying perspectives, and I'm not sure playing the "they're in the military and paying far more than any of you" card (as some did above) excuses what I perceived (again, JMHO) as a poorly planned combination of US military championships and a garden variety age group tri.

And again I reiterate what part of the forecasts for Chicago and in particular the lakefront (Wolf Lake is in the "cooler by the lake zone") are not reliable did you not understand? The line of thunderstorms probably gave tops a couple of hours of semi-reliable heads up. My wife religiously looks at the friggin' forecast, I walk out onto our balcony. I'm usually dressed properly and she usually is not (unless she asks me what she should wear).

You just sound like you had a bad time and want to complain even if it's illogical.