First Time Tri-Triathlon..HELP

For my first tri, I went and got slick tires for my mountain bike, and I'm sure I went a little faster, but honestly, for my first one, I wouldn't have needed to.  If it's a sprint tri, you'll see lots of different bikes on the course.

You find a lot of info on line, checklists and such about what to pack, how to set up your transition area etc.  Lots of tips are on here too!    Here's a link for a checklist:  http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/discussion/training/race-checklist.asp

As far as what to bike/run in, for my first tri, I didn't have a wetsuit.  I bought a swim bikini, and then just pulled my running shorts (the fitted ones, kind of like bike shorts without the pad) on, and used the swim bikini top as my bra, and pulled on a wicking top.  I biked in my running shoes. I went super low cost with the first one.  For the second one, I asked for a ton of tri gear for Christmas, so I had the tri shorts, bought a wetsuit, etc.    I still have the same bike, and it works fine for now.  If I ever go toward Olympic or Half Iron, I'll get a new bike, but I dont' see the need for me to spend $ on a new bike.  

I don't know if all this helps or not!  Good luck to you and remember - HAVE FUN!  Don't sweat how long the transitions take with the first one, take your time, and finish!!  

Hi Kristy,

Your mountain bike will be perfectly fine. Its probably not worth spending the extra $40 to buy and mount new tires to save 2 minutes. Just make sure the brakes work well, the great shift and there is enough air in the tires.  I did my first tri on a mountain bike with a baby seat attachement (I had to remove it just before the race).

Plenty of ladies race in their one-piece swim suits. If you're feeling uneasy about that, you can always throw a pair of shorts and/or a T-shirt on during transition. If you find yourself getting into triathlons you may want to consider buying a pair of Tri-shorts and Tri-Top. Tri-shorts are a little like cycling shorts - snug spandex like. A Tri top is just a snug tank-top. Its all you need to swim, bike and run without changing (some ladies also need a sports bra underneath). They cost about $50 each (I've picked up some on sale at D'Ornellas in Scrborough).

The most important thing about your first triathlon is to enjoy it. We all do this for fun, so get the most fun you can out of it. smile and wave to friends (or strangers). Don't worry about finishing 51st or 55th, or even last.

Some helpful hints for those just starting out:

1. Don't forget to put on your helmet before you grab your bike.

2. No MP3 players while racing

3. Make sure you have some water on your bike and practice grabbing the bottle and drinking while cycling.

4. Get some practice swims in open water (i.e. lakes). People not used to the dark water of a lake can tense up and freak themselves out un-neccessarly.

5. Wipe your mouth and smile before you cross the finish line - most of my finish line photos have me grimacing from exhaustion or drooling.

Have fun.