First Triathlon

What about doing a mini-sprint first to get your feet wet, so to speak?  GJCC (www.team-magic.com) is Memorial Day weekend.  Something like a 200 yd pool swim, 8 mile bike and a 2 mile run.

Practice your transitions.  Set up your transition area in your driveway or at the edge of your garage or somewhere about 25 to 30 yards from the street.  Run around your house barefooted to simulate the run from the pool.  Put on your bike shoes and run with your bike to the street.  Look both ways and practice mounting.  Ride down the street and come back simulating getting off your bike at the entrance to T2.  Dismount, run with your bike back to your transition area and change into your running shoes, put on your race belt while running out, etc.

Do this for 30 minutes to 45 minutes once a week in the month or six weeks so leading up to your race.

My two cents worth.

Get acclimated with the heat if you are doing the Music City triathlon.  It was hotter than Hades last year.  When we got in the car to drive home after the race, the car thermometer read 105!

Hey I live in cookeville too. My first open water was the music city olympic. I did my open water swimming at dale hollow. I just did a couple of swims to get use to the feeling. I spend a lot of time at the lake so open water doesn't bother me. I also recommend doing a mini sprint first, just for the experience alone. Plus mini sprints are fun, you can go all out and the distance isn't that far.

Just want to reiterate what chenny said.  I did the Olympic last year and way underestimated the effect of the current.  I made the swim much longer than 1.5k.

Last year it was also very hot (mid to upper 90's).  Get some hill work on both the bike and the run.  Having Ellington Parkway closed to traffic was really nice.

Have fun!