kure beach for first tri

I too am thinking of signing up for this event. My first tri is in a few weeks, the azalea festival tri, which is a pool swim. Although I don't know of open water swimming locations near you, the Kure beach tri is open water and oceanfront. I've heard that the tough part is running along the sand especially the second time around.  Maybe we can get more input from experienced folks out there?
Joanne

Ok here is a small run down for Kure Beach

1) Swim (ocean swim) walk about 20 feet away from the start with everyone and swim. No need to fight and get kicked or punch trying to get to the first bouy turn around.

2) Coming back into shore  use the wave to kinda of body surf back in and save the energy of fighting to swim

3) Pick shoes up in T1 at the beach and run to the road and wash your feet in the kiddy pool and put your shoes on and run. start drinking fluids or take a Gel. HOT HOT day and you will thank me.
 
4) Bike course fairly easy  two loops closed of road Nothing special
5) Run back  and take Caffine Gel for a last boost od enegry.
6) Get to T4 on the Beacxh take off shoes before getting on sand and start to run striaght to hard packed sand by the water and run along till you back at the swim start.
7)  take a moment and start diving under the wave and then make a left  turn  at the first bouy and swim home.
8) MAKE SURE you have sun block on. There is NO SHADE to sit under at the  finish or where they hand out food and drinks and annouce winners. So make sure you  wearing a hat

9) Get there early in the moring and park on the run course and then set up your bike and helmet and shoes in T2 and once thats done walk down to the beach and get marked and your chip. REMEBER your running shoes and goggles and cap and some water. YOU do not want to walk back and forth.

Hope it helps  

Kure is a real fun race. For being one of your first tris the separate transition areas make it slightly more complicated to get set-up but just think through what you'll need at T1 and T2 and you'll be fine.  Each leg of the run is only 1.5 miles so most people keep a fast pace.  The 2nd run does get real hot so diving into the ocean for the 2nd swim leg feels great.

Normally the 1st swim leg (since it's early morning) has little to no waves to fight through to get past the break but by the time you come around for the 2nd swim leg the waves have picked up. The waves combined with tiredness make that 2nd swim more difficult. Duck diving will help get out the 2nd time around.

Are you familiar with swimming in the ocean, getting through the breakers? If not, get out there and do some practice. Myself, having grown up in Kansas, it was not a good idea for my first ocean swim to be when the horn went off for the race.

Otherwise, this is a fun race. As mentioned by someone else, there are two transition areas, so be prepared for that. One time I did the bike segment with toe clips so I wouldn't have to change shoes twice. Not sure if that helped or not.

The second run always seems to be very hot. Be prepared for that.

Enjoy the day, smile, thank the volunteers.

thanks for all the replies and advise, i like the bucket idea too keep sand out of shoes. as for getting through breakers is it best to run in so far then dive through a big one and begin to swim? i get the idea of staying away from main pack to avoid hitting and kicking. thanks again keep comments coming if you want to. update training is going well. road bike twice this past week and ran twice. yesterday did a total of 5 miles in an hr the first 2.5 i did in 25 min, not bad for me.