triathaloners? Wanting to give it a try

avafrisbee

Is there any triathaloners out there willing to give some info? I ran a marathon in 2007 and I am finding it hard to get back into long distance running so I thought maybe if I changed it up a bit and went for a triathalon. So some questions:

What kind of bike do I need vs. what kind of bike can I get away with (budget is an issue here)
what is your training schedule like?
any books on the topic you can recommend? (marathon training for dummies really got me on track for the marathon)
what clothes do I need? Specific swim suits, biking shoes, running shoes, etc. Can I bike and run in the same shoes? Is this even a good idea?

ANY ADVICE WELCOME! How to start, how to train in bad weather, tricks you learned, staying hydrated, bla bla bla, no matter how basic it may seem, it will be helpful I know.

avafrisbee

bump