My first triathlon

I was worried about transision for my first triathlon - these were good tips I got from seasoned pros as this is where you lose minutes that you have trained hard to gain:

Write down what you need in your transition bag, then reveiw it a few hours later for stuff you have forgotten. Keep everything to a minimum.

Plan your transision and go over it again and again in your head. Stuff like taking off your cap/goggles can be done while running to T1 changing, and again putting on your helmet when you are running to your bike.

When in T2 you will be more tired so take a moment to gather your thoughts and mentally get in the right frame for the run. I did this after dismounting as it was quite a long run to the bike racks. I walked briskly instead.

Dont forget to hydrate as often as you have done during training. Even in a sprint, have some nutrition/calories during your cycle as you will be energy "ready" for the run.

Practice mounting and dismounting your bike.

Lastly, remember you are doing a triathlon for enjoyment. If you are a long distance runner though you should be fine!

Ahh... Something I actually know something about as a life-long competitive distance swimmer. Here's the best tip I can give you: 80% of the oxygen used when swimming is spent on kicking. You'll notice when you watch Olympic distance swimmers (or elite open water swimmers)... most of them at least, that they typically have a "2 beat kick". This means that they kick twice for every rotation of both arms. For example, it would go ::stroke:: kick :: stroke:: kick, etc. If you watch sprinters, they'll have a "6 beat kick". This means they kick 6 or more times for every rotation of both arms.

In short, by kicking easily and less frequently, not only are you saving your legs for the bike and run, but also preserving oxygen and energy. Good luck!