Ten Tips for the Amateur Triathlete

10. Buy a swimsuit that you can run in. The last thing you want to deal with is a sports bra that will soak up water and make your boobs feel like lead weights. If you find a swimsuit that's comfortable and also has enough support to hold the girls in whilst running, stick with it.

9. Believe it or not, running in water (unless it's below your knees) is not faster than swimming. Once I was in a race where the girl next to me decided to stand up in the thigh-deep water and start running to the finish, whereas I chose to preserve my leg strength for the bike ride and kept swimming. I monitored her progress as I turned my head to breathe, and she and I stayed neck-and-neck until I stood up a few minutes later. So unless you absolutely abhor swimming and want it over with as soon as possible, I would recommend swimming as soon as possible after you start and as long as possible before it gets too shallow. You'll save leg strength and not go any slower than the runners-in-water.

8. (ANOTHER swimming tip??) On the swim, find someone in front of you, position yourself directly behind them, and stay there. This is called "drafting"--using another person's air or water flow to your advantage to "pull" you along. In cycling it's illegal and most races will have Draft Marshalls on the route ready to arrest you or push you off your bike if you draft (just kidding, of course. But you will get a warning or time added to your bike split). In swimming, it's perfectly legal and even encouraged to draft. And if your "draftee" swims too fast and you can't keep up, find another one. If you're faster than your draftee, pass him/her and find another one. It's worth it.

7. Drink lots of water (and gatorade too, if you can swing it) while on your bike ride. I know, reaching down for the bottle can disrupt your rythmn, or you may not feel you have the energy to let go of the handlbars at all. Do it anyway, because the more you drink on the bike, the less you'll feel like passing out on the run.

6. Eat a big carb meal both the night before the race and the night before that. All those extra carbs will be coupled with the fact that they have no outlet because you've been resting your body for two days before the race. By the time the race begins you'll literally be vibrating with energy.

5. Whatever you eat the morning of the race, make sure it's the three Ms--Mild (nothing too crazy or eccentric), Moderate (don't eat too much), and Me-Tested (you're familiar with how your body reacts to it). Race Morning is no time to try that fancy new flavor of Gu gel or to see what kind of boost you can get from the product sample you found in your goody bag. I eat the same exact thing before every race--a bagel and a banana--and it's never failed me.

4. Learn the difference between "Hydrated Pee" and "Adrenaline Pee". Hydrated Pee is when you're sufficiently hydrated to the point where you legitimately have to pee. I usually pee at least twice before a race for this reason. Adrenaline Pee is when you're so psyched for the beginning of the race that you feel like you need to pee. The big mistake here is to run off to the port-a-potty and risk missing the start of your race, or at least missing out on those few minutes right before your start where you can stop, look around, soak in the energy of the day, and enjoy it. If you just peed, the race is nearing time to start and you feel the urge again, it's probably just adrenaline.

3. Have all your stuff laid out beforehand in the transition area. Put your helmet right where you can grab it, shoes and socks easily accessible (shoes opened up and ready to slide your foot in), your shirt with number attached (or number clip-belt thingy) laid out, etc. etc. Basically, after climbing out of the water, the last thing you want to do is rummage through your bag looking for your left sock, or dig under your shorts and shirt to find the towel you're using to wipe off your feet. Walk yourself through the transition beforehand and put everything in its place.

2. If you're not about to have a heart attack and/or you're not completely out of breath, try to say "thank you" to the people who hand out water, gels, gatorade, or medals or the people who flag, direct, cheer, etc. Most of these people are volunteers, and just like their presence keeps you motivated, your smile or "thank you" makes their experience enjoyable too.

1. Have fun! Salute the crowd. Pump your fists in the air when you cross the finish line. Give a thumbs up to the photographer. Say something funny as you pass some spectators. High five a child as you run past. Give a "keep it up, you're doing great" to a cyclist you pass. Pour a water over your head. You'll probably have the chance to do most of these things during the course of a race, and this is what makes it worthwhile. On a similar note, don't worry about your final time. Soak in the sights and sounds of the day and take those with you when you drive home, not the number on your watch.