Any triathletes with advice/encouragement?

So I'm doing my first triathlon on May 11th...Mother's Day!  It's my gift to myself.  I'm excited and getting a little nervous.  I'm nervous about the transitions and also about the bike portion since I've mostly been training in spin class and not out on the road. 

Anyone have any words of wisdom for me?  Any items other than the obvious (shoes, bike, helmet, swim cap) that I really shouldn't go without on that day??

Oh, it's a reverse sprint triathlon, so nothing crazy yet.  5k run, 20k bike, 400m swim.

A bucket...flip it over and sit on it if you are changing shoes for run/bike, or just to keep your stuff in. 

Put your helmet on your bike seat so that you don't forget to put it on (this is surprisingly easy to do!).

Since the swim is last, you won't have to worry about drying your feet off, which is nice.

Just have fun with it! Good luck!

Anne

Lay out your transition area in your living room ahead of time and practice.  It's also a good way to make sure you have everything you need when you get to the race.

Hey, good ideas.  I'll go look for a bucket.  And I like the idea of practicing the transitions.  Thanks!!

Make sure you know where you put your bike! It sounds funny, but when you're in a hurry and there are lots of other bikes lined up in rows, its easy to forget where it is. Have a bright towel to stand on when you change your shoes and make sure you can see it as you come in from the run. Or put your husband in a bright shirt, make him stand by your bike and wave.

The reverse order sounds like it makes for easier transitions. Good luck and have lots of fun.

definitely practice your transitions. it will make you more confident on race day.

if you've been doing spin class, you shoudl do well on teh bike. I found that spin class made my outdoor rides sooo much easier!

but most important, Have fun and prepare to be addicted!

Thanks everyone!  I'm so ready to do this.  1 week left!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  :)

Stop drinking about 2 1/2 hours before you start your race.  The last thing you want during a sprint is to have to go to the porta-potty!

Have a bottle of water (plain water) at your transition spot and take a gulp or two when you transition. 

Make sure you're really well hydrated by drinking lots of water in the days leading up to the race.  The day before, late afternoon, drink a bottle of Gatorade to replenish some of the minerals you've flushed from your system from drinking so much. 

Two and three days before you race, carb-up by taking in some carbs at every meal (oatmeal, brown rice, quinoa, etc.).  There's little point in carb-loading the day before your race, as your glycogen stores will already have been established.

Although sprints don't last very long, they're definitely intense, so make sure you're rested the week leading up to the race.

Are you tapering?  Tapering allows your body to wind down without losing it's ability to perform.  You want to do short bursts of activity so that your body knows that it's not in vacation mode.

My dear, you are going to have SUCH a good time!  The atmosphere at triathlons is very, very special!  Foot races, swim races and bike races can't compare; it's just not the same. 

Like ktcort said, prepare to become addicted!!!