Timing chip - small piece of plastic, usually accompanied by an adhesive tyvek wristband, that you'll wear throughout the race. Sensors along the course will monitor your progress and give you your split times. Just strap it on and don't give it another thought.

Body marking - After you check in there will be a group of very firendly volunteers armed with permanent black markers. They will proceed to write various numbers and notations on your arms and legs. Nothing to worry about just make sure at least some of them match your race number.

Run race number - you can either pin the number to your top or use a race belt. I'd recommend a race belt if you can find one. Usually less than $10, and it will make delaing with anumber a lot easier. You'll just come into T2 (second transition) strap it on and off you go.

If there are any other things you're unsure about, just ask those around you. Triathlons are full of people who are more than happy to answer questions.

Relax and Good Luck!

Everyone I've seen uses the velcro ankle-bracelet type thing that they give you for the timing chip. Maybe they are listing that because you don't get a velcro thing to use in your race, they might just give you a chip. You can buy a band to hold the chip at the same place you buy race belts if you think you should have your own.

As for body markings, nothing you need to bring ahead of time, unless you have lucky sharpie that you want used. :)

Buying a race belt is good advice. If you don't, you'll most likely want to bring 4 safety pins to pin the race bib to your shirt, then leave it in the transition area. That way when you get out of the water, you can slip on the shirt, and won't have to worry about pinning it during a transition. Here's 2 links to $10 belts. I'm sure there's a hundred to choose from if you look around.

http://www.tri-zone.com/Details.html?cat=103&item=TNZBT
http://www.fuelbelt.com/accessories/race.html

You will be fine. Enjoy your training.

Two questions..

First, the race starts at 8 am, so how early do I want to get there?

Second, I've been riding my husband's mountain bike to train. Obviously, I don't want to use this in the race. So would I be better off going with a tri bike, road bike, or a hybrid?

Sounds like a nice change. I'm a horseback rider (hunter/jumper) and that's a sport where everyone seems to care a little bit too much what everyone else looks like. Thanks for all the info. I want to buy a bike of my own because I would like to be able to ride with my husband when he goes out. But I'm just worried about the thin tires on the road bike, as I'm not used to that. If I really enjoy the sport, I plan on going out and buying a decent bike eventually. I love Cannondales. My long long term goal is to do a half IM before I'm 30 (I'm 25). But right now I just want something to get me through the next two years or so.

Yeah, use the mountain bike for the first race or two. The bikes at your first tri will give you more to choose from than the selection in any bike shop and you'll be better able to make a good choice when you realize what type of bike will suit your needs best.

I didn't worry about about thin tires until I got 2 flats. When I bought my bike, the LBS didn't give my the little piece of paper that explained road bike tires don't hold air like car tires. I found out when I was pulling my kid on her new trailer 4 weeks later and got a flat a few miles from home, and of course I didn't have the knowledge or tools to fix it. Talk about feeling helpless. Then I got another pinch flat a week or two later.

I wish I didn't have to take 5 minutes to put air in my tires every single day I ride, but I'm not sure a hybrid's tires are much different. A hybrid certainly isn't a mountain bike. A road or tri bike is guarenteed to make you faster, but a hybrid is guarenteed to be a little more comfy, and also less expensive.

Hmmmm good to know. Guess I better dig out that tire changing kit and figure out how to use it. The mountain bike I have is a guys bike and it really doesn't fit me at all. Anything I can do to fix this?

Dollfin, try to get everything packed up the night before. I packed the morning of and that made me run late and I was sterssed to get to registration in time and that just added to my nerves, thats not nice.

I would suggest getting out the day after the race and just taking a really really easy ride to get some of that lactic acid out of the muscles. Make sure not to overdo it though.

Other than that, you shouldn't really NEED to take a whole lot of time off, if that's what you're asking. However, mentally, it can be nice to just take some time off, and you might find you'll be able to hit it harder when you come back.

It depends on the race distance and my performance. I may swim, bike, or run the next day, but usually it will be with very little intensity. It usually takes the soreness away. After marathons I am usually shot for the next week. If I feel the need to work out I will lift light weights for reps.