newbie running question

Don't worry about it too much...it's only 3 miles. It doesn't matter about the speed or the type of terrain as long as you can run/walk for a few miles, you'll be okay. Heck, when I did my first 10K--soooo long ago--I had never run more than 2 or 3 Kms! Once you get to the tri, your adrenaline will kick in and you will find that your biggest concern will be not allowing yourself to go too fast...to pace yourself.

I have no real knowledge for you because I am in the exact same boat as you! I find running so hard compared to biking or swimming and I am training for my first tri (a sprint - the Danskin in Denver). I will share some of my thoughts however...
I used to be hung-up on my speed/pace and then I wrote down different "scenarios" for me like running 3 miles in 36min vs 33 min vs 30 minutes. There's not really a whole lot of time difference here but for me, I work hard to maintain a 10 minute mile while a 12 minute mile is quite easy I feel I could run a long time at the slower pace. Perhaps at the running portion of my tri I will be so tired that all I can manage is a 12 min mile - I don't know. For these reasons, I figured that I would work on my endurance rather than speed. I added some longer runs (60-75 minutes) at slower speed (12 min mile) to my training. I felt as if I were "cheating" somehow because they were very easy, they just took a long time. Well, this week I tried my first brick. I took a spinning class and then hopped on the treadmill. I started at 12 min mile and kept it at that for several minutes. Then I upped my pace a little at a time. I ended up running 2 miles and the last half mile or more was at a 9:30 pace (which I NEVER do)!
Bottom line: I have decided that there is a place in my workouts for long slow runs and that they will benefit my speed and endurance. The proof will be seen in July I guess!
Best of luck to you!

thanks for your advice! that's really encouraging. and good luck in denver! i'll post something to let you know how it goes in austin!

ddavid- your race in Austin? Is that Austin Texas? Do you know where it will be? The reason I ask is there is one spot called Townlake, which is relatively flat with only minor undulations. If that is where the race is, train for a relatively flat run. However..., there are a couple lakes in and around Austin absolutely surrounded by hills. If you tell me what body of water you will be swiming in, I can give you some more info.

In the Texas State Tri a month ago, many Austin people did well and filled up the front page of times as the race was in the Texas hill country - The Austinites had a distinct advantage as Austin is hilly, While San Antonio is flat.

the austin race is at walter e. long park on decker lake. i've heard the bike course has 5 hills (yikes!), but i'm not sure what to expect from the run.