IronMan 70.3 new to TRI

1. Register for a race

2. Pick a training plan

3. Go

In reference to your first question..you should study how the transitions are setup and get used to executing swim > bike and bike > run transitions.

check this BT page out:

http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/cms/article-detail.asp?articleid=1488

I would set up a fake tri for yourself (or 2) and run through it. You don't have to do a whole tri, just exit the swim, and transition to the bike, bike around the block and transition to the run.

If you want to do something more fancy, be my guest.

Get used to all the gear of course prior to the race, that means use your tri outfit, your googles, and whatever else you plan on racing with. Nothing New On Race Day.

HIM nutrition and hydration is important, you will want to get that down in your long practice bike and run, and stick with a plan for the race.  If you don't focus on eating and drinking during the bike, you will suffer on the run.

as the other person said, get registered, get a plan and go.

also be sure to eat good, get enough sleep and don't kill yourself training...staying healthy is part of the trick too.

Three things that got me when I tried your approach (had only one sprint tri under my belt when I went for two HIMs):

1.) OWS - Not only is open water swimming a different animal from pool swimming, mass swim starts are yet another animal from an OWS by yourself or with a couple friends. Plan to hang back and let the crowd thin out during the swim. 15 seconds or so won't kill you if your goal is to finish and could make all the difference in a successful swim.

2.) NUTRITION. NAIL IT DOWN. Whatever you're eating, it's probably not enough.

3.) PACING. NAIL IT DOWN. However slow you're going, it's probably too fast, especially on the bike.

Otherwise, HAVE FUN! HIM is my favorite distance right now.

a classic on swim training...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3S0wu4Zbfk

My first triathlon ever was IM 70.3 Hawaii last year. I made a multitude of mistakes but still managed to finish it in 6 hours. So, making your tri debut in a race like that is possible, but I had a few things going for me.

1.) Running experience. I had run marathons before and knew what it was to suffer and overcome. Being able to run only a half marathon would not have been enough for me, beacause you just don't hit the wall there like you do in a full marathon and will in a HIM. Having run marathons, I knew the importance of in-race nutrition and the timing aspect of it. As such, I knew going in exactly what my body should be able to handle on the run leg.

2.) Lots of riding in training. Even though I had never competitively raced on a bike before, I prioritized making sure that I could ride up and over the 56 mile distance in training. It was here I tried experimenting with different foods and made sure I my stomach would not reject anything.

3.) Doing bricks. You need to do these. Try and simulate the actual race distances if you can a month or so out. Perhaps the food you take in on your stand-alone runs works just fine, but when you get to the race you'll find that your GI tract just isn't having any of it. Race simulations will give you a chance to know for sure that your bike nutrition is solid and that whatever gels or food you bring to run are going to work for you.

I would focus on making yourself suffer in training. Get an idea for what it's like for your body to want to you to throw in the towel. It's at that point you need to use your mental will to keep the body going. Also, your regular diet and nutrition is important, but I cannot stress enough how important it is to focus on your in-race nutrition. This is one of the areas I had to learn the hard way. I did not drink often enough on the bike and at about 50 miles I suffered a major cramp. I had plenty of electrolyte fluid, problem was I wasn't drinking enough of it. Also, I just felt dead on the run despite having plenty of gels with me and grabbing every flat coke I could at the aid stations. I definitely could have eaten more on the bike.

Finally, a friend is sort of mentoring me in my swimming for my first full Ironman later this year, but it also applies to HIMs. Focus on your form and being comfortable in the water. Get in as many open water swims as is feasible, and swim the full distance without stopping if you can until you're certain that you could do it blind. Prepare to spend a lot of time in the pool. Once a week is not going to cut it. I know this from experience. I swam about that much last year, and I just felt like a ton of lead trying to tread water during the swim.