[Laneco]

Congratulations with regard to your daughter - good on ya!!!

This is a real short tri, in addition to everything else, work on your transitions. The bike to run transition can stomp you really bad if you have pushed hard on the bike. You get a phenomenon called "bicycle legs" and find yourself "noodling along" for about a half mile. Practice that transition especially.

P90X is awesome. When you're done having your ass kicked by that, get Insanity and let Shawn T. whup whatever remains of your ass. That said, nothing will prepare you to swim/ride/run, like those specific events. So you gain your strength, especially the critical core strength, but without technique the other three fall out. I pass guys who are in great shape all the time when I'm riding - they're like "wtf mate - some fat old lady just rode past me..." Technique is huge. Find cyclists and ride with them.

Mountain or road tri? That makes a difference both for equipment and training. A ten mile road tri-bike is a red-line time trial. A ten mile MTB tri is usually a series of past-the-redline sprints while trying not to ride into a tree (skill when tired is hugely important here).

As far as how you finish - I say train hard and swim/ride/run your hiney off as long as you have fun in the process! Don't worry about the finish placing, whatever it is - it is.

angela