Starting up!

Starting up in the sport of triathlon can be very overwhelming and expensive. Instead of focusing on one sport, such as basketball or running, you are focusing on 3, and you are paying for all 3! I will try to aid you on the essential gear for a successful triathlon and the most cost efficient method.
I will start with the first of a competition, swimming and follow in order, biking and lastly running.

Swimming:

First you need to find a pool (25 yards/25 meters/50 meters). Of course you can join any gym that has a pool, but that can be costly. Check your area for public indoor and outdoor pools. Normally they are free or cost very little for a session/day of use. Watch for the amount of ventilation they have in there. No matter what, constantly inhaling chlorinated air can't be good for your respiratory system. Try to stick with pools that aren't in a basement (just a thought from personal experience).

Essential Swim Gear: Swimsuit, goggles, swim cap, and yourself!
Swimoutlet.com has great prices. I have compared them to other online swim giants such as Keifer.com and swimoutlet seems to have the best prices. I personally feel more feminine with two-piece competitive swimwear, but whatever your preference is you can typically find a nice, cute suit for $20 on swimoutlet.com. You may have to experiment with goggles a little bit to find what works best for you. I personally used to use Nike Remora II, but I switched to AquaSphere goggles recently. They are a little more comfortable for me. You will typically spend inbetween $10-$20 on goggles. Buy a pair with tinted lenses in a smoke color. In the open water they will help protect your eyes from the sun and the reflection of the sun that hits the water. Lucky for you, you get free swim caps at races, but to get you going buy a cheap one for $2 on swimoutlet.com and you can pick the color to match your new swimsuit! ;)
Technical Swim Gear: There are so many tools out there that you can buy that will help make swimming more enjoyable, more efficient, and help you become a better swimmer. Paddles, kickboards, flippers, waterproof MP3 players, hip rotators, ear plugs, nose plugs, pull buoys, you name it or think it, its out there. These items can be costly, but can also be very helpful. If this is a sport you plan on persuing for a long time period or make it a lifestyle I highly recommend a WETSUIT!!! They are pricy, but essential if this is something you are taking seriously. First of all, they keep you warm in colder water. The cut off is 78 degrees F. If the water is any cooler than that, you can wear one. Trust me, they help and you become more buoyant. Swimming becomes easier and your times are better with a wetsuit (most of the time). I got a $525 wetsuit at trisports.com this time of the year for $350. It was a more pricier wetsuit, but you pay for what you get. Do your research and compare prices and deals. If you need help, let me know.


Biking:

Essential Biking Gear: Bike, Helmet, and Sunglasses.
Bike: You can ride any bike you want as long as its safe and it doesn't have a motor. I've seen people riding their good ole' BMX bike and lets just say they came in near dead last on the bike. Whatever it is, have fun doing it. I'm sure you're BMX bike will make for an interesting story and a good laugh, just remember your biking etiquette. I would recommend a road bike or tri bike. Many people also use hybrids.
Helmet: Okay, so this might be the only thing I will say chuck out whatever amount need to keep you safe. A HELMET!!! If the event is USAT sanctioned, you MUST wear a helmet or you will be disqualified. All that hard training for nothing. And if it's not USAT sanctioned, guess what? You are still going to be required to wear one. And it has to be buckled to be on your seat or instant DQ. Protect your noggin spend money on the best and protect yourself from injury. Think of all the money you can save by not having medical bills from falling off your bike(yes, it will happen to you.)
Sunglasses: Get yourself some sunglasses. Yeah, they will protect your eyes from the sun, but they are also going to protect your eyes from bugs and rock flying up from cars and hitting you in the face. If you ride enough rock debris from a car passing you entirly too fast will hit you. So get yourself a good pair of sunglasses, it will be worth it. Just for a little laugh, I'm pretty sure I wore my Chanel sunglasses in my first triathlon, whatever works, even if you look like a diva! ;)

Lets talk about the bike...

Alright, you want to talk about charging up your credit card or spending a chunk of your savings, well here ya go. Think about what you specifically need before racking up the bill on a bike. There are a lot of options. First of all I want you to get fit for a bike. They will give you all the dimensions you need to finding a bike. You can't just get any ole' bike, it needs to fit you properly for you to be comfortable. You wouldn't go out and buy a pair of shoes that didn't fit your feet, same with a bike. MAKE SURE IT FITS!

Option #1: "I just want to try a tri."
This is great that you want to try but you don't know if you want to spend a ton of money on something you don't even know if you'll like. I get it. If it is a short distance tri, break out the old bike from mom and dad's and suck it up. You might get passed by a lot of people that look way more out of shape than you, but you'll still have fun and it will give you the experience you need to determine if this is something you want to continue to pursue.
You can borrow or rent. Ask a friend to borrow. Or bike shops all over the U.S. will rent a bike to you. Check out your local bike shops for details.

Option #2: "This is a sport I want to continue but I don't want to spend a ton of money and I want my bike to be a little more functional."
So you are offically at triathlete and you are addicted and you don't even know it. I started with a road bike so if this is you, I recommend that. You can go to trek or a bike shop and buy a road bike. They can be very expensive but here are some other options. Go to craigslist.com. Look at the most active cities or big cities (Minneapolis, Madison, Milwaukee, Chicago, New York, LA). You've got the picture. Search for road bikes find one that fits you.
Check out bikesdirect.com. They have women specific designed bikes made just for us. Their prices are really nice and the quality of the bike is pretty good too. Easily spend under $1,000 on a bike!

Option #3: "I love this sport and I want the best, I'll suck up the costs!"
If you have made triathlon a lifestyle then you are going to want the best. But...the best is going to cost you. Switching to a more efficient bike can create an instant increase in performance by 20-30% without even breaking a sweat. You are probably going to want to invest in a tri bike. They are the most aerodynamic, lightest, "fastest", and most effiecient. I would say on average you would be spending $1500-$9000.
Google tri bikes to check out the latest. I have a Cervelo P2C, several Ironmans have been won riding this bike so I figured I better research it and test it out. It's a great bike and reasonably priced for what you get. Most importantly, make sure it fits and make sure you love it because you will spend a lot of time on it.

Other Bike Items (worth your money): Cycling shorts/top, shoes, and computer.
Cycling shorts/top: This will help your tush! Personally, just get some tri shorts with padding and then you can wear it in a triathlon. Get a top that is of course tight fitting. They are made from synthetic fibers that will wick away sweat and air out quickly. Also they are normally form fitting to remove any flapping in the wind or remove possible dangers of clothing getting stuck on the bike.
Shoes: Cycling shoes are stiff and you clip them into the pedals so you eliminate wasting energy. You will be able to spin more efficiently by pulling and pushing. You have to make sure you get the right pedal for your shoes so research it and have it properly installed. NOTE: Make sure you are taught how to "clip out." The whole concept of being clipped in is scary. Just learn and practice often. You are going to fall at times because you are clipped in and most of the time it will be a stupid mistake on your behalf. Don't worry, I fall at huge intersections ALL the time. I can probably even teach your great techniques for catching yourself! ;)
Computer: This is a relatively inexpensive item that is placed on your handle bars. This will tell you your speed, distance, time, and more. You can install them yourself, but if you buy one from a bike shop they will normall attach it at no additional cost.

Bells and Whistles: I don't even know where to begin on all the gadgets you can buy for your bike. You can drop more money by making your more aerodynamic on wheels, cranks, stems, different helmets, every aspect of your bike can be tweeked. Wheels and cranks can cost you THOUSANDS of dollars.


Running:

One of the nicest things about running is the gear requirment is minimal and you can typically go anytime anywhere. Even if you are on vacation, all you need to pack is your running shoes and a ragged t-shirt and shorts. Running is SIMPLE!

Essential Running Gear: Shoes
Isn't this great...only 1 item? So invest in a good pair of shoes, if you don't you will probably be in pain. Normally a good pair of shoes is going to cost you around $100. If you live in Springfield, Illinois, you can receive special treatment at The Running Center. My friend Derrick owns The Running Center and he and his team will gladly help you find the right shoe for you by examining your feet and by the goals you have set for yourself.

Technical Running Gear: Race belt, Running Hat, and Speed Laces.
Race Belt: You will be given safety pins along with your race number to attach to your shirt to throw on before your run. However, if you get a race belt its an easy snap as you are running out of transition. Most races require that your number is facing the front during the run. A race belt will help with a much speedier transition time.
Running Hat: This will help keep the sun and sweat out of your eyes. Get a hat/visor with wicking fabric. I LOVE LOVE LOVE Headsweats. They are amazing! Honestly.
Speed Laces: You are going to spend a lot of time tying your shoe laces without speed laces. They are a stretchy elastic rope with a plastic device used to hold it down. You can stand to put these suckers on since typically you are off balance either coming out of the water or off the bike.

I hope this helps you beginners. Don't get overwhelmed, please. It'll all come together. Again ask questions and I will address them!