If you're a newbie, then you are probably wondering if you should have a tri bike or not.

My story goes as follows...

I was a runner who got into cycling, and eventually took up the sport of triathlon. By the time I got to doing triathlons, I already had a road bike. The big question was: Should I get a triathlon-specific bike to train and compete in triathlons?

Here are some things you might want to consider.

Trust me, when Christmas rolls around or a birthday, a triathlete will be thrilled to receive a triathlon-related gift.

You don’t necessarily need to wait for a special occasion. Show a little love to the triathlete in your life by surprising them with a special tri surprise.

Let me give you some ideas on picking out the perfect triathlon gift.

Every now and then I plan to share the stories of other triathletes, ranging from newbies to seasoned veterans.

Diane is a newbie triathlete, and I asked her a few questions about getting into the sport of triathlon and how she is dealing with her swimming phobia.

Sometimes my 9-year-old daughter Jessica will give me her 5-word lecture on the way it is. She says, “Dad, girls rule, boys drool.”

In many ways this applies to the sport of triathlon. Some of the most successful triathletes in the world are women, and women are fueling the growth of the sport of triathlon. It’s likely that the 2008 Summer Olympics will spark more interest.

There are an increasing number of triathlon resources just for women. To get you started, take some time and explore the following areas:

I just returned home from a triathlon trip; I competed in an Olympic distance triathlon a few hours from where I live.

With it fresh in my mind, what follows are some tips regarding race day of your triathlon, including what to pack and how to prepare the night before the event.

You probably need a line-item in your personal budget for triathlon.

The financial investment in tri gear, events, nutrition, and an endless list of other things definitely adds up.

A person could easily spend in the thousands of dollars for a year of training and competing in triathlons.

What follows are some ideas on cutting tri costs.

Last night, the NBC coverage of the Olympics had a piece about what USA swimmer phenom, Michael Phelps, eats in a day.

Answer: about anything he can get into his mouth in the largest quantities possible.

He spends a minimum of 5 hours every day training, and it takes a tremendous amount of carbs and calories to keep up.

One article states that Phelps’ “secret” is eating lots of pasta and pizza. This alone could be enough of a motivation for people to take up the sport of triathlon -- the reward of eating whatever you want, as often as you want.

But before you go down that road, I’d encourage you to take some time and investigate the specifics of a sound triathlon nutrition plan. If you are a newcomer to triathlons, this may involve a major diet overhaul.