I did my first tri at age 37, I was happy to finish. I am now hooked completely. I was at the end of my first race. It is a thrill. I encourage anyone to just go out and do it, ignore the tri-snobs.
Any one looking for a great entry tri, needs to save up an do the "Na Wahine" (Women Only") tri in September on Oahu, Hawaii. It is a great race - 650-700m swimm, 10-15 mile bike, and 5K run. Women only and the comradrie and encouragement is overwhelming.
One year the winner, a big time racer, won the drawing after the race for a new racing bike ($1,500), as she was being presented the bike, the announcer said "wait ladies, or final racer is about to cross the finish line" (she was well behind all others). We stopped and applauded her efforts, she was in tears...the overall winner then turned and took the microphone and said "I have a few racing bikes, you deserve this far more than I do", and gave the final racer the bike she had just won in the drawing. - that is what it is all about - I'm married to a world class "Tri - athlete" I am still an aspiring "TRY - athlete", and very contect with that -