Summarise Everything You Need to Know Before Your First Triathlon

First triathlon information comes from people who have done fifty and have forgotten what it is like not to know any of it. This covers the genuinely essential equipment, the transition mechanics that trip up nearly every first-timer, the pacing principles that prevent a sprint finish you cannot maintain, what to eat, and what the race is likely to feel like emotionally across three legs.

I am preparing for my first triathlon. The race format is {RACE_FORMAT} and the event is in {TIME_TO_RACE}.

Give me a comprehensive summary of what I need to know across:
1. **Equipment essentials**: what I genuinely need versus what is nice to have for a first race in this format
2. **The transition**: what happens in T1 and T2, the most common mistakes first-timers make, and how to set up my transition area
3. **Race day pacing**: the most important pacing principles for each leg for someone doing their first event
4. **Nutrition and hydration**: what to eat and drink before, during, and after a race of this length
5. **What to expect emotionally**: the normal experience of a first triathlon, including the parts that feel terrible and when they typically pass

Keep the summary actionable for someone with [moderate] fitness who has been training for [three months]. Skip what does not apply to this format.