Memphis in May Triathlon

I first started this blog to keep track of all the adventurous things I do and/or want to accomplish. However, it's turned into a series of random stories from my everyday life. I'd like to get back to the original basis for my blog. Here's what's next...
On May 17 I am doing the longest triathlon I've ever competed in. This is nothing to get excited about since I've only done 2 triathlons EVER. I will be swimming .95 miles, biking 23 miles and running 6.2 miles. Swimming is definitely my weakest category, followed by the bike, and my strongest category is running. Unfortunately I tire myself out so badly on swimming and biking that by the time I get to my best event, it feels like my worst. You shouldn't feel like you're in survival mode during these events. The main principle of triathlons is all about efficiency. If you're not an efficient swimmer, you'll be fatigued during the bike, and if you're fatigued on the bike and you're not an efficient biker, you're doomed in the run. Since I decided to compete in triathlons back in January, efficiency has been a constant struggle with me. I'm finally up to where I can swim 1800 yards straight in the pool . This has been the largest obsticle for me to overcome. However, most triathlons involve an open water swim with several hundred participants and in this particular triathlon in may, 1700 people in the water! It quickly becomes a full contact sport. .If you don't have an efficient stroke already, trying to navigate an open water swim, weave in and out of people, and take kicks to the face, you're going to struggle. My bike riding is coming along pretty good. I'm trying to average over 20mph for however long i'm riding. I'm beginning to develop some lower back problems which is greatly hurting my ability to bike long distances and run directly afterwards. Last night I ran 10.5 miles in 76 minutes and it felt pretty good. I definitely could've gone faster. This will be a tough week of training and next week i'll taper off and rest for the race.