Your first sprint tri is probably better off in the clips and straps, even with running shoes. It's not long enough to really put the feet to sleep, so once you get going, cinch down the straps and get moving. [You'll feel clumsy enough as it is, the first time. Yeah, just like, uh,.... that....

After that, you may want to practice transitions and increase your riding speed, until you think the extra speed is enough to offset the extra transition time.

Knowing I won't win, I bring a milk crate, sit on it, put on my bike shoes with focus and purpose, not anxiety, and go ride, then come back, leave the shoes on the clips, and sit again to pull on running shoes with elastic laces, and off I go again.

The really competitive guys keep their shoes on the bike, wipe off their feet, and take off, put their feet in the shoes once they get going, and then leave them on the bike, pull on running shoes and go. They practice a lot.

For longer legs, like Olympic Distance and Half-Ironman, you're going to be riding quite a while and running quite a while, so don't worry too much about transition.

If you do it right, you'll be hooked...another thing it shares with, er, that....