I don't have anything to add about pre-race prep, but I do advise you to try to get on a team for logistical reasons if nothing else. It sounds like you live in the Beaumont-Orange area; if so, we're relatively close. If you check out the TXBRA schedule, you'll notice that the farthest-east races they list are in Katy, and the preponderance of doable ones are in the Austin and San Antonio areas. Being on a Houston-based team would enable you to carpool and share hotel expenses, and have some support once at the race. This is my first year racing; I decided to do it unattached and found that having to budget ~$300/weekend for a race put a serious crimp in my style. Being on a team would take a big chunk out of that expense. Note that a lot of folks on this forum live on the West Coast, and their problem is apparently figuring out which race within easy driving distance to do each weekend.