yes, nylon gear 225's will work just fine for starting out.

I attended my first race about 3 months after I first flew a trainer on a buddy box, so it is not unheard of...

Midaired in my second heat, and have been hooked ever since...

The trick is, find some racers near you, and LISTEN to them, they will be happy to help you get started. Its a bit of a learning curve, but not bad if you have people that can help you.