Membership

To join Team BEAST, you need only fill out an application at the Burlington Community YMCA/YWCA (2410 Mt. Pleasant St., Burlington, IA  62601). The cost is $90 per year, payable in two installments of $45 each due on April 1 and October 1. It is not necessary to become a member of the YMCA. However, many BEAST members do join the YMCA to use their pool, their bikes for spinning classes, treadmills for running, and the cardio/weight room.


Club members receive a free Team BEAST t-shirt and a $15 gift certificate to Running Wild in Burlington and Coralville, Iowa, In addition, there are many other discounts or special services from our local sponsors that are only available for BEAST members. Periodically Team BEAST orders shirts, bike and triathlon jerseys and shorts made for purchase. There are a variety of items to choose from and they all look great!

For many, the greatest benefit is the training opportunities available. You can receive as much training advice as you like, including in-depth guidance on how to do your first triathlon, or how to improve your triathlon skills. Highly skilled USAT-certified coaches will teach you how to swim, how to run, and how to bike, something you could go pay hundreds of dollars for at a camp. They will lead you through a triathlon plan to help you succeed, no matter what your starting level is. You can get advice on what kind of clothing, bike, shoes, or accessories to buy. Clinics are run regularly on all aspects of the sport. On the other hand, if you're a fairly seasoned athlete who needs little guidance and you just want people to train and go to races with, you'll find them here. Just want to bike and find some friends to do RAGBRAI with? You'll find them here as well! There is something for everyone who enjoys biking, running, or swimming.

While the coaches and the training they provide is a fantastic benefit, the instant friendships you gain by joining a group of fun and welcoming fellow athletes is most important of all. We're all about fun and socializing, including monthly dinners and picnics and hayrack rides. We often go as a group to races, encouraging each other and having a great time. On New Year's Day, some riders will join Bike Burlington for a bike ride, followed by pizza. We also ride with them on their Wednesday Night Dinner Rides. On Sundays after our run, we chow down on blueberry pancakes at Aunt Bea's. (Eating is an integral part of being a BEAST!) That's just a sampling of what we offer! There is much, much more!

An added bonus is that paid members have access to our Team BEAST Yahoo Group web site, where you find specialized training information, a calendar of Team BEAST happenings, member photos and the membership roster. And there is the forum for posting messages, which is usually quite active. It can get pretty humorous at times!