19 Days

19 long days before the start of my first Ironman

Im going to be completely honest: I'm crapping my pants.  I never thought this day would arrive.  A year long's worth of ups and downs and the day is so close i can taste it on the edge of my lips.  

My friend is gracious enough to let me stay in her room during part of my stay.  That's such a big help especially to help my body get acclimatized to the weather.  I don't know what to expect but Im doing research and will survey the environment when i arrive.

Here's a brief glimpse of what triathletes go through in order to get ready for one of these races.  IT's not just a sport it's a way of life.  And a motivational vid along to boot!

back to training!

76 miles to ice cream Heaven

My buddy Mitchell and I went on a 76 mile bike ride for the coveted Three Rivers Ice cream.  We went from Visalia, CA to Three Rivers, CA. I brought two homemade bean and cheese burritos, a nutrigrain bar, a balance bar and some water for this trip.  The ride was flat for about the first hour and then once we got close to Lake Kaweah, the hills showed their faces.  Starting off small and then progressively getting larger as we hit the lake and went past it.

We jumped in the chilly lake for a little bit and had a lady take a picture of us.  Some kid wouldn't stop making obnoxiously loud and funny fart noises on the lake and it was funny seeing other people jump into the freezing cold lake with us.  Then we finally made it to the ice cream shop and it was CLOSED! We were a little upset but it wasn't that big of a deal. Then the owner came outside and invited us in.  I was full of joy.  I ended up getting some delicious-ass orange sherbert and strawberry ice cream while Mitch settled for the butterfinger.

On the way back to Visalia, it seemed like the hills never stopped.   Once we hit the flat stretch home, I started getting immensely sleepy and kind of delirious.  A dog was about an inch from biting Mitch's leg off and I could not stop laughing uncontrollably.  The whole ride ended up taking 6:15 give or take 30-45 due to jumping in the lake and stopping for ice cream. Here are some pictures from the ride.

Here are shots of Lake Kaweah.

This was take 15, it takes an enormous amount of skill to do this on first try hahah

And to the victors go the spoils.

*Update: I found out that the ice cream place we went to was NOT the world famous ice cream place so we will have to do the ride again soon! 

*Update: Dejch's comment reminded me that I had drank copious amounts of alcohol the night before and at 8 am the ride was up in the air.  But I powered through and made it to the holy land of ice cream!  Never drinking ANYTHING ALCOHOLIC before a ride like that.

motivate and inspire

Here's whats motivating me right now. Always be on the look out for inspiration, it can be anywhere.

Roll one up

Meet your new best friend:

The foam roller! ALL athletes need to utilize this tool.  Foam rolling (also known as Self-myofascial Release) helps relieve those trigger points or "knots" in your muscles.  This is essentially a form of self massage and the video below gives a good foundation of starter exercises with a foam roller.

To use these things, roll a muscle such as your quadriceps using your body weight.  Once you find a painful spot, roll back and forth SLOWLY for about 30-60 seconds until you feel less or no pain in that spot.  Then move onto the next spindle.

Another reason they're great:
Affordability.  Foam rollers cost ~$20 and have a lifespan of about a year with everyday use.  Compared to a $60 PER HOUR massage from a massage therapist, it is a great deal.  And if you're really in the deep, like me, get one of these:

I got one at Walmart for $6.  They hurt like hell for the first month but nothing releases those trigger points like a good, old rolling pin.  I can't get a good massage through the foam roller anymore!

And as I stated above, here is a video of a couple ways to massage yourself :)



Im off for a 3 hour bike and a 1 hour run right after, everyone have a good day, stay fit and don't waste your money!!

Bay to Breakers and Lessons learned

So I went to Bay to Breakers yesterday in San Francisco and it brought up something that is vital to good performance:

If you haven't heard of Bay to Breakers, it is the biggest clownfest in America.  It's a 12k run for real runners mixed with the most ridiculous, drunken people in the middle of the great city of San Francisco.  Bay to Breakers is a real race but lots of people partake in the parade of drinking as well.  The company who sponsored stated:

"Alcohol and floats are not permitted at the 100th running of the Zazzle Bay to Breakers. Neighborhood associations, city officials, police, and race organizers have determined that alcohol and floats create a threat to public safety – alcohol laws will be enforced. Additional police and private security will be present on race day to remove floats and alcohol. This change was made to ensure everyone has a safe, fun, and challenging 100th celebration race. These new regulations will not be reversed."

Luckily, that didn't put a damper on things because people still drank but I only saw one float out.  Police weren't real strict either. I saw lots of funny costumes, more naked people than i cared to see, and enough alcohol to send George Lopez into liver failure (and that's a hard thing to do). San Francisco is the only city where people can drink and smoke during a parade and the cops not care.  I met the most fun people there and had one of the best times of my life.  The course wasn't too bad but there is a steep hill climb about 2.5 miles into the race. 

Here is the map of the course:

Back to the point: I was very dehydrated during the run and that affected my performance.  I finished in 4 and a half hours compared to my aunt who finished it in 1:15.

Water helps:

• deliver oxygen to cells
• "flush" out the lymph node system
• balancing body temperature through sweat
• keep the excretory system flowing smooth
• moisten mucous membranes and joints

Here are some Protips for drinking water:

a good rule of thumb is if your pee is any hint of yellow, drink more water

While eating take a gulp of water with every bite of your food.  Not only does it help you get hydrated but also keeps your meal portions in check.

If you suddenly get a hankering for food, drink 2 cups of water first.  If you're still hungry after 10 minutes, then go snack on something.  Ive found that many times I'm hungry for a snack, my body is just really wanting water.

Not thirsty? Drink more water

And here is a good website 9 Tips: How to drink more water

So DRINK, DRINK, DRINK!

Feeling a little down today?

Do this simple exercise:

Write your name down on a piece of paper like this

Next underline it

Underline it some more and put exclamation points!!!!!!!!

You are important.  You have accomplished so much and have touched many peoples' lives whether you know it or not.  You have so much to offer to this world.  Don't sell yourself short.  You can conquer anything and everything this world will present to you. You will go on to do great things; the only thing needed is that you apply yourself.  NOW GO OUT AND GET IT!

One very powerful tool

is MUSIC.  Find music that motivates you, that empowers you to achieve the vision you have for yourself. And not just when you work out, try to listen to it every hour of the day! Make motivation an everyday quality that you possess and watch things fall into your lap.  But what if things don't start falling into place? That's why we stay motivated.  Because WE WILL GET OURS! No matter what.

To me when it comes to workout music there are two types: Superficial (get you moving kind) and deep Inspiration (songs that have actual meaning that you can truly relate to).  These can be different according to your own experiences and beliefs but should follow the same general umbrellas.  I'll post a couple songs from each and maybe you can branch off from there.  Be sure to find inspiration everywhere, don't limit yourself.  So check out different genres and see what gets you moving and what gets you truly motivated to become the ideal you!

Wallet-friendly Nutrition

Many people think that to eat healthy you must spend a higher amount of money.

BUT THAT IS NOT TRUE AT ALL.

You spend more money going out to eat (even fast food) than you do if you make the food yourself.

Nutrition is vital for the triathlete.  Triathletes must consume a good balance of fats:carbohydrates:protein.  A common misnomer is that healthy food is expensive.  And that maybe true if you buy organic.  That is another article all in itself.  But to eat healthy is not so bad, and from what I have found LESS EXPENSIVE than eating out and buying organic.

Your best bet? Buy in bulk.  I know of a couple of great places but out of all the places there is one that no other store can touch:

* WinCo is only a west best coast store as far as I know and no I am not sponsored by them; I just love what they offer and the price they offer it at

If you are luck enough to have one of this in your town or not too far away make a trip to the bulk section PRONTO!
At the bulk section you can get:

• whole wheat grains & pasta
• quinoa
• BULK PROTEIN (great for smoothies!) 
• ground flax
• cornmeal
• oats galore!
• various nuts and dried fruit, lentils 
• all natural honey
• all natural peanut butter

*Buy GENERIC for crying out loud! Looks aren't everything you know, food is food.

and countless others that can help you stay on track nutritionally and still keep your wallet fat for your next set of aerowheels or for taking out your significant other.

NO JUNK FOOD Money on junk food can be spent on healthier food and other things as needed. It's ok to indulge once in awhile though, especially after a good day of hard training

Another great way to save money on groceries: go to your local farmers' market.  Vegetables, fruits, and other produce, along with jams, homemade cheese and a cornucopia of other things at low prices and you help support your local farmer, canner etc..

My favorite (especially since it's close to my school) is the Power Road Farmers' Market. Cheap, plentiful, and the staff is super friendly!

Again not sponsored by them just endorsing places that I love and are wallet-friendly.

All this talk about food is making me a little thirsty... which leads us to my next tip: DRINK MORE WATER!!
Water is the liquid of life and by not drinking the recommended 64 oz (higher if your active) you are just killing your body and not maximizing it to its full potential. And all that water means you're drinking less soda and less sugar-loaded fruit juices that mislead consumers to believe that they are indeed healthy.

One more: make your food at home and bring it to work/school/events/etc.  Don't like paying $10 for a hot dog at AT&T Park? Stuff one of these puppies in your girlfriends purse/your backpack and your good to go! Save, save, save, and invest that money where it is more appropriately needed. Good food is not expensive.

So there you have it some nice tips to keep your wallet fat and your body energized! If you have anymore please feel free to leave a comment! Have a healthy and wonderful day! :)

One thing many recreational triathletes dont touch up on enough..

is Stretching!

Stretching is something that ALL recreational athletes should really work on as I've seen far too many get sidelined after one game.

Stretching is so important to triathlon. Triathlon is not really 3 sports but about 11 or so that go hand in hand. Swimming, biking and running just get showcased at a race as the culmination of maximum effort at all of these foundational steps.

Coming back to stretching, stretching helps keep us injury-free, limber, and maintains proper circulation throughout the body. This is crucial for triathletes because we are training everyday, therefore; tightening our muscles everyday.  Over time this tightness will add up and reduce our range of motion.  Reduced range of motion leads to less powerful movements, less than satisfactory workouts and a higher risk of injuries.  Because of this we MUST MUST MUST stretch at least twice on every day that we workout.

This is so important for not only the race but arguably more important for the workouts leading up to the race.  Less range of motion-->Less efficient/improper technique--->less efficient workouts and possibly injury.  And as many know injury derails training schedules and sometimes races when they get severe.

So with this I hope to hammer home stretching because it is so VITAL in this sport as well as all other sports.

There are two types of stretching:
Static and Dynamic (kind of like engineering physics, with the same overall principle)

Static stretching is the stand-still-and-hold-it kind.  These are preferable when your not about to do a workout, such as before bed, or right after a workout.

For a good static stretch hold the position for AT LEAST 30 seconds.  The reason behind this is that the muscle you are stretching reflexes and does not fully relax due to built-in wiring to protect itself from injury.  Just like a cat exploring new territory, its cautious at first.  After 30 seconds, this reflex relaxes and real stretching can begin. 


Dynamic stretching is the active kind such as doing lunges while emphasizing the stretch in the quadriceps.  These are preferable in the warm-up before a workout.

For a good dynamic stretch do them slowly and ease into the stretch.  DO NOT , absolutely do not "bounce" in your stretches it does not help at all as the muscle contracts more so to protect it self.  Again the nerves help to protect the muscles.  Much like static stretching this reflex arc can be circumvented by easing into it and building up from slow to fast movement in dynamic stretching. 



Key muscles for triathletes are in no particular order

Lower Body:

• bottom of your feet
• gastrocnemius (upper calf)
• Soleus (lower calf)
• Achilles Tendon
• Quadriceps (all sides)
• Hamstrings
• Hip Flexors

Upper Body:

• Shoulders
• Rotator Cuff
• Triceps
• Rhomboids: your upper back 
• Trapezius (traps)
• Latissumis dorsi (lats)
• Lower back

 Not all of the specific muscles but most recreational athletes should know the general area of these.

This guy has a good 3 part series on stretching for Triathletes

If

If you can keep your head when all about you

Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;

If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,

But make allowance for their doubting too;

If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,

Or, being lied about, don't deal in lies,

Or, being hated, don't give way to hating,

And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise;

If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;

If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;

If you can meet with triumph and disaster

And treat those two imposters just the same;

If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken

Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,

Or watch the things you gave your life to broken,

And stoop and build 'em up with wornout tools;

If you can make one heap of all your winnings

And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,

And lose, and start again at your beginnings

And never breath a word about your loss;

If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew

To serve your turn long after they are gone,

And so hold on when there is nothing in you

Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on";

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,

Or walk with kings - nor lose the common touch;

If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;

If all men count with you, but none too much;

If you can fill the unforgiving minute

With sixty seconds' worth of distance run -

Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,

And - which is more - you'll be a Man my son!

-Rudyard Kipling

Chrissie Wellington recited this to herself during her countless Ironman victories.  No need for that but some good motivation nonetheless!

Most important things

that I have picked up on to help keep focused on a goal:

1. Little things- did you go on a 15 min. walk or did you sit down and watch tv? type that 1/2 page response or whittle away on facebook? did you get ranch dressing or balsamic vinaigrette? Chicken nuggets or a deli sub?  You can't walk 100 miles without walking 75 miles or 50 miles or 1/4 of a mile.  Goals need consistence and persistence.
2. Put pride in everything you do- because then it is a reflection of yourself to others and is a motivator help you put forth your best effort. No one is ever proud of half-ass, shoddy work, so don't do it!
   
3. Positive thoughts ALWAYS- There is ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS a good side to everything that happens to you or to those around you. Even if it's a "small" positive, put the negativity aside because its cancerous. Obstacles happen in life, but those who rise up will reap the rewards. "Think of yourself as on the threshold of unparalleled success. A whole, clear, glorious life lies before you. Achieve! Achieve!"- Andrew Carnegie
4. Failure=Success- Learn from failures.  I see many people that get discouraged when they're not perfectly doing something their first try.  Learn from your mistakes and apply that knowledge to future tries.  Failure is the greatest teacher.  For my engineering project this semester we're learning how to make a computer program to control an intersection of traffic lights.  They told us to pretty much teach yourself to program (which is one of the reasons why I like this school).  I failed many, many times during lab but now I can program in Python like a champ. You get out what you put in. 
5. Watch out for pessimistic people- they drag you down and soon you start adopting these traits unconsciously. Misery loves company and that's the truth.  Help pick these people up but don't let them get in the way of you achieving something great. Lupe Fiasco said it best: Never ever put em down, you just lift your arms higher.
   
6. Goals are easier when: you put yourself with people that similar goals and when you "broadcast" your goals to everyone you know. The former helps by giving you a support group and the latter keeps you accountable.
7. Empowering music- especially for workouts but I even like to listen to them in the car. Draw motivating music from different genres. Personally right now I like ,
   
8. Reward yourself- Life is not about having the perfect diet, perfect job, perfect grades. Take some time to relax, smell the roses, take some pictures (check previous post I did this on a 3 hour bike ride ha), and eat some chocolate. I eat those Whoppers candies every Sunday like nobody's business
9. Be GTH-  Not a variation of GTL(gym, tan, laundry) but rather be grateful, thankful and helpful to everyone who helps you on your journey. This may seem like common sense but a lot of times we get so focused on our own goals that we forget about others, the help they have given us, and the help that others need. Always keep in mind who helps you along the way because without them reaching your goal may be very hard and sometimes without their help you would have never even had a shot.

* By no means is this an all-inclusive list, I'm always looking for ways to improve myself!

I have a secret I want to share...

MOPS
Yes. MOPS.
I had to share this because of all the help and usefulness it provided me. I'm hoping you can find some gold nugget in this trough of information.

MOPS is a powerful mantra (a cheesy one) that I created for myself two and a half years ago, in the summer of 08, right after I first started triathlon training. At first it was a tool I used to succeed in triathlon training. Transitioning from a football player build to an endurance athlete build was a challenge, especially in the beginning stages where my body was getting used to the different day-to-day exercises. That summer I had dedicated myself to changing my attitude about I looked at life and how I overcame obstacles. It was a big self-reformation period. My renaissance. (and since Im an engineer major, now is my scientific revolution?)

*I have to give kudos and thanks to my Mom for raising me to be so independent. It was tough and weird but now I am so thankful that I can rely on myself and the things that I do. My mom is awesome and I hope everyone gets the chance to meet her some day and see the awesomeness for themselves! Finding out how to be entirely self-sufficient is something I strive for but something I also know is impossible. There are only so many hours in the day.

Anyways school started in Fall of 2008, in September I was a bona-fide triathlete and come end of December I have my first 4.0 GPA in college and high school EVER with the help of MOPS, this book How to Become a Straight-A Student, (awesome awesome book by the way but a review is for another time) and some of the best professors/guides that I have come across in my college journey: Goebel, Knox, Arzola, Natoli, in no particular order.

As you can see I love cheese. haha but it motivates me!

Back to MOPS

MOPS

Motivation + Optimism + Perseverance = Success in what ever goal you have set for yourself and life in general.
Each piece is so critical to success. Passionate motivation is needed to get up and go get what you are after. Motivation to do the very best in absolutely everything you do. When I worked at Baskin Robbins when a customer ordered something, I swore to make that item the best (and sometimes biggest) it could be. I was the best damn shake maker this side of the Mississippi. Real, genuine optimism in everything that you start (don't run a race after you've shot yourself in the foot!) and every obstacle you come across. Nothing is ever that bad, and YOU are never that bad. Also, many people quit after the first hardship so you've already got them beat! Perseverance to battle through tough challenges and setbacks. This coupled with the perseverance of "The Comeback"

you can take the necessary steps needed to achieve your goal.

Success is a broad term and I leave it that way so that you can define it for yourself and make it personal.

Find your ideal self and strive for it. Find whatever it is you love doing and just do it, no matter what anyone thinks of it. Be who you envision yourself to be. This takes practice at first and then it will become routine second-nature so commit to it errday. Improve yourself all day, everyday. Learn, act, achieve. Love the life you live. It starts NOW.


You don't have to take this verbatim. Hell you don't have to employ this MOPS strategy at all. Even if you skipped most of this article just at least get this one thing: Make this life YOURS!

"I'm not bipolar, im a BIWINNER"- C. Sheen

So this weekend was FULL of biwinning. Just got done with a swim session/experimental photoshoot with Rhea Quitasol photography. May I say I think the pictures look great! but my technique can use some tweaking haha Pictures are up on my facebook here.

As for the workout itself, it went well. Tried to do some core work right after but my phone was freezing on me (damn prehistoric droid 1 haha) and I dont have the workout memorized so I will continue that tonight.

Yesterday I had a long drive from Mesa to Visalia. It is such nice scenery from Phoenix to about Indio/Palm Springs. It is a barren, unforgiving landscape that only the toughest will survive yet brings a wave of serenity knowing that it has withstood the sands of time. Here are some pictures from my drive.

Tommie my kitty

Saturday 3/13 I did a 3 hour bike. I went from my place to the Usery mountain pass or whatever its called. My was it a spectacle! So beautiful but so damn hot as well it was about 87 that day and the sun was beating down on my back. I wanted to jump into the Salt River so bad haha It is a pretty popular ride, I saw many other cyclists there ranging from my age to wrinkly, leather skin from the sun old. All of them were the nicest people as well. Good company.

For the ride I stocked up on gatorade, an extra water bottle, and two peanut butter sandwiches. The first hour went well, it was just a matter of getting to Usery. Mesa-Gilbert-Chandler has designated bike lanes but a lot of them are ridden with potholes and a ton of rocks which is means a ton of pressure flats. The second hour was good. I stopped a couple times to smell the roses and take pictures but I did get in a good 5 minute hell-of-a climb at the end. The third hour was like the final battle. It was a mental challenge to say the least. Here is a map of my bike ride from mapmyride.com: Bike route

Here are some pictures from the bike ride:

2011/03/14 Monday 15:10:36

breakfast
8 oz tropical love smoothie, soymilk, banana, mango, tangerine, strawberries

workout
100 wu, 2x50 kick, 10x100, 3x357 breathing, pushed myself in main set

some core work until my phone decided to cut on me so i will continue that later tonight

post workout
half big hunk candy bar
1 oz carrots
couple peanuts
8 oz soymilk
1 cup rice
1 cup beef and cabbage, ate mostly cabbage
1 turkey sandwich with 1 tbsp cheez whiz
12 oz tropical love smoothie

UPDATE:

Dinner:

2011/03/13 Sunday 14:10:58
breakfast
3-8 oz cups of smoothie (cranberry juice, 1/2 frozen mango/orange juice concentrate, 1 cup frozen strawberries and blackberries, 1/4 cup frozen blueberries, frozen banana, love)
6 slices lean turkey

lunch
water
large quiznos turkey on wheat sub, mozarella cheese, tomato, onions, lettuce, banana peppers, honey mustard dressing

snack
water
1 cup of unshelled peanuts
2 oz of baby carrots
1 big hunk candy bar

dinner
1 del taco hard taco
1 49 cent burrito
small fries
bag of skittles

post dinner
3 bbq kabobs
3 cups rice
8 oz soy milk
8 oz v8 fusion

2011/03/12 Saturday 11:14:46
Breakfast
1 hardboiled egg
1/2 peanut butter sandwich
8 oz cranberry juice
couple swigs of skim milk
banana

workout
3 hr bike
2 pbj sandwiches
1 24 oz gatorade
2 cups water

postworkout
turkey sandwich
1 24 oz sandwich
1 hardboiled egg

dinner
hamburger with mayo and ketchup
homemade steak fries

post dinner- courtesy of my buddy Andrew
2 turkey legs
2 cups white rice

First time back and changing things.. like my RUNNING GAIT

So a lot has happened since my time gone from the blog. School, projects, finals, school again, and now it is spring break! Thank goodness even though I still have a ton of work to do. I had an integral mastery exam today, which I was slaving over all week, and guess what? I slayed it like a black knight! Well felt like I slayed it because I wont know for sure until we get back from spring break. But I felt great when I turned it in and left school on a good note. If you don't know what integrals are, here is a layman version:

Wiki Integrals

So last semester, I hardly had time to train but fit it in whenever possible. Once the semester was finished, things needed to be put in high gear. With less than 6 months left and not meeting the minimum requirements to start my training plan, I was doing everything possible just to get at the right level of fitness to START this program.

But alas, I achieved it, and am on my way to become an Ironman.

I received a new pair of running shoes on Tuesday: Saucony's Stabil Pro CS from Runner's Warehouse. Here is a link along with a picture:

Saucony Stabil Progrid CS at Running Warehouse



These shoes are leaps and bounds better than the last shoe I had, Brooks Beast. That may have been due to my heel striking though but all I knew was that breaking them in was HELL. I had to put them away for six months and went back to my old, tried-and-true New Balance 587s. Those finally gave way and I used the Beast. They were horrendous on my feet. So much so I had to use a heel insert to alleviate the pain.

I am trying to change my running gait. I found that all the heel striking I was doing was contributing to things like heel pains, quad strains and the developing of IT Band Syndrome. I am now employing a midfoot strike. My calves are pretty much obliterated but my quads, knees and IT Band are thanking me. It is still a work in progress and I did have to cut my run in half today but I feel it will pay off once my calves get used to pulling their weight.

Here is my nutrition and workout for Friday 3/11 done at ASU-Tempe Student Rec Center.

2011/03/11 Friday 09:06:32

breakfast
banana
1 cup skim milk
1/2 pb honey sandwich
1-200 mg Caffeine pill

lunch
3 cups vermicelli soup with cabbage, onion and carrots

snack
1/2 cup peanuts
1/2 cup carrots

workout
150 wu, 2x50 arms, 1x50 kick, 8x100, 3x357 breathing- this workout was rough, possibly due to caffeine pill. Also had to take a couple of breaks due to the hot swimmer girl sharing the lane with me.
18 min run- supposed to be 40 min calves are killing me so I need them to heal for the 1:30:00 run on Sunday.

post-workout
turkey and cheese sandwich
1/2 cup peanuts
1/2 cup carrots

dinner
2 cups of vermicelli soup
6 chicken nuggets and 2 cups white rice (I know, I know..)
1 cup skim milk
2 multivitamins
3 Ibuprofen
1 cup cranberry juice

Post-Dinner
One Carne asada burrito
1 bag of Skittles
1 pkg of Twix

Ok so I indulged a little bit... BUT


Tomorrow I have a 3 hour bike at 6:30 am. It will also be my first time meeting and working out with AZ Tri Club, so I'm looking forward to it! Here is their website: AZ Tri Club One thing nice I noticed before meeting the people is that it is a club that does not require membership dues. Good news to a broke college student like me!