I had a lovely Saturday morning this past weekend. I knew it was going to be a busy few days, so I really wanted to get a spin class in before the weekend craziness began. Exercise energizes me, puts me in a good mood, and helps me enjoy a busy schedule rather than survive it.
I planned to go to the 8:00 class, but it was full and I didn’t get in off the wait list! So I set my alarm for 6:25, put out my spin clothes, and was out the door by 6:40 to get my travel coffee mug filled on the way. (There are two cup-holders on those bikes for a reason, people.)
I admittedly drank more water than coffee, but it was nice to have a still toasty mug of joe on my way out!
I felt like such a rebel being out in the ghost town that is suburbia before 7 a.m. on a weekend. There were more employees at the coffee shop than customers, and almost no one else on the road. Everyone who WAS on the road was headed to the same place I was… where almost 50 other people packed into CycleBar (formerly Spynergy) studio in Wellesley to take class from Andy.
It was my first class from this instructor, and it was INSANE. He kept throwing on different classic music clips from movies, and just when the adrenaline and excitement from that particular clip was wearing off, he’d switch it to a different one. The first half of the class he was switching media practically every 30 seconds, rather than after the duration of an entire song, which would be more like 2 or 3 minutes. The result was a new surge of energy and motivation every 30 seconds, when A Hard Day’s Night clip replaces Pulp Fiction, which then gives way to Easy Rider. It was a well-crafted, entertaining ride that kept me energized and working at higher wattage than I am normally able to maintain.
Andy is an avid biker who does 4 centuries a summer (That means he bikes 100 miles. yes. ONE HUNDRED.) and he looks like it. I suspect he has a few decades on me, and that experience showed in his teaching style. He seemed to know just what to say to get another 30 seconds of hard work from me. I wish I could hear his voice in my head next time I’m approaching the finish line to a race, because I think he could get me there faster. I’d describe his style as hard optimism – he knows we can do it, and he’s going to ask us to.
What a great way to start the day 🙂
