February 16- First spinning class with 5 hills!!

Spinning class is still a class that I go to, yet still don’t have the full confidence that I will make it through it. There is always a fear that I won’t be able to last. (even though I have lasted every time so far) The first time I tried it, I was so happy just to keep my legs moving until the end. I watched everyone stand up and turn their knobs to a harder point, they stood up, sat down, grabbed various places on the handle bars, I think I finally stood up for maybe 15 seconds. It was very very overwhelming.
When Meg and I joined the gym, we said that we would give everything a try, and if we didn’t know how to do something, we would find the courage to ask. As we entered the Thursday spin class, we were both very scared. It was my second time, Meg’s first. This time, for me, it was almost worse than the first time, because as soon as the music started and we started pedaling, I remembered the pain and exhaustion.. and the thought of doing this for the hour brought some fear back.
I have kept trying, because everyone who does it says they love it. It is one of Olivia Ward’s (winner of BL) favorite things to do, she does it almost every day. Some people have said, “give it 5 times and then see how you feel”…so that is what I am trying to do.
When we came out of the Thursday class, the instructor said that she was thinking of training us all for 8 weeks, and then we would do a race during the class of the 8th week. She said each week she would train us in a different way, in order for all of us to get there. Our first 2 weeks were all about breathing and technique for doing long riding on a flat surface.
On training week 2, Meg and I actually followed every single thing the teacher said, we actually stood the entire time she stood, kept our pace with her, and when the class was over, I got off the bike and literally cried in my towel…. in exhaustion and with such excitement that I accomplished the goals of the class that day! I actually stood on the bike and rode for as long as everyone else did. It was like one of those moments on “The Biggest Loser”, when someone is pushed to do something they truly don’t believe they are capable of doing. It was an amazing feeling.
So, as I write this, today was training day 3…the goal for the class was to spin for an hour… and in that hour, not only tackle flat roads, but also do interval training with climbing 5 hills!!…which the instructor would lead us through, telling us when to add resistance, when to stand, and she would help us push through the pain of climbing the hills for various lengths of time. Every hill was tough, the third one was the longest and toughest, and then she tapered off a bit for the last 2 toward the end.
It was another amazing “first”. At the end, the instructor came over in front of my bike, looked in my eyes as I was still pedaling, starting the cool down, and she said, “you did 5 freakin’ hills!”…..I couldn’t believe it. When we got off of our bikes, Meg and I did a huge high five!..and just said, “we did it”.
On our way out, we stopped at the front desk, where there was another instructor and the owner, and they asked how we did, and we told them, “we just finished a class with 5 hills!” They were sooo excited for us, and asked me if I liked it yet, and I answered honestly….I no longer “hate it”, but I don’t “like it” yet. But I will keep trying.
In the car on the way home, we both said that for the first time we believe we might actually be able to be a part of the race in 8 weeks. We will keep training and see what we are able to do. It really has been extraordinary seeing what our bodies are able to do after just 6 weeks of coming to the gym taking different classes.
I took out a page in my notebook and made a list of things that I can’t do now, but would like to someday be able to do. I am putting things on that list that I never thought I would even want to do…. but that’s another blog for another day….
For now, I just wanted to share this story to encourage anyone out there that you are still able to do things you never thought about or even imagined. Never in my wildest dreams would I ever have predicted that I would be in a spinning class training for a race, and as I continue to see what I am able to accomplish one step at a time, I am adding more and more to my list of “Someday I would like to be able to…..”
So, grab a notebook and start making your list. Write at the top, “Someday I would like to be able to…. Then make one choice to step toward working toward just one of those goals. Take it just one goal at a time, you can do it. Believe you can do it, ask for help, seek out a friend or spouse or child to do it with you. Before you know it, you will check off that box and be on to the next one, and in the meantime, when you start seeing what you can really really do…you will be adding to the list. Don’t ever stop making your list of dreams and accomplishments…You can do it, and each little step you accomplish will empower you to put another dream or goal on the list. My list is getting longer and longer….and I’m starting to think of some crazy things that might go on that list one day….