My bike, my ride...

As most of you have heard, I tried spinning again (after attempting it once last year and hating it) with Jessi and Rachel at LA Fitness and had the complete opposite experience this time! I think there are a few reasons why:

1.) I lost weight since Jan 1st on WW, duh I know it should be obvious to me but it always surprises me how much more endurance I have, especially when trying the standing part.
2.) There aren't too many people in the class, so the room doesn't get overheated and miserable and unbearable. I think because it is in the morning helps with this too!
3.) I am meeting team mates there! Jessi and Rachel are also coming to the Mon class and it always helps me get my butt out of bed when I am meeting people there. Me, I will cancel on, but not other people? Hmm that sounds like a whole different blog topic..so I won't expound on how wrong that is right now.
4.) I have so much energy after the class!

Anyway I digress with all the reasons I love spinning, the point of this blog was this.

My first day at this class the instructor said to sit down if we needed to but to make sure we push ourselves and I never felt any pressure to do more than I ever feel I can. So she said "it is your bike and your ride", do what you can do. That has become my motto and I say it to myself a lot during particularly tough times in spin class, I find it helps me to dig that little bit that I need to get the most out of each song and each class.

As I was spinning on Saturday and my mind was wandering during a long climb up a big hill, it occurred to me that this motto could apply to every single workout. Even during a group workout you are really only working for one person - yourself. Only you know how far is deep enough or too far - for you. So I decided right then not to look at the better bikers and compare my ride to their ride...because it is my bike and MY RIDE and I am going to get all I can out of it!