Spinout

SPINOUT

My recent spinning class affection has come from a genuine desire to increase the quality of my fitness. I want to raise my metabolism and increase my endurance, which has been handicapped by heart medication.

Today I had made up my mind at least consciously that I was going to “hold back” and not kill myself because I just wasn’t sure if I was up for the Kristen challenge.

Well needless to say any idea that I could use a governing brake on how I would extend myself over the next 45 minutes were quickly put to rest as I became compelled once again to add more road each time KG petitioned us to do so.

As I reached the ¾ pole in our time allotment my breath had gone anaerobic in a way I had not felt since my marathon days of the 1970’s. In those running craze years I had pushed my limits to the point of reverse peristalsis and today I came awfully close to retching but this time there was no pavement and my spinning classmates just wouldn’t understand. When I take it to the limit there is no ceiling on my effort.

My ears are tuning in to the professional I am learning from. She brings everything to her work and half her life has been devoted to group exercise and at Equinox I think she has found her niche and is “touching anaerobic” in her talent war with herself.

Reprinted from February 2010