We're now entering week three and I still haven't done anything beyond bowling and swimming (bobbing around in the artificial waves at Metrodome).
It's Thursday AM and a WhatsApp message arrived......my son's Thursday night training had been cancelled, my window of opportunity had arrived. I quickly booked a spinning class, or Studio Cycling in new money, for that evening.
It was nippy outside so I put some warm training clothes on (Mistake 1). I arrived in good time. For my 6pm class I arrived at 5:45. I've joined gyms a few times in the past, and as most of you will know if you've ever done it, the first time you go is a bit nerve-racking. Just little things like not knowing where the changing rooms are, or getting through the security gate seem like major challenges the first time around. Anyway, as I arrived at the reception, there was no other customers around so I bravely informed the receptionist that I was booked in for my first class and didn't know what to do or where to go. What happened next was so heartwarming and exactly what I needed. One of the BPL staff, a really friendly scouser, talked me through the security gate process, and walked me down to the class. He introduced me to the spinning instructor, another scouser called Ray, who asked me a few basic background questions, have I done it before etc., before installing me on my bike. I had never felt so welcome. I couldn't wait to get started...2 minutes to showtime.
The room where you do the spinning class is cool and dark. Blue LED lights flash across the ceiling, and a large screen which shows your RPMs alongside other class members covers most of the wall you're facing. I looked around me at the competition, mostly women, I anticipated an easy victory! (Mistake 2). I'd done spinning a few years previous and wasn't that bad at it. It was this previous experience that fuelled my confidence this time around. The problem is, my memory was of the most recent of classes I'd attended in the latter stages of my historic spinning exploits, my memory had blocked out the earlier sessions leading up to that point, for good reason.
Let's go
The music started pumping, BOOM BOOM BOOM, it was like walking into Pharaohs nightclub in the 90s. I started to peddle, this felt great. Faster and faster I went, more resistance, no problem!
5 minutes in...
This isn't as easy as I'd remembered it. My legs are starting to burn.
10 minutes in...
This is horrendous.....surely we'll have quick break soon....errr no!
15 minutes in..
How can I escape this room? What would hurt most! Giving up and walking out? or holding on until the bitter end?
30 Minutes in...halfway there...
This is it! I am going to die, please don't let this room be my final resting place. Each minute felt like an hour. I went into some kind of trance as my heart was trying to escape my chest and my legs were trying to detach themselves from my body.
The end..
The last 5 minutes of cooldown had arrived. I couldn't believe what I'd just been through. This was childbirth and man-flu rolled into one. As I dismounted the bike my legs felt like jelly, could I make it to the car!
Ray gave me a few words of encouragement as I staggered out of the room. He said I'd done really well. I had survived almost certain death, so I guess I'd done ok.
Lessons Learned
1) Don't dress for the outside weather conditions. It's like a sauna in the spinning room once you get started.
2) Don't underestimate the competition, you might end up feeling a bit daft.
TBC...
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