south wichita spin class

i took in my first real spin class tonight at the south wichita YMCA. i was a bit nervous, of course. didn't know what i was getting myself into. i arrived pretty early. it was a good thing too. by the time i changed and got lost in the building twice, it was only a few minutes before the 7:00 start time.

i rolled my bike out of the closet and spent about five minutes adujsting it to suit my tastes. (that means making it feel like my real bike.) that wasn't too hard. the only trouble i had was figuring out how to move the seat forward on the rails. the "old" lady next to me was kind enough to show me how it was done.

with everything set and locked in place, i began pedaling. i was grateful that they had SPD pedals, so i could clip in. much better than the strapless pedals at the ambulance barn. i warmed up my legs while figuring out the crazy resistance adjustment lever.

one thing i was a bit surprised about was the lack of an odometer of some kind. i don't know how anyone figures out how many miles they ride or how fast their average was. i'm guessing entirely at this point on my figures. if someone can tell me the formula for miles per hour on these torture devices, let me know.

so the class began at 7:00pm. amy, our instructor, talked us through our warm up. we stretched. we pedaled. we smiled. then the "fun" began. we increased our resistance as we climbed a low "hill" during the first song. about half way "up" the "hill" was started jumping. not like normal jumping. we stood for four counts. sat for four. stood for four. repeat and repeat and repeat. i was sweating up a storm by this time. it was awful, but i kept going. we finally stayed seated and spun out a bit.

then it was time to "sprint" to some perky tune. we rode at an incredibly high cadence. "faster, daddy! faster!" amy shouted. (okay...that was a joke.) but she did make us ride faster and faster and faster and then she threw in that "jumping" garbage again. grrrr. i don't know amy enough to hate her, so i will just say i dislike her a lot. she did eight count jumps and then we started doing squats on our bikes. this is not fun! not in the least. everyone was smiling except me. they'd done this before. the "old" lady next to me pedaled happily while...well...i hate to admit it...but...she pedaled while i bonked. i bonked...seriously. while everyone else was "jumping" and crunching, i was spinning and trying hard to breath.

that was pretty much what the remaining thirty minutes was like. major "hills" followed the sprints and "jumps". the major hills were followed my lesser "hills" and then more sprints. occasionally i was able to do just want the executioner said. most of the time i told her off in my head and did what my body would allow.

i didn't die. that is the most positive thing i can say about this class. oh, that and i got in free thanks to starburst newton, the lady i emailed ahead of time. she comped me the class thinking i'd be so enamored with spinning that i'd return. she lost money on this deal. i'm not going back.

listen! i'm only going to say this once. 80 degree rides in the dead of winter are not natural - at least not in kansas. i'll take 20 degrees with a 20mph headwind over spin class any day.

i am have a beard. i am a man. i am really, really tired. please don't tell eric. (15.00 miles? @ 18mph?)

clarification: this video is in no way a rant against the south wichita Y. the facility is great and the people were kind and helpful. i just don't like spinning. that would've been true at any facility.