Post 1147 - Operation: See Feet!

I did something today, after work, that I hadn't done in nearly a year.  It is embarrassing to admit this, but it is my blog, and I can write about whatever the heck I want without fear of reprisal or recrimination.

I went to the gym.

It is hard to put my finger on why I put off going for so long.  I was tired.  I was on vacation.  I had a headache.  Blah blah blah.  Oftentimes, the real reason is that I was lazy and plain didn't want to go.  You can't make me do something that I don't want to do.  Human nature.  But, in recent weeks, the call of the gym, the beckoning of the spin class, the summoning of Nubody's, has been harder and harder to ignore.    I found this week that I could not put it off any longer.  I would have gone this past Tuesday night, but I had a headache.  Tonight, damn it all, I decided to go. 

This was the night for the 40 minute ride.  I got there early and got into my gym togs.  My name was the first one on the list, and I hightailed it to the spin room.  I hopped on my bike and began to peddle, in an effort to stretch my legs before the actual class started. 

The class was pretty much full.  The instructor, Nancy, greeted me warmly and told me to go at my own pass (yeah, like the resident Old Guy is gonna do anything but!).  Nancy had us do sprints, hill climbs, more sprints, hovering climbs, and anything else her fiendish little brain could concoct.  The 40 minutes tonight could just as easily have been 40 hours. 

I will never forget my first spin class, back in September of 2004.  My friend, the late John  Colpitts, was there to guide me.  It was just a few of us, and some old guy teaching it (he was old, folks!).  My legs gave out on me about half way through the ordeal, and I could not get out of my seat to peddle.  After it was over, John had to walk next to me to the change room, as I think he thought I might keel over.  The 20 minute walk back to my car was torture; my legs could barely support me.  This all happened on a Thursday night.  It was Sunday morning before my legs felt good again.

Tonight, my legs are tired, but there is still enough muscle memory from the spin classes of years past that I am not nearly as sore as I thought I would be.  Of course, tomorrow morning will be a different story!  We'll see if I can get out of bed.

Spin classes are among the most grueling of cardio workouts.  They're also my favourite.  I can pretend I'm a kid again, riding my bike over hill and dale, instead of being a 46 year old dude who's had a few too many hamburgers and drinks too much coffee. After all, I want to see my feet again.  I owe them that much.

It will not be a year before my next spin class.  I will go again Monday or Tuesday.  I'll keep you up-to-date on my progress, because I know you all care.

Assuming my legs won't let me down.  I kinda need them.

Bevboy