I was pretty lazy last week as I rested on my laurels from RunGirl. But the big Houston Half is coming up in 6 weeks…and I was reminded this morning that tri season is only a few months away as well.
Tri season? Huh? I haven’t been on my bike since September or in the pool since…much longer than that. What I have been doing is running — a LOT of running. And it really paid off! But this morning was the first “Mad Spin” session of the winter, so back to the bike I went.
Mad Spin started last year when a few of the people in my tri club arranged a group spin session at one of the local fitness centers. The idea is to get in some good riding time without having to ride in the cold, and it works — although I have to say there is something really strange about a darkened room full of people spinning the pedals on their bikes like crazy as music pumps loudly at 6:30 in the morning.
And the 6:30 time is only for December when the “mad spin” only lasts two hours. In January the start time is 5:30 and we go for three hours. I know, it’s crazy. I feel crazy just saying it, much less admitting that I plan on going.
See, last year I only went to one of the sessions, but this year I signed up for the whole shebang. It’s one of those things that I kind of dread — I mean, spending hours spinning on a bike is not actually all that fun — but I know it will be good for me. It will make me a better cyclist. Plus, all my training partners are doing it. And I don’t want to be left behind.
Still, there’s something about running that just seems easier than biking or swimming. There’s less equipment required. I don’t have to find a pool, or worry about which roads and routes are safer to ride. Nothing beats the ease of stepping out the front door and taking off down the street. Most of all, for the past few months it was really nice to just think about ONE sport for a while instead of trying to juggle all three.
But mad spin is back. I saw how it helped my tri buddies last year make big improvements on the bike. And even though I dread it, I AM happy when it’s over.
I kinda hate it. But I kinda love it.
You know?
Yup. I know.
I am nothing like an athlete or have any other ambitions other than riding my bike around my neighborhood streets every once in a while, but every time I get on the bike I can’t imagine why anyone would ever bother walking or running as exercise when it is so much more freeing to be on the bicycle.
Hmmm, I always try to work up the inspiration to bike, but it always seems more trouble than it’s worth. Same with swimming.
B and I are thinking about taking up roller blading – it’s got the speed (or some of the speed) of biking, while being small, portable, and easy to take to a trail.
I wish we had Mad Spin on this side of town! I need that! Right now, I can only squeeze in the spin class at the office gym and it’s only 45 minutes.
That sounds awesome. Painful, but awesome.