So-So SoulCycle Session

Another week without shopping means another SoulCycle class. I spent most of my day super-psyched for Mark's 6:15 class at SoulCycle on Long Island. Sadly, it was just meh.

Let me start by saying that I think it was an off night; no one was really riding together or with the beat. Mark chose a lot of instrumental techno which is not my favorite (I have enough trouble staying on the beat and it helps to ride to songs I know the lyrics to) and then switched to AJR's "I'm Ready" for the post-arms hills which isn't a bad song, but it kind of came out of nowhere.

At the start of the class Mark told us that we were going to do a lot of Triceps and he was not kidding. This was only my third class back after quite the lapse from not only SoulCycle, but the gym in general and my tris were burning and I was only using 2lb weights! (This isn't a complaint, just an admission of my own shortcomings.)

While it was a physically demanding session (huge plus), it didn't seem very SoulCycle-y. The first time I took Mark's class he doled a lot more of that feel-good mumbo jumbo that SC-haters love to hate. This time he seemed to be on autopilot so I wasn't at all surprised when I heard him telling my classmates that he was off to Vegas for vacation when I was on my way out. Hopefully he'll come back refreshed and ready to rock it in SC style because I hate to pay $34 for a spin class I could've taken at my gym for free.

Other than that, it was my first time in the back row and the depth kept coming loose on my bike, so I was a bit distracted as well. On the plus side, everyone was really nice and there weren't that many "skinny bitches" as my friend Laura from werkitinnyc would say. The class also inspired me to try as many instructors as possible -- you never know who's going to help you find your Soul.

Saturday Soul

V and I, post-class.

A few Saturdays ago V and I went to SoulCycle. Let me be clear, I drank that Kool-Aid a long time ago, so I am totally biased. V, on the other hand, was not so easily swayed.

Here's a recap of our #SoulExperience:

Seeing as how it's been an eternity since I took spin, let alone a SoulCycle class, I went with the 2lb weights. V was far more ambitious and opted for the 5's (even the girl setting him up on his bike wished him luck with them).

As Katy Perry's new single, "Unconditionally," wound down our instructor, Sal, started class. Sal, an L.A. Transplant, was very high energy without being intimidating (a balance I look for in my Soul instructors). On the Soul-ful scale (a newly made-up scale on which I measure the warm fuzziness of the instructors) of 1 to 10, I'd put him at a 6; he threw in some positive imagery and motivation here and there, but he didn't beat you over the head with it. V prefers for his fitness instructors to load on the tough love, so it was more than he'd like.

Class was pretty standard - dance music blaring, Sal instructing us to ride to beat, add resistance, tap it back, etc. I tried to sneak a few peaks at V early on, but I didn't want him to lose focus (truth: I have limited coordination to begin with and didn't want to fall off the bike) so I zoned out and rode as part of the pack. He did make it through the upper body segment with the 5lb weights, but I don't think it was quite as easy as he thought it would be, not that he would admit that (men, *sigh*).

The last part of class is always a breeze. I put the weights back in their holsters and as the endorphins from the first half hit it's like the rest of the ride is downhill. I finished strong, feeling psyched. Lots of riders stayed after class to introduce themselves to Sal since we he was a new instructor to the Rosyln location, but we headed out to the waiting area.

After recouping and refilling our water bottles, I rewarded myself for recruiting V by purchasing my first piece of Soul gear, this cute little cropped tank (what can I say? I firmly believe in positive re-enforcement and I love stars). While it may not be his favorite way to workout, V did agree that it's a good option and we will be back. Next time - theme ride!

13.1 and Done!

This past Sunday I [finally] ran my first half marathon in Philadelphia. It was part of the Rock ‘N’ Roll Marathon Series and I had a really positive experience. My goal was to start slow and finish strong and I accomplished that, crossing the finish line at 2H 41M.

The race was well organized and the bands (for the most part they had a band or a water/fuel station for every mile) and crowds along the race route did a great job of keeping us energized.

So here’s my takeaway:

Random signs are more motivational than you’d think: The race route was littered with people holding signs saying things like, “Go, random stranger, go!” or “Worst parade ever.” These signs kept me entertained and distracted and that is huge when you’re running for any length of time. I think my favorite sign was; “Run like there’s a hot guy in front of you and a creepy guy behind you.”

Anyone can be a runner: If you’ve ever thought about doing a race (of any length), but talked yourself out of it because you’re “not a runner,” I beg you to reconsider. The Rock ‘N’ Roll Marathon Series draws people of all shapes, sizes, ages and backgrounds. As someone who, until her mid-twenties, had only ever gone to the gym to socialize I can tell you that as long as you keep going forward you are a runner and you can do this.

Take the Gu: Sure, Gu Energy Gel is basically the same as that weird gel candy you used to buy from the ice cream man, but it really does give you a nice little burst of energy. A random volunteer handed me a strawberry banana flavored Gu at mile 9 and, let me tell you, at that point it tasted like a delicious smoothie.

Don’t take the Gatorade*: This may seem counter-intuitive, but hear me out. For starts warm water > warm Gatorade. Also, the Gatorade at these races is made from the powder (something I actually forgot existed), so you have no idea how potent of a cup you’re going to get. If you must grab the Gatorade, then get a cup of water too so you can a) water it down or rinse your mouth if necessary b) wash off your hand from the stickiness of the Gatorade that sloshed out of the first cup. That stuff is nasty and it makes your sneakers sticky too. You’ve been warned.

*I love regular Gatorade on any given day, this advice is specific to this situation.

Your fellow runners can be quite amusing: I ran this race without headphones and my fellow runners were a great source of entertainment. There was a pair of older women discussing their husbands (one woman “gave in” to her husband on Friday night because she knew she’d want to get to bed early on Saturday, the night before the race), two young girls discussing the guys who were waiting for them at the finish (Girl #1: Matt and Jason are there. Girl #2: I’m going to date Matt. He doesn’t know it yet, but he’s going to be my boyfriend. Let’s hope Matt’s a strong runner too), and a variety of people in interesting and entertaining outfits featuring everything from tutus to clever shirts to capes. If you’re bored or tired or loosing your mind, look around, distractions are everywhere.

Do You: Yes, I’m semi-quoting Jersey Shore cast members here, but seriously, you should run your race whatever way you live your life; for me, that means smiling and mugging for the course photographers. My sister took the picture at the top of the post right before I crossed the finish line and, as my friend Catherine pointed out, I had full jazz hands going. When I got the email with my race photos I laughed out loud and I know that when I look back at those same photos years from now I will have that same feeling of pride mixed with just the right amount of amusement.

On Becoming That Person Who Always Talks about Fitness

Earlier today I read a great blog post by the fabulous Fit Chick in the City about being "That Person in a Fitness Class." She talks about how she is normally disapproving of people who don't do what the instructor is telling them to do, but due to an equipment issue in a spin class (it was a clip/pedal thang, for my fellow spinners out there) she had to modify her ride and stay in the saddle for the bulk of class.

This got me thinking about the fact that I too am now a different kind of "that person." As someone who has worked out sporadically, at best, throughout her life, it occurred to me recently that my latest fitness jag has really become a lifestyle change. Because it's been such a major shift, I am now "that person who talks about working out all the time."

Lately I catch myself telling anyone who will listen about my workout routine and the 1/2 marathon I signed up for (which isn't until September - my close friends may come to cheer me on just because they'll be so glad that it's over). When I meet new people I love hearing the about the different types of classes they've tried and how they manage to eat healthy (an area in which I still have a great deal of work to do). On Pinterest my "Working on My Fitness" board is easily my favorite. And I definitely get annoyed when I am taking a group fitness class and other participants are "doing their own thing."

Now I understand that one of the perks of living on Long Island is that I pay a measly $28/month for a gym membership that includes as many classes as I'd like to take. I also understand that one of the downsides to this is that some of these classes may be overcrowded (I've seen people arrive at spin class only to find that there are no bikes left; thankfully, I've never been one of them).

What I can't take are the Chatty Patties. These ladies seem to come in 2 forms:

The Instructor's Best-y: Some women choose to show how often they attend class not by their stellar form or amazing physique, but by how well they know the instructor. Kickboxing is not a time to chitchat (in my humble opinion, if you can breath well enough to do so, then you aren't working hard enough), so if you want to ask the instructor what she's up to this weekend, please hold your comments until after class. Since your such good friends I'm sure she won't mind sticking around to talk to you instead of getting home to her family. In last night's class the conversational actually devolved into a "I wish I had your thighs" style conversation - seriously? Inappropriate. This is not book club or wine night, this is the gym, you want her thighs? Shut up and do some more squats.

The Moan and Groaners: Group fitness classes can be hard because they do not target individual strengths and weaknesses; there will be moves that some people find easier than others and vice versa. When I take a class I try to take note of the areas in which I struggle (hello, glutes) and work on them at home - like extra credit! - so that I don't have to be a major struggles in class. Unfortunately, other women choose to vocalize their difficulties. A grunt or heavy breathing is semi-understandable, you gotta do what you gotta do to get through it, but you do not have to audibly complain to your gym buddy during class. It is rude and it makes me lose my focus. Please hold your comments until after class.

Part of me wonders if things are different at the fancy gyms. Lord knows that when I take SoulCycle classes, no one in there is messing around and talkers are seriously shunned (Woo-girls on the other hand abound). Perhaps, if I'm really going to get serious about my fitness, it's time to make like Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan and Step Up.