Teaching my first 90 minute Endurance Ride

It feels like it happened without much fanfare but there were posters up and announcements made. There were rides for preparation which I kind of like to call prequels. I deliberated at the last minute whether I should use the movie version of my 90 minute production because I had not had a chance to review it or how to click all the right buttons or whether to use  the ipod plus my powerpoint. I voted for the movie because I was afraid I might not click the ipod and the powerpoint start at the same time. I was not sure that the quality of the music coming out of my computer was as good as what had come across my ipod a day earlier when I practiced. So I began with boldness knowing that I had done my best. It was not with the same sense of inspiration that I like to start my rides with knowing that I am going to teach particular drills or have some deep personal transforming point that I want to make during the journey. I had notes in front of me but not in the kind of order that I like to go into a ride with.
It almost felt ridiculous riding at low intensities because I and most of my spinning students want hard intervals but I proceeded reminding the class that they could go hard or according to my plan. It seemed that they were following the plan of lots of time in the saddle riding flats and rolling hills . We did a little climbing out of the saddle but I told them to find a manageable home base while in hand position 3. The slides worked beautifully with the music for which I was proud of my work. It was cool because last night there were meteor showers and I had already planned a slide/ song involving shooting stars. 
I did mark in my mind the point at which class would normally have ended and it seemed hardest then for about 10-15 minutes but then I caught my second wind and succumbed to the temptation of doing intervals with the music. It was good because our back stretch was not a sleepy little hollow but was full of fire for the finish line if they wanted. I had 2 last slides of a pace line and then a group struggling for the finish line. Overall it was good but for the powerpoint I can see ways to improve by photoshopping some of the pictures I had. The next time I think I want to do sets of 50's , 60"s, 70"s, 80's, 90's and 00's music and repeat. I think it will break up any montony. Nothing felt monotonous about this ride to me. Sure it was hard but rewarding.

Preparing my first Endurance Ride

Wow . I can't believe I'm doing it but I have been talking about it for weeks.  I am old school I guess and
this is the first powerpoint presentation I have ever put together. What was I thinking because I am hoping to pack the 50+ bikes in the room. Praying that air, stereo ,presentation and music work seamlessly. Thanks to a friend I have a professional DJ mixed playlist. I have spent many hours on this project and hoping that all who come will enjoy it. I am the queen of variety and that is reflected in my pictures that I have chosen to represent the songs I will be playing. My music is a little more uniform in my mind because I was wanting the music

 to represent flats, rollling hills and a final climb if students feel they have more to give than expected  near the end of the 90 minutes. My pictures reflect the fact that I love sunsets and sunrises. I got a virus on my pc so that put my preparation back by one week. I have learned to back up OFTEN now. I will have inspiration quotes sprinkled in and at least one good story to keep the wheels rolling. I will let you know how it goes.
The picture above is one of the pictures that I am using for Vertigo by U2.

Sometimes its a work of Art

Sometimes my playlists/profiles feel like a piece of art that comes to life. I spend all this time with a hodge podge of notes and then when I have taught it I turn it into a Word document for future use. It seems I never go back and use them because I seem to have a constant flow of ideas that I want to pursue. I am in the mode of being disciplined about cleaning up my spinning clutter ie. notes! Filing them under themes or types of rides to be used at a later date. I am making the big event ride and having each week lead up to it. I thought that would be a time for me to use old playlists/ profiles but so far that is not happening. I am creating a building up to the endurance ride I hope to do in a few weeks. My goal is to find a system that works so that I do not have to spend sooo much time preparing for a one hour ride. I have to exercise great discipline
to not chase rabbits. Do you have a system that works for you?

Patriotic Ride Success

I spent at least 9 hours preparing my Patriotic Ride and  it feels like it was a success. I used the video screens for the first time and that felt awesome. I am now preparing for my next big venture which will be an 90 min.
endurance ride complete with 30min. of videos/powerpoint. I am on the big end of the learning curve but am asking questions as they arise and am going to keep plugging along. I sure like this added dimension: old songs become new and am sure that there will be unexpected surprises as we add the visuals here and there.
I know that I will not want them everytime because we can listen to our bodies so much better when we ride in a dim room . In the meantime I am teaching on the different ways that we can measure our intensity levels so that when it comes time for the endurance ride we will be ready.Today the focus was our perception , hence
the use of the Borg Scale and next week will emphasize the heart rate monitor. I will be throwing in my 2 year anniversary ride . I use the same playlist that I used my first time.

Multi-dimensional spinning

This is one reason why I love spinning. It is soo multi-dimensional from the layers in the music to the possiblities for inspiration. The same profile/playlist can grow as you use it. First time it can have an introductory feel as the instructor and the students begin to catch onto the training objective. Sometimes the whole class will be over before you can practice with confidence the new skill introduced whether it is
a new way of looking at the pedal stroke you have never tried before or jumping to a quicker beat.The second class you can take your new found skills to a new level. The third class you are able to change the approach to one of a motivational ride that stems perhaps from things you have learned in your own life recently. Perhaps in the fourth class you have found the nuances in the song that promote that added pedal stroke or increased effort or slow build and you can really milk the music for all its worth. Talk about fun!
How do you reinvent your profile/ playlists?

Steady Progress

Having gone to WSSC Miami 2011 has only made me hungry for more. Having the addition of a cadence meter to the teacher bike has taken accountability to a new level for me. As Lorey Pro pointed out in the conference we all have our comfort zone. You are either a high cadence lover or a slower cadence lover.
I fall into the last category and have been trying to make myself more efficient in the high cadence zone. The cadence meter could not have come at a better time. I was reaquainted with jumps to higher cadence too and I have found it challenging to get out of the saddle quicker. I saw that demonstrated by Jeff Krabiel. I have someone in my class who is training for a triathlon and she is wanting more jumps and time with our hands in 2nd and  standing climbs. I will be teaching my Get Our Of Your Comfort Zone profile my third time this Saturday because it requires practice to strengthen our weak areas.

Bucket Lists

Where did the term bucket list originate from? Well to me it is all the things you want to do before you die.
Hopefully it is not all the things you want to own before you die. What we really want are experiences.
I do not want to own my own seaside villa but I sure want to visit one or rather many in order to have different experiences over my lifetime. But I am challenged today by Oswald Chambers in my devotions to let God write my bucket list. Sure it takes faith. But who knows better than I what would be most meaningful to me or my family. Perhaps I might be able to have that seaside feeling while on a mission trip and be able to have a sense that while I was there I was helping others? I take my requests to God and let Him fill in the rest trusting that He knows the when , the how , the who better than I do. I have had God work out details that I never could even know that they would be necessary.  I love the idea that God has my back( thanks Karen).
He always does what is best for me and believing that He is always good was a life-altering experience for me. He is not out to get me in any form or fashion and that is why I can always enter my days with boldness.
I keep the vision, the dreams that I believe God has given me fresh in my mind and visit them daily so that I can move forward in my life  while keeping the balance that He is leading me.
As I go to the World Spinnning Conference soon I will be looking for that sense of adventure while I try new things and meet new people.