Equinox, yes the pretty gym (as some people call it), has a spin class called “the Pursuit.” When I first learned about it, I figured, well if I love spin, and I’ve done at least a dozen classes at this point, the Pursuit, shouldn’t be anything out of my reach. I can do that. No big deal. What the hell, right?

Wrong. So, wrong.

What I failed, miserably, to realize – is that my poor self, was not ready for the endurance needed for this class. This class is meant for major power, with little rest, and the worst/best part – everyone in the room knows how you’re doing. The leaderboard is on the screen, and the instructor is constantly yelling out your names to encourage you or call you out to try harder. The first 20 minutes or so, I was thinking, no problem, I can do this. Wait, why is my “little circle” smaller than everyone else’s. Ok, I can make mine bigger. No, problem! 25 minutes later. This sucks. What the hell. Who is on Bike #7. I hate that person.

Then comes the teamwork when your effort depends on your team’s ability to win. I put in the extra effort, got my adrenaline running. Because, I really hate to lose. In the end, my team came in 2nd. But my overall individual score … eh, not as good.

A few lessons I learned from that fateful day…

Pride: Just because I think I’m good at spinning, doesn’t mean I’m as good as the other people in the room.

Competition: It’s good to get competitive sometimes. It brings out more of your own endurance, and shows how much you can really put into your workout (even if it’s not as much as you were hoping).

Hard work: There is always more work to put into your fitness routine. Strength takes time.

Patience: Endurance isn’t built overnight.

Don’t hate: Don’t hate those who are kicking your ass. Just kick theirs next time.

And a little thank you to Equinox for showing me that I have a lot more work to do when it comes to my body and strength building through endurance and regular fitness training. Humbling, to say the least.

#radiatedaily