Easy Like Sunday Morning

Day 22: Not So Easy Sunday Morning Ride

I don't usually go to the gym on Sundays.  It's a lazy day around here, but my youngest wanted to go to Open Swim at the pool.  I wasn't going to get in the pool.  I don't have a swimsuit phobia or anything like that, it is just that the water is too cold.  They keep it cool for people doing laps.  Rhode Island has been cold enough this winter. 

Getting everyone up and moving sounded like a good idea though so we packed everyone up. My husband took the kids to the pool and I headed toward the bikes.

I tried the indoor cycling bikes (same bikes as the spin class bikes, but hooked up to a video screen and virtual trainers) for the first time.  I picked the outdoor riding program because the indoor spin program looked really boring.

I really liked this.  Each interval, between 3-5 minutes, takes place on a different outdoor course.  I rode along Lake Michigan in Chicago, dirt roads in Utah, trails in Grand Canyon National Park, and I rode up Mt. Washington in New Hampshire.

Virtual Mt. Washington

The program lets you know positions, resistance, and rpms just like a spin instructor.  I got a great workout today.  I was a red, sweaty mess at the end.

The upside to this is you can do it when you want.  When I choose this option, I don't have to get up at 5:00 in the morning to get to spin class.  You can also pick your own music.  The downside to this is no one watching to make sure you stay on the bike for the entire workout.

I needed to do 45 minutes on the bike for it to count on the Make You Way Across America Challenge.  I flirted with the idea of doing 30 minutes and doing a 15 cool down as I walked out of the gym to my car.  Another gym patron was on the bike at the end of the row and she wasn't stopping.  That gave me the extra motivation needed to do the full 45 minutes. So there is that.