How glorious: The wind is at my back, the sun is warming my head and I’m surrounded by the mesmerizing Swiss countryside, yet it’s so warm I’m wearing shorts.
Errol Craig Sull, of Amherst, rides with a pack of spin class buddies.
Am I running along a country road? Perhaps I’m in my convertible with the top down? Maybe my motorcycle and I are roaming around Switzerland? And possibly it’s a beautiful summer day?
No … no … no … and no!
Instead, I am in a room surrounded by four walls, with fans turned on, a window high up with sun streaming in, and in the front an animated video of a leisurely trip through Switzerland. I’m going about 30 mph, on an indoor cycling bike, during a spinning session.
I can close my eyes while I pedal. No need to worry about hitting pedestrians, being run over by a car or going over a pothole. When I stand I don’t concern myself with avoiding low-hanging branches or being toppled over by a sudden breeze.
There is music playing and an instructor bellowing – motivating! – throughout the 45-minute class. And a gang of us are cycling, with a variety of headbands, T-shirts and tank tops, shorts and yoga pants, sneakers and biking shoes – smiling, guffawing, chuckling. Everything combined has made us one happy bunch!
The workout is simply amazing. We burn hundreds of calories with perhaps the best cardiovascular activity available, surrounded by “spinning buds” who share the intensity, excitement, fun and esprit de corps these get-togethers brings.
