Encouragement

Sometimes you just need a little encouragement.

I'm on holiday from work for two weeks (whoop!) and I have an empty. Since I'm not going away during this holiday I have a few things planned to keep me occupied. As always I have some fitness classes and gym time pencilled in when it will be a bit less quieter than it is in the evening. 

I booked a spin class with an instructor I haven't had before although I've heard she's great, and a little bit tough. Just what i like. So this morning i had my breakfast, did some yoga stretching for an hour, had a shower and headed off to this spin class. It was on at 1.15pm just after another class by Ross (my Friday evening instructor) and I felt like I was cheating on him with the new class. Weird. 

Anyway, this new class was with Louise (or LouMac) as most people know her. She does early morning spin classes too as well as metafit and insanity outside of The Peak in local villages. There was about ten of us in the class and we started at a little after 1.15pm. The music was loud, the instructions were clear and we were soon pounding our way up three imaginary hill climbs. I like to think of it like those ones on show in recent days on the Tour De France coverage.

Halfway through the class I had a quick check of the little display screen and noticed that I was pushing much more 'power' in a higher gear and that my calories used was higher than in other classes at this point. Result. 

The second to last track was to be the biggest one yet. Push a higher gear, cadence a little higher too and for quite a few more minutes than before. All throughout the class Louise was giving instructions about gears and cadence and then she got off the bike and came around. I was pounding out at 79-81 speed in my highest gear. I thought my quads were going to explode and my lungs burst and just at that moment she walked past and gave my hand a squeeze as if to say "you're doing great". That was me. A lump in my throat and my breath nearly gone with emotion but I didn't give up, in fact it spurred me on and I coughed that breathlessness away. What a really lovely thing to do, I thought. 

We had one track left. Another hill then a quick speedy round 'downhill'. We breezed through it and it was soon time for the cool down. 

She was really encouraging and after we had stretched and cleaned the bikes I was putting my trainers back on and she gave me another "well done, you were going really well there". "thanks" I replied with a cheesy grin on my face.

Those little things make all the difference in a class. In fact those little things make a difference, full stop. I was completely stuffed by the end but you know what? I will try to get into one of her class again. Because sometimes all you need is that little bit of encouragement.

Angela