As is true for many great things in my life, this ride was born on accident and took on a life of its own.  It started out neatly structured, well-planned and thought-out:  a circuit ride combined with a time ladder for increasing sustainability and challenging our abilities to work hard without blowing up…

But then I blew up. 

Between leaving work late, almost forgetting my music, picking up a filthy child from school who had to be washed before we could leave the house again, having to make a special trip to get the battery in my heart rate monitor changed, losing my stop watch, and fighting through one of the worst cases of muscle soreness I’ve experienced lately, I’m surprised I even made it to class.  It’s just a long list of random occurences that singularly are no big deal, and even collectively are completely survivable and hardly worth mentioning.  Except I mention them because they threw me into a complete state of mental chaos.  I just wanted to give up.

But that is how life is — a swirly mass of demands to be met and obstacles to be overcome and you never know what life is going to throw at you.  And in a metaphorical sense, it is how workouts can be too.  So instead of fighting it, I rode it and I asked my riders to ride it to. 

Explanation

The instructions were simple:  no matter what comes your way, no matter how ridiculous or impossible the cue seems, accept it, integrate it, ride it and DONT BLOW UP! 

I started the music and we were on our way.  I made up the terrain as we went along, based loosely on my profile, and in response to what I saw in my riders.   We never attempted anything contraindicated, but I definitely got whackier than my usual by-the-book Spinning Rides.   However, the wacky terrain supported the purpose, which I constantly reminded them was to stick to your guns; learn to overcome obstacles by anchoring on to something positive, something strong that exists inside of you.  I also pointed out that from the moment we arrived on the bike, there was a conflict between what was going on in our minds and what was going on with our bodies.  We have to quiet the mind and focus on the moment if we want to arrive at our destination….

They had no idea how long each movement would last or when recovery would come or what would be next.  I usually overcue what to expect in the ride and how long it will be and how to save up for what’s coming…  Not today.  The not knowing how long was probably the toughest part for them and for me.  After sustaining for a bit, my incredibly sore legs would cry out for a break, and I’d be tempted to switch to a new movement, but that would defeat the purpose, wouldn’t it?  To overcome this, I did a lot of coaching off the bike and I kranked for a bit.   And so, the ride was created by observing them.  I encourage you, if you consider using the ride this way that I am describing it, to watch your students and let the terrain unfold organically based on what you see.  For instance, we did a set of jumps that lasted for an entire song.  I almost NEVER do more than 10 or 15 jumps at a time in a class because usually the riders fall apart before then.  But they were so focused, so intent on their purpose, that their jumps kept getting better and better.  Instead of sloughing off, they were going harder and getting to a smoother, more rhythmic place.  And I wasn’t about to let them miss out on this great opportunity!!   And so, they jumped for nearly 3 minutes.  Some took breaks, some slowed down, but they were being smart about it, and it was great.  Watch your students and adapt the terrain to them.

The next night, I subbed a class and did the ride exactly as it was planned.  And it went well too.  This group doesn’t usually get into my rides because I am quite different from their instructor.  However, this ride seemed to win them over and it sounded like they were challenged.  I got good comments after and some said they’d be coming to my class.  We’ll see…. 

The Profile

The real profile is a circuit combined with a time ladder.  Props to the folks at Pedal-On for once again providing the concept and structure for my class! (I’m pretty sure Monica and Patrick S are my main sources on this one.) The circuit consists of 7 moves:

• Seated Flat – moderate resistance and cadence (doubles for recovery if needed)
• Seated Flat – increase resistance and cadence
• Standing Flat/Run with Resistance
• Seated Climb
• Jumps on a Hill
• Standing Climb
• Seated Climb

Then, for the time ladder, repeat each loop with movements lasting:

1. :30
2. :60
3. :90
4. :60
5. :30

In the first class, I ditched the time ladder portion instantly.  The second night it provided the structure for a great workout!  For the chaos ride though, anything goes.  I did the movements out of order, for as long as necessary, threw in jumps on a flat road, and a big sprint at the end.  I put them on a hill and did some seriously heavy loading.  Whatever the moment called for.  And it was fun!  At least for me…  And a couple of folks who said they loved it as they left. 

The Music

I was a little apathetic about the music as I put it together.  In addition to the chaos of the day yesterday, the days preceeding it were jam packed, and so I wound up at the last minute just tossing a bunch of songs I’ve acquired recently into Mix Meister and had a playlist.   Oddly enough, they worked.  Or, as the moment unfolded, the song was taken into account for the choice of movement, and that worked.  Either way, I realized that some of these are real gems that I will use again.  It is incredibly eclectic, or chaotic if you will… 

View as an iMix in iTunes

That’s it! Have a great ride!

Once again, credit for this ride belongs to Patrick Schutte. He does an incredible job of crafting rides that mimic the terrain of some of the greatest races in the world. This one is no exception. It is a tough push through the hills of France. There are five mountain passes that are challenging, to say the least. A downhill after each provides an opportunity for recovery. Riders will maintain heart rates in the Strength Zone (75-85%). If you choose, you can let the heart drop more significantly in the recoveries, creating a nice Interval Ride instead. This is a fun one, and you won’t be disappointed!

Overview

The goal of the ride is to increase power and climbing ability. We’ll be building muscular strength and endurance. This ride mimics the 15th Stage of the 2007 TDF which takes us the through the Haute Garonne and back in to the Pyrennees and through five mountain passes that will challenge riders, but they will have a chance to recover (slightly or more if you choose) on the short downhills.

Profile

Sorry to make you download something, but it really is easier to read in a full attachment!! Here it is:
Spinning Profile – TDF – Stage 15 – Strength – 3

Music

No Mix Meister here. The ride matches the length of the song that is available. Couldn’t be simpler — just grab the playlist and ride!

Playlist:

1. DJ Disse – Walk on the Wild Side
2. DJ Disse – Break on Through
3. Cavo – Crash
4. Black Lagoon – Fever
5. Evanescence – Bring Me to Life
6. Basshunter – Every Morning
7. Bond – Fuego
8. Flo Rida – In The Ayer Remix
9. Kula Shaker – Hush
10. Niyaz – Dilruba (Andy Gray Grayed Out Remix)
11. Josh Harris – Ever Think About Me?
12. Hinder – Born to Be Wild
13. Todd Carey – Ain’t Got Love
14. Stevie Ray Vaughn – Texas Flood

Here’s the iMix:

The title of this ride comes from the IMAX movie I will be playing on the video screens in our Spinning room during class. It is called Adrenaline Rush and it is an IMAX movie about Sky Divers. I was inspired by the movie to choose songs that are somwhat related to concept of flying or falling, so I guess you might consider this a theme ride. I haven’t ridden it yet, but I am incredibly excited about the music. Some of these songs would never fit into another playlist, but they match the energy and the movements we’ll be riding, so I am expecting great things!

The ride is basically 5 hills that gradually increase in length. We’re going for endurance and stamina with this one and we’ll be in the saddle for a while. It’s going to test our discipline and we’ll have to up the mental game. Are we up for the challenge?

Overview

This is a hard ride for a variety of reasons. The stated parameters of an Endurance Ride (EEZ) mean we will be working aerobically for the entire class. The goal is to keep the heart rate under 80%MHR for the whole ride. However, you and your riders will be pleasantly surprised by how difficult it is to keep your heart rate under 80%MHR. The test is to stay in control, to master the breath, and not allow yourself to cross the anaerobic or lactic thresholds. As the hills get longer, your body’s ability to cope with the onset of fatigue will come into play. Encourage your riders not to give up when the fatigue sets in, but to find ways to adapt to the workload.

As mentioned before, this is a ride of 5 hills. They last 4:00, 6:00, 8:00, 10:00 and 12:00 respectively. On each hill, there is a build up in the saddle, a brief period out of the saddle, and then a brief flat as we move to the next challenge. The ride is detailed in a Spreadsheet here:

2010-03-17 Rolling Hills Pyramid

Music

The playlist and corresponding links are listed below. I used MixMeister to trim and blend songs to match the hills. I also worked meticulously to put the RWR/StC at just the right moment in the song.

Intro Songs

• Blue Sky, Francesca Battistelli
• Fly Like an Eagle, Steve Miller Band

Warm Up

• Learning To Fly, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers

4:00 Hill

• The Adventure, Angels & Airwaves

6:00 Hill

• Jump (feat. Nelly Furtado), Flo Rida
• Sun Is Shining, Bob Marley Vs Funkstar De Luxe

8:00 Hill

• Pocket Full of Sunshine (Stonebridge Club Mix), Natasha Bedingfield
• Catch Me I’m Falling, Pretty Poison

10:00 Hill

• Learn to Fly, Foo Fighters
• Fly Away, Lenny Kravitz
• Theme From ”Greatest American Hero” (Believe It Or Not), Joey Scarbury

12:00 Hill

• The Awakening [DJ Shah's highnoon at Salinas Remix], York
• Alive, P.O.D.
• Defying Gravity, Kerry Ellis***

Cool Down

• Highland Sun, Eureka
• Fallin’, Alicia Keys
• Free Fallin’, John Mayer

*** This song is incredible! Even if you haven’t seen Wicked, you can’t not be moved by Kerry Ellis’s rock version of the song. It is 157 bpm, so if you ride to the beat, like I tend to do, it is a challenging pace for the last bit of hill. It also has an inspirational message and all…. My riders loved it.

Here’s the full iMix:

Overview

This profile is an All-Terrain ride with an emphasis on steadily increasing and maintaining control over the effort. We sustain the work for the first 20 minutes, recover, then work steadily for another 20 minutes. Technically, it could be considered an interval ride, but there are only two long intervals. The terrain from home to beach is: flat road, bumpy road, hilly road, long slope up to the shoreline, and a steep descent down to the water. Turning around to come back, you have a steep climb, a long, gentle descent, a hilly road and then the final flat. The ride home gets cut a bit short due to time constraints, but I don’t believe anyone noticed.

Profile

You can download the pdf file here. I’ve found that it is just to messy to try to post the rides in the blog, so you’ll have to save this link:
Spinning Profile: Out and Back to the Beach

As you are reading the song times, please note that I have used DJ editing software to cut the length of each song to match my required effort.

Playlist

Songs not on iTunes:
Omni Vista – These are the Moments Available at ccMixter.org

Description

Intervals provide an opportunity to increase aerobic and anaerobic capacity. This ride consists of 4 interval periods. Each interval period is broken down into five movements and the movements are meant to facilitate a subtle raising and lowering of the heart rate in a fairly controlled manner. In the first three sets, each movement lasts 2 minutes before advancing. The last set has 3-minute movements for a total ride of 45 min. The short movement periods help time go by quicker and also allow less-conditioned participants to get the benefit of the hardest parts of the interval without needing to give up or sit out. This ride trains the heart at very specific output levels, so coach your riders to target a specific heart rate and keep it there until the parameter changes. This will improve discipline and help increase knowledge of what each zone feels like.

You can check out the details of the full ride here:
Interval Loops IEZ Ride Notes

Music

And of course, what would the ride be without music?

The iMix is incomplete, as not every song is available on iTunes. Here are the links to the Mashups and Remixes:

1. C&C Music Factory – Make You Sweat – Everybody Dance Now (Princess Ann Reconstruction Tribal Mix) (Download from Princess Ann)
2. ToTom – Thundersexy (Download from last.fm)
3. Mashuptown – The Spirit of Ray (Download from Mashuptown.com)
4. The Fixx – One Thing Leads To Another (Rhythm Scholar Remix) (Download from RhythmScholar.com)

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