Friday, February 17, 2012

I like it in a group... the more the merrier!

There I said it!

I love my 5:45AM Spin class. Most people think I'm crazy, I have to get up at 4:09 to get there on time.  I really enjoy working out in a group, and this class is pretty motivating.  The class is a reservation class and sells out within 2 minutes.  The gym had some exciting news lately and they added 17 new bikes!  AWESOME, that puts 39 bikes in the room!

By the way, do you know if you search clipart for SPIN you get a bunch of dradles? Anyway, the room is a good size room, but packing THIRTY NINE people together for SPIN is just really cool.  Especially when we're all there at 5:45 AM!  All for the same thing, all to get moving, get our groove on, or to just get the workout over with.

I am SO motivated by large groups.  Just looking around the room today made me work harder.  I'm such a geek that way, I LOVE big races, because I love the team aspect of it.  Today's class felt like that, wow!

One drawback, or maybe not? It should have been called Bikram Spin!  WOW 39 people working as hard as they can for an hour in a room with no ventilation- it was HOT!!

We've had some issues lately with a choice member or two not liking the 'volume' of the class so they installed a 'decibel' meter.  It is annoying to begin with, but today was the first sellout and we noticed that there is no longer a PLUG for the fan! Thank you annoying person who doesn't like the loud music (maybe you should go take a yoga class instead or swim, it's quiet with your head in the water).  

I was quite jazzed today, I realized found my groove. I started my official Half Ironman Training this week. Hollie Kenny to the rescue!   I dragged myself out of bed on Thursday for a swim and a RUN, yes people a RUN!

 I do miss my old training buddies, as I have been doing it alone for some time.  Seeing the 'peloton' today was awesome.  I'm digging the classes, and the energy that you can pick up in a class!

I am loving the Master Swim class, even though I am a Total Immersion Swimmer!

I think it's going to be a good year!  

Saturday, February 11, 2012

Former Athena: Now Hot, Tire-flipping, Momma!

I've met another amazing woman of the century club!  Tara has lost over 124 lbs and is just amazing.  She is a mother of three and if you saw her today, you would never, EVER believe any of it!

She is, quite honestly one of the people in my spin class that you look at and immediately make a stereotype “oh crap, strong, tiny chick.” Then for some reason you never EVER think that she would have passed this massive milestone! I remember seeing her in class one day- legs of steel. I heard her talking about her ‘Warrior Dash”, and thought “ewe little chick, and she would totally kick my ass!” (well she would, but that’s a different story). Another lesson, really STOP stereotyping, really we have NO idea how people ended up where they are!  NONE!

I’ve been spinning with Tara for over a year, and I just recently found out about her journey. She doesn’t flaunt it, advertise it, but damn, she should be PROUD!

This was Tara just a few years ago:



From her words “The change has come from the inside out.”  She told me after she was married and had children she gained over 100lbs.  It was all diet that put on the weight, so she decided to use diet to lose the weight.  She lost much of her weight with changing her lifestyle and her relationship with food.

Then, after significant weight loss, she met and fell in love with the gym.  The gym has become an addiction, as it does for many of us! (See previous post on finding your motivation).  You have to find what motivates you!  There is something out there for EVERYONE; you just have to be willing to keep trying new things until you find YOUR motivation/addiction!

Tara and I both share the same crazy addiction of a 5:45AM spin class and enjoy a great workout with  LOUD, LOUD music that often includes Shakiria, Iron Maden, and our loud motivating instructor!!

We do have differing ‘addictions’ too, she told me she LOVES the weight room. I could live without it. Check out the guns on this gal!



Everyone has to keep trying different things, I swear you can find your “thing” that will drive you, and it is out there!  Re-read some of the posts about the other century club members I keep writing about! – And just LOOK at Tara’s transformation, it is AMAZING!


Tara does enjoy triathlons, running, and she claims she’s an awful swimmer (I don’t believe her though).  Her ‘thing’ is functional training. She enjoys the ropes, flipping tires, pushups, pull-ups, etc.



 Tara said the change is mostly mental, but you sure can see the physical change!

She’s working on her personal training cert, as that is absolutely where her passion is!

 She wants to motivate others.  



Well what do you think folks, is this motivating or what?   

You can tell her on my facebook page!