Second Week, First Day, at CYCLEBAR Columbia Pike: Huzzah!

I have finally had quite a lot of fun at my CYCLEBAR Columbia Pikespin class on Monday night. I felt exuberant during the sprints and I felt strong during the out-of-saddle uphills. 

It made me happy to feel connected to the bike and the class. This is even nicer since I had a hard time getting clipped into the SPD pedals because I cut it too close to the start of the class. The Instructor of the Monday night "Classic" class, Natalie, was strong and friendly and would have helped me out had I not been hiding behind a column and up against the wall in the dark (my decision, which is stupid of me). She felt bad afterward; however, it's not her fault at all. She is awesome, both in and out of the studio. So welcoming.

Big Guys Should Ride in Cycling Bib Shorts

I had been riding with padded cycling underwear underneath my JL Racing unisuits; however, I ordered a pair of Pearl iZUMi Men's Escape Quest Cycling Bib Shorts to try out instead. They're basically unisuits for riding, with awesome pads in the crotch. No gel, just foam. I don't think they're high-end chamois but they do an excellent job. I wear them like thermal undies: under my t-shirts and sweatpants. 

I'm Proud of My Wattage

My recent workouts haven't been very nice with regards to heart rate, wattage/power, RPM, or even speed. So, I am very proud of it. I know I am doing OK when I get into an actual flow, a zone, and I really started vibing with the music and the workout once I got my clip securely in the SPD clip. I felt like I worked hard:

I am starting to make "hey there" friends. Of course with Marina, the owner, and Natalie, the instructor, and Nikki, my first Spin friend; however, there's a cool couple who asked up on me and were really friendly and supportive and tend to ride at the back of the studio like me. I like them Next time, I'll ask them their names. 

And another most excellent sign is that the time passed wicked fast on Monday. It was a very quick 45-minutes instead of a "when the hell will this ever end" 45-long-as-hell-minutes. 

I am writing this on a Tuesday so this was yesterday. I have another class tomorrow at 7:30 PM.  One thing that Marina, the owner, suggests is trying a bunch of different instructors. I already tried out Sylva Hříbková's class and loved it. Tomorrow night, Wednesday, I am going to try out Shane's Wine Down Wednesday. 

So, that's the report for Week 2, Day 1 of my experience at the Columbia Pike CYCLEBAR. Wish me luck!