Here comes my experience of my typical Tuesday.
The alarm sounds at 530am. The dredded noise never fills me with energy, its cold my bed is warm and im tired from well the TDF or just waking up. I tend to lay in until this can be done no longer. And thats when i spring into action. Im out the door with bag packed, something i never do the night before, as i cant remember what i pack so i need to do this as i go. The gym is conviently within walking distance nowdays but have spent the last few years cycling 10-15min there. On the walk up i go through my plan for the class and how i want it delivered and the extra cues i can find to inspire people to go that little bit harder.
Walking into the gym its all smiles and down to business, To perform to the high standard i expect from myself it usually comes with a routine that is very much the same for each class. So in the less then 15mins i get to get ready all this must be done, I feel at times i come across as guarded and hard to approach, but i feel i have a show to perform and your even getting ready infront of everyone..
I dont wish to feel overly relaxed before a class as i feel this will have my standard drop, for example i cant stand walking into a class with the instructor sitting on the stage mooching about, yup we all gotta put our shoes on, but im sorting my bike set up, getting my legs warm, mics ready.. Its the most uneasy time for me, those awkward minutes while im on my bike waiting for the clock to start, finding my zone so i can perform, not just me but my legs also. Surely u cant just wonder about a room and talk to everyone and then realise why your there oh "oops sorry everyone we better start eh??" I feel my classes come with a certain amout of seriousness and yes this can put some people off. But how much of a result are you gona get from mucking around??? Im here to get the most out of you.
The class had 22 this morning which is a bit quite, but its winter and with a TDF cycle challenge on at the moment its moving popularity around to other classes, As the challenge is 21classes in 23 days.
The class went well and with the new RIDE programme from www.indoorcycling.com.au everyone is challenged with just enough recoverys to get by. Its not the most responsive class but at 615am its all about getting the job and i have a very regular strong crew that perform at there best each tuesday morning and they leave smashed but satisfied.
After each class im mostly found in the stretch area on the foam roller. So just a quick session and then back home for breakfast and TDF highlights.
930boxing comes around real fast and im back at the gym with another game plan buzzing through my mind, i go through pre class routine but only to find that 3 people have shown up. you can spend all day looking for excuses, but whats the point... i know i deliver a challenging class with lots of variety. but with just 3 other guys to train with today. i stepped up and delivered a arm throbbing workout. based more on upper body strength and endurance it was a real battle, The tuesday class is usually a mums class so normaly lots of leg work is involved, but in the time ive had this class, from a strength perspective i have taken them from struggling with 10pushup to them achieving 100plus in a class, but happy to do them is the key element.
At erina FF when they know they cant do something they just dont wana try, but push them gently through a challenge and they build their confidence, Once they have that, Their unstoppable. LOVE IT..
The class was alot of hard work and no one left not feeling it especially the 120 military situps at the end, but all feeling energised. Big groups are great but with smaller groups you can experiment more and have more variety.
Hunted food down straight after this class and a recovery shake as well. and back home i go. to eat for the next couple of hrs and just chill out. More time on the foam roller as my glutes had begun to ache, Tight glutes is a constant battle with me, they then affect my ITB which then affects my knee and a great loss of power in the pedal stroke. so im sitting on the couch extremely uncomfortable. When my mate nick sends me a message id been waiting all day for RIDE???? I quickly get my mtb mojo on and im out the door and stomping on pedals up the road.. FREEDOM. within minutes im the most comfortable ive been all day.
We meet up at bellbird park and hit kinny mtn straight on and i felt real strong all the way to the lookout. Its a must stop every trip on the mountain. So i let nick know the game plan and off we go. but before the agony of central coast hills we get to bomb it down glassons trail with the track being so grippy we push the limits till we scare the shit out of ourselves.
Where crusing down empirebay drive on the tarmac just pacing along nicely on the flat road, Wards hill is close, i wait for nick to catch up so we can hit the climb together. I check with him if its his first time climbing it. "yup" i laugh with a hint of compassion of how much its gooing to suck for him and off i go..Trying to achieve the whole climb in the saddle except for the hairpins.. That might explain tightness behind the knee today.. my saddle feels just a tad high. great on the flat roads but pushing the extension of my leg just that little bit to much.It was ok for the race on saturday for the first couple of hrs, it can be difficult to determine whats causing fatigue 4hrs into a race. Oh the crappy thoughts while training, your mind is just to free to wonder into the worry box.
Once over the climb we continue up to scenic highway and into the singletrack that takes us along the cliff trail. very rightly named.. im not sure how far down it is, but i know of people who abseil off it. and well im so not going to look over the edge while cycling beside it, you ride along the edge of it about 6times i reckon and some corners meet at the edge as well. full focus here... We pop out of all that sniggle (winding singletrack) We have been going for over an hour now. its 430 and its a race to be the sunset home. so we take off down big bertha in a hurry.. caution on the waterbars as crashing can ruin a good day. ripping up the trails and launching off waterbars on the flat roads all the way back to kincumber.
Rolling up to kinny mtn we both let out a sigh drop our heads at the climb that is the only way home. sucking up lots of air as we raise our heads we set to work on the climb and crest the top in one piece, with the light fading fast and if it goes away it means no single track descent. So we push on challenging each other across the top and through the sand. I hit the dsecent infront of nick and try to pick the right lines in semi darkness not quite getting it all right, but no damage to myself so thats all that matters. A quick highfive at the junction and i head for home.
I fly through the shower as i was pretty muddy, give the bike a wash.. well it was the other way around. Priorities!!
Look for food as the right went for close to 2hrs and i was coming down off the buzz real fast. Eating a torq bar on my way to the gym feeling very sleepy. To which kris noticed the second i meet her in the stretch area. chatting away before i realise the time and set to find my pre-race i mean class zone..
Now to get into the room following a constantly late running 530 class is annoying but anyways i cant let it show as any mood i carry the class will follow good or bad.. Lots of my favourite riders where there. Kris,wayne,james,sally,alli,christel,brian and thats just the front row..The army is 22 strong and off into battle we go. we all spend the first song adjusting to going for our ride, i notice everyone was very busy thinking about something, its usually time for people to reflect on there day, I asked for some input on what people wanted play and the only request i got was Ashley asking for tiesto.. So i setup the ride to HARD and we got stuck into it,, quite a noisey bunch which i really like.
I tried to keep everyone from maxing out in the first hillclimb, as Rammstein took the reins in track 4. this tested the limits of everyones legs and the soundsystem.
track 5 was over real quick and track 6 (everyones fear) was here.. before the 1st of 2rounds of effort i had everyone say sorry to there legs... At full force we hit the TT and 2mins later were all in a very dark place.. a small recovery trying hard to have people keep their legs moving.
Here comes round two.. The meaning of tight arse tuesday.. after 2mins 30,, we are shattered. and i went a bit physco but hey thats how i rise above the pain in my legs.
Track 7. 9mins40. Adagio for strings the one ashley requested.. 3peaks one summit.. splinters from hurtboxes were flying everywhere.. A massive effort was put in every rider. its great to see people reach there limit and stop only for me to then remind them on what i want. and they get back on the pedals..
So we all hobble out of the spin room and call it a day.. i make my way to the stretch area for the obvious floating high on life but hammered from a huge day.
The day finishes with a yummy stirfry and a attempt to get to bed early with the legs wrapped in compression..
loving life.
Thanks for reading all the way.
just chops :)
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