I found RAC, and I'm back to teaching!

I have really, really missed teaching Spinning!

I was going to wait until after the election to find some classes. But then I got here, started taking a few, and realized that I wanted to be in charge again (it's the only way to guarantee that I'll like the music, after all!!)

There are a lot of gyms here, and I'd really like to say I did my due diligence and scoped out them all, but as it turned out I found a new fitness home in the second place I went to, Rochester Athletic Club.

I was impressed by RAC for a number of reasons. They came highly recommended when I asked around. There are five clubs, some for women only. Their equipment is modern and in great shape. I like the atmosphere inside the clubs, nobody makes me feel intimidated or stared at like many of the storefront meat markets around.

After a quick audition, I was brought on as a sub. I'll probably just sub until after the election, when my work life will get considerably easier, unless an early morning time slot opens up. Getting hired there allowed me to peek inside the inner-workings of the club, and I was impressed by the professionalism and organization!

So, my first classes are Wednesday and Thursday and I'm stoked! Albiet a little intimidated by the microphone (at the LCFYMCA I got away with just shouting half the time lol!)

Spin playlist: Endurance training

As I mentioned in my previous post, I've been alternating between endurance classes and interval classes.

I explained it to my class this morning as follows: Endurance classes you try to keep a steady heart rate, around 60 percent (though very few people have monitors). The intervals are longer but less intense, and the rest periods are shorter.

Interval classes have short bursts of really high-intensity followed by longer rest periods.

For today's endurance class I took them up three big (5-6 minute) climbs. After each one there's a recovery then either jumps or sprints to keep things interesting. Each climb was over two songs, so I intentionally made the second song a little faster so the last two minutes or so of the climb would be more challenging. All climbs are a combination of sitting and standing. Here's the playlist:

Rolling Stones: Start Me Up -- warmup

Yael Naim - New Soul: Start climb #1 out easy. About a 3 or 4 on a scale of 1-10. Increase the last minute of the song.

The interval class from... you know where ;)

I think I finally mastered the art of the interval cycling class today. This playlist was a doozy.

I managed this one twice in a row today! Average heart rate 153, max 192. 979 calories burned! (For that, I cracked open an Angry Orchard hard cider... one of my new favorite gluten free things!!)

Wilco - Summer Teeth -- Warmup

Rolling Stones - Honky Tonk Woman -- Easy climb

Metro Station - Shake it -- Make the climb steeper, really pushing the heart rate in the second minute of the song, then take the last minute to recover

Marathon music spring 2012 edition

To say that the nerves are kicking in would be a vast understatement.

So here's another music post! It will take the place of my normal spinning playlist because I didn't make one this week, I just used old ones.

I'm also so bummed, the Flying Pig doesn't post split times to Facebook and Twitter like the other races do, so I'll try to do a quick update on my phone as soon as I can after the race.

Here's what I'm super excited to listen to during the Pig:

Girl Talk Girl Talk Girl Talk!!! Free downloads here: http://illegal-art.net/girltalk/

Love me some Matt & Kim! I have two of their albums loaded up onto my iPod.

I want to ride my bicycle I want to ride it where I like....

Spin playlist for the week, I'm excited to use it, found a few new songs!

Rolling Stones - Start Me Up

Dr. Dog -- Heavy Light

OK Go - This too shall pass (Possibly the greatest music video ever)

Queen - Bicycle Race (so cliche and I don't care!)

Remember this next time you can't get off the couch (and spin playlist for the week)

I got home from a long-ish day at work, took Lizzie on her regular walk around the block and then we both plopped ourselves down on the couch. I put my feet up on the coffee table, and still wearing my work clothes I spent the next 20 minutes not-quite-getting Jon Stewart's jokes about the Easter and Passover coverage.

I SO wanted to stay there for the next few hours, see what Colbert had to say, see if Stewie has attempted to kill Lois lately (I'm a few episodes behind) or laugh at whatever personas Roger whips out next. An ideal Tuesday evening, really. Laundry can wait. Dishes can wait. Someone bring me a pizza? Yep, a whole one.

But no, I have to get up, bleck! 

I'd love to say that I had the drive and motivation to go to the Y. But today I didn't. I'm off my training plan again, sidelined for a couple more days due to recurring calf pain. No, the only thing getting me off my lazy butt this evening was the fact that somebody had to open her big mouth when they needed someone to fill the time slot for cycling.

Why, why, why did I do that?

I slug upstairs, groan slightly as I put on my tights and a wrinkly top, again curse the fact that I cut my hair just too short to fit in a ponytail, pull my baseball cap down low, toss a cookie to Miss Lizzie (lucky brat gets to stay on the couch AND eat a bacon flavored treat, so jealous) and head out the door.

Honey you'll survive

I realized I never got around to posting my spin playlist from last week, but last week's and this week's playlist are pretty similar!

I've got the Friday class again this week. I think I'm going to do a 1990s dance party :) Suggestions welcome! I will post it when I get it done.

I was a little nervous in building this playlist. Monday I was subbing for a very popular instructor. His classes are tough, and his room is always full. His taste in music is nowhere near mine, so it was a major change for the class, but they seemed happy!

This class ended up being super-tough. I wore my monitor, and burned 500 calories!

Onto the playlist!

Warmup: REM - Stand

Hill: Weezer -- Beverly Hills

Recover: Florence and the Machine -- Kiss with a Fist

Pyramid climb: Fun. -- We are Young (Perfect for a pyramid climb, the song slows down then speeds up again)

Recover/sprint: Pat Benetar -- Hit Me With Your Best Shot (I use this song a lot but it's so perfect, a one minute recovery then a 30-second sprint)

Rolling Hills: Fiona Apple -- Fast As You Can

Recover/Jumps: Flo Rida -- Club Can't Handle Me (just a super fun song)

Static climb OR Strength Drill: Bruce Springsteen -- Born to Run

Recover: Modest Mouse -- So Much Beauty in Dirt

Jumps: Matt & Kim -- Good Old Fashioned Nightmare (I've said it before, I love it love it love it love it and it's so perfect!)

Small hill: Michael Jackson -- Black or White (I always catch someone dancing when I play this hehe)

Rolling hills: Queen -- Keep Yourself Alive -- I just discovered this song and it's also perfect, I do two-tier hills, some out of the saddle, alternating with quick sprints on a flat

Cooldown: Arcade Fire -- Keep the Car Running

Carry a compass to help you along

Cycling playlist for the week!! This is a good one :)

Edgar Winter Group -- Free Ride

Waiting for the End -- Linkin Park

Stand, you're gonna run again :)

What a crazy week! I'll schedule a post to go tomorrow with an update on how I'm doing injury-wise, to sum it up in one word: Better!!

In the meantime, my spinning playlist for the week (a few repeats from last week) :)

Warm-up: Lenny Kravitz, Stand

Hill: Doors - Hello, I Love You

Hill with jumps: Matt & Kim - Good Ol' Fashioned Nightmare -- How am I just now discovering this song -- it is AWESOME and PERFECT for spin!!!!!!

Put up your dukes, let's get right to it

Thought I'd post one of my spin class playlists...

Warmup: Journey: Anyway You Want It

Hill Part 1: Arcade Fire: Keep the Car Running:

Hill part 2: Beatles - Here Comes the Sun