By now most folks here in Boston know that I'm heading west to Chicago come September. For all the cynics (including myself) who thought I'd never pack up and leave Boston -- let alone Charlestown -- it's actually happening. For all of the optimists and the Domers west of I-495: yes, indeed it's happening.
So, this means I'm taking the Illinois Bar Exam. What not a better time to pick up little athletic goals like spinning every week or training for a major race than now, I say. The former goal happened kind of by accident; I never really did spin class much, but the roommate got me into it and now I'm hooked. The latter goal (the Men's Health Urbanathlon) was something that I've wanted to do for two or three years. When this Chicago move started to turn into a reality, I figured that I might as well make this race happen too. Now you'll get to track these two things for the rest of the summer.
I hadn't considered how much training for a race can start to consume your whole life. I've always been a big fan of short 8k sprints because it's just like jogging the Charles with a little bit of a push. Once you get to running 10.5 miles and doing stadium steps at Soldiers' Field, well, that's something that I know I just can't do after a night of putting down a couple of Harpoons. It all means that you end up putting a lot of work into preparing for the thing, a lot like the bar exam works. That's how spinning fits in; I realized that I needed to step up the cardio, because God only knows that a run sandwiched with obstacle courses up and down Lake Michigan in Chicago is going to be more than a run in the park. Right now, I'm finding myself spinning four times a week, doing bootcamp two times a week, going on two runs (with multiple trips up and down the "40 Flights" on Bunker Hill in Charlestown) and then fitting in two really good lifting sessions. Basically, I'm dedicating myself to two-a-days while studying for a bar exam. And it's been fun; I don't think I've felt this good since... well, 2006.
You're probably trying to figure out how the Tour de France fits in to this? Here's the thing: Meg -- the head fitness instructor at BSC @ Downtown Crossing -- has a whole Tour de France spin series going. I've never really thought about the Tour de France and following recaps on a daily basis. But now that I'm spinning, this has become cool... and competitive. I'm finding myself listening to recaps instead of falling fast asleep because I'm starting to get interested in how different stages of the Tour translate into what we're doing in spin class. There are all these terms I have to learn (like what is a Domestique?). And let me tell you, for the recreational fitness "bro" (I hate that term, I know), the class is intense! No cheating here; just full out turns on the bike.
Of course, with a themed class comes fun stuff like trivia!
Q: When's the last time Lance Armstrong rode the Tour de France?
A: 2005 (site: Wikipedia)
Q: Before the Yellow Jersey, what did the Leader wear?
A: A Green Arm Band (thanks the Meg Hughes)
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