Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Signing up for spin classes... come on folks!!!

Ok - now a little rant... sorry, it has to be done.

Does the Y really have to have a sign up sheet for Spin classes? Yes they are often full but get real. Many other Y's in much larger cities have finally gotten rid of the sign up sheets.

Here's my pain - feel it!

The spin classes have sign up sheets for them - they are open for sign up 3 days before the class. For me I like the Monday and Thursday classes which means I have to sign up on Friday for the Monday and on Monday for the Thursday - got it?

So I call at 8am on a Friday, remember the sign up sheet was just opened at 5:30am that morning - and it was already full! That's great! I'm so glad that so many people want to come to the classes. Here's the pain - sometimes I get to those classes (on the odd chance I actually get in) and there are empty bikes - but not all the time.

Of course there are going to be people who sign up and don't go - that's reason enough for me to trash the sign in sheet and just let people come on a first-come, first-served basis.

Oh and the Thursday spin class that opens on Monday gets full by 7am because all the people from the Monday spin class sign up for Thursday so if you don't call the Y by 7'ish you'll be left out - once again.

So here's my advice to the Y - squeeze as many bikes in that room as you can. We can easily fit 6 more bikes in the spin room at The Factory Y. Then tell people "no sign up sheet" and reward those folks who actually want to AND WILL get up for a 5:30am spin class.

Ahhh - I feel better - or I will feel better when I can actually get into a spin class!!!!!

Time flies!

Has it really been a month since I posted on my blog? Wow - that went by quickly! Before I knew it Polly was turning 6 and we were off to Texas for some quality famliy time, Tex-Mex food and the Houston Marathon!

The Houston Marathon
The Houston Marathon was great fun! After the IT band issues I've had recently I knew I was going to be unable to run it in its entirety so I had my husband, Richard, on call when I had to stop. Literally - I had my phone in my pocket and we played the "where are you game" from mile 13 to 16.5 so he could pick me up.

I was surprised that I lasted to mile 16.5! I felt pretty good. My knee was a bit achy so I made sure to pick up some ice at the medical tent at mile 16. I probably could have gone to at least mile 18 but my brain made me stop (my heart wanted to go!!!)

This is a race I would love to do every year. Being that it is my home town the whole course is like running in my back yard. The only thing better than doing this run every year would be living in Houston so I could run there every day! I love that city!!

OOPS
My biggest mistake of the day was being in such a hurry to get back to my parents that I didn't stretch. What was I thinking! I haven't been sore after a long run in years - really - years. But the next day I remembered what people were talking about with soreness after a run. I'll NEVER do that again (ok, at least not until I forget again) - always stretch after a long run especially if you've been injured.

YOGA
So in the 2 weeks since I got back from Texas I've been taking it easy. I started slacking on my IT band exercises and can tell a difference so I'm back to 3 times/week doing my exercises and hoping to get a Wii Fit so I can start to incorporate some yoga into my routine on the early mornings when I don't do something else. YES - I don't like or know how to do yoga so I'm dependent on someone telling me what to do and for how long and if I'm doing it right... YOGA IS BORING but oh well.

My 2009 calendar
I've been getting lots of questions on my 2009 training calendar so here is my schtick. I'm not doing many tris this year because honestly, getting on the bike to ride is harder this year. My weekend rides are harder to get in than my runs because I will run when it's dark so I can be done running by 8 or 9 am sometimes!

I do, really, really, do want to do Ironman Louisville again but it likely won't be until 2010 - maybe- because I have to get my husband up on my training again and he's enjoying the break. I will continue to NOT do it for a time and just do it for fun so my goal will be completion until my life is a bit less crazy - likely when I am 50.

Until then, I'm just focusing on running and swimming. I've got to keep building up my distance on my run and drop some of this winter-weight! ;)

Happy trails and Skirt on!