The Pink Jersey

I started taking a spinning class at the gym in November of 2006. For those of you who aren't sure, no I'm not spinning in circles or spinnig yarn lol. Spinning is a cycling class taught by an instructor to music.

I thought I was in pretty good shape. I had burned up the motor in one treadmill and pretty much had worn a path on the road to the cemetary and back. So the first class I took, I was pretty cocky. Knew I cold get on that bike and kick a little butt. WRONG! I honestly thought I was going to die. I couldn't breathe and my legs were so shakey I couldn't stand up on the bike for longer then 30 seconds. I was done with that. I was comparing myself to everyone else in the class and beating myself up about my physical condition. I decided then, that the ride on that bike was mine. No one elses. I would do what I could and just keep plugging along.

So, 2 years ago, the gym started "Bike Across America". We would log the time on the bike and made our way from San Francisco to New York. An equivalent of nearly 3,000 miles. To put it all into perspective, a one hour spin class was equal to 20 miles. That's alot of days and hours in the gym and on the bike.

My great friend, Nan, was the first one to reach New York. I think she was half way back to California when the rest of us started getting close.

Last night, I went to the gym and got on the treadmill to see how close I am to reaching of my goal of participating in a 5k race. That's another story! lol When I was finished and getting ready to go home, Tina, the owner of the gym and such a great friend and coach said to me, "I have had something for you for a long time." She handed me this pink biking jersey. "You were 2nd place in the Bike Across America." Well how cool is that? This baby boomer beat several Generations X and Y to the finish line. It was quite an accomplishment for me.

I don't know that I'll ever "love" to workout. But what I do know is that I feel so much better when I do workout. I have made some great friends at the gym and it's always a catch-up session when we haven't seen someone for awhile.

No, I'll never be a Lance Armstrong and I'll probably never be a triathlete, but for me the Pink Jersey is the pat on the back I needed!