Ride Your Race

Bess Ogden

Master Trainer

Teaching indoor cycling is very new to me. When I used to compete in triathlon, we only took indoor cycling classes when the weather was awful or the winter days were too short to ride outside. It was necessary conditioning, and we went to class to hammer! WARRIOR Revolution is a different experience altogether - yes, it’s firmly rooted in traditional terrain-based indoor cycling class design (hammering can happen), but we also turn up the party vibe!

I’ve been practicing at my gym’s gorgeous bike studio, preparing to teach Revolution. The other day my best friend joined me. She came for the workout, to provide feedback, and to give me moral support. While I was getting my microphone and music going, a young guy came into the studio and asked if there was a class starting. I let him know that we were just practicing. I invited him in and told him he was perfectly welcome to do his own thing, as long as he was okay with my music and cueing “noise”. He was fine with it and got himself set up on a bike.

We were about two songs into my lesson when I realized he was actually doing the moves with us! He looked like he was working hard, and appeared to enjoy it right to the very end of the hour. Afterwards, we were all chatting and my friend mentioned that he was wearing her favorite brand of shoes. He said that he loved them, too! He admitted he was kind of bummed that this pair had a hole through the sole, which he showed us. “Must be a poor college student”, I thought to myself. But then things took a turn…

He continued on, saying, “The spikes of my mountain bike pedals finally wore through. I didn’t mind except when I had to walk through the cacti.” Wait, WHAT?? My friend and I must have had matching quizzical expressions on our faces. “Yeah, I finished a 1,040 mile, 42 day solo mountain bike ride, Baja to Bay, last month. It was mostly a dirt track and slow-going some days.” Our jaws dropped in awe.

“This is the first time I’ve been on a bike seat since I got back, actually. It was really fun! Thanks for easing me back in with something new and different!” Well, THAT was unexpected! We talked a bit longer about his incredible trip, and learned that he’s in the midst of planning another one in Mexico this spring with his partner and brother. 

How cool that I could offer this amazing person my WARRIOR Revolution class, and it happened to be his path back into his riding practice.. Yes, I think his commitment to these adventures is very similar to having a yoga practice. He had shared with us that his experience in Baja was just as much mental as physical. This is not surprising. I get it. That was my draw to long-distance triathlon in the past. It’s personal how you get into that meditative space. Revolution could absolutely help bring you there. AND it can be a simple, joyful, spicy sweat sesh, if that’s what you want. I invite YOU to find a class and Ride YOUR Race with us.

Bess



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