My Peloton bike sits on the floor in front of me. Sleek, black, tablet (screen dark, no class on) shoes next to my bike, Velcro straps sticking up, purple three-pound weights, the cord, bike to electrical outlet. My Facebook “Peloton Challenge group”, that I’ve been part of for almost two months rests at my fingertips, available for support, ideas, camaraderie, like the support and encouragement I received when I was part of a triathlon team or my running group that I trained with. The only difference is that my Peloton team is a virtual one. We have never met in person and probably never will.
I had my Peloton bike for several years before I participated in the online aspect of Peloton. In Peloton speak I had over 300 rides before I uttered many words on the Peloton main Facebook page. I’m a big Facebook user, but I have bad luck in groups, I have a big mouth, I’m very opinionated, especially when it comes to politics, child rearing, and religion. I piss people off, I get pissed off, and it’s wasted energy I want to avoid. I also don’t like to waste time getting sucked into sad stuff all the time, I get depressed.
I have been sticking with plain Facebook and my Art Facebook page. No groups! But one day in January, I felt I needed a change, my hormones were changing, I started getting hot flashes, I faced the fact that I had gained weight over the past four years since my kids were born. It was early in the morning, I just did a ride on the bike and I went on Facebook, visited the Peloton page. I wrote how I was feeling, I told the Peloton world I wanted to change, I even told them I had been taking anti-depressants for over two years, and had just quit, cold turkey. I got so much support, invites to various groups, which I joined a bunch. I didn’t last long on any of the Peloton groups though, except one, a particular- challenge group, the first challenge I signed up for was 200 miles in one month.
That was my first month off my anti-depressant, my first month adapting to my changing body, I was turning forty-seven in a few months. I was determined to do the challenge, I even got sick the first two weeks with a terrible cough. I made myself ride on my scheduled day no matter what. Half way through the challenge I got worried, the miles I had to do everyday to make my goal seemed so hard, I thought I couldn’t do It. At this point I bought a heart rate monitor, I used to train with one when I was running before the babies were born but hadn’t since. The first Heart rate ride I did was sixty minutes long and kicked my ass. But after that ride I knew I could complete my goal and started riding only 45 or 60-minute rides.
This month, there was a new challenge, do at least twenty 30- minute rides and at least ten “beyond the ride”, in Peloton lingo that means anything from strength to stretching, yoga, hiking, any exercise other than spinning on Peloton. I had a goal of adding trail running, yoga, stretching and meditation. I started off at the end of February with two trail runs, and with my new heart rate monitor I was set. I couldn’t believe how good it felt, that I was in as good shape as I was, and it was all because of the challenge I had just completed on my Peloton. I’m still just starting out running again, so I still have a lot of training to do, but at the beginning of this months challenge I signed up for a trail race that’s next month. I haven’t done a race in over four years and I thought I never would again. I added yoga and stretching on the Peloton app and my body started feeling better right away, I was very tight. I started meditation again, I haven’t mediated since the babies were still newborns. I had a regular practice before they were born. For some reason I didn’t keep up with it in these past four years.
I wanted to delve deeper back into yoga, that was another regular practice I had before my kids were born, but always at a yoga studio. Since they’ve been born it’s hard to fit in going to a yoga studio. I joined an online yoga on demand, the Peloton yoga classes are only 45 minutes and I like a little bit of yoga theory when I take my classes, and progressions. I have been doing an Ashtanga program the past couple of weeks and meditation, it’s been an amazing addition to my Peloton.
The other goal I had this month, that I considered part of my “Peloton Challenge” is my diet. I have been wanting to go back to vegetarianism for a long time. My diet hasn’t been that great since becoming a parent either, even though I tried. I have been doing great on this goal, not totally vegan, I’ve had a bit of cheese, eggs, and fish. But overall, I’m doing well with it.
I don’t miss my anti-depressants at all and I feel like I have more energy and feel healthier all around.
Today, I did my 30- minute heart rate ride in the morning. I was gone for most of the day, but when I got home I had an hour and a half left before my babysitter left. I never give up two-time periods in a day for exercise, but I had the urge to go running, hiking, or do yoga. I picked my Ashtanga Yoga and meditation for parents. I sat on the cushion and listened to the mediation teacher. He said, “Let go of fear”, I cried. The whole meditation was about letting go of energy that didn’t serve you. I realized I have held onto a lot of fears since my kids were born. But these past two months have been healing, my fears and insecurities have been dripping off in my sweat, flowing out of my breath.
My Peloton bike sits on the floor in front of me. Sleek, black, tablet (screen dark, no class on) shoes next to my bike, Velcro straps sticking up, purple three-pound weights, the cord, bike to electrical outlet. My Facebook “Peloton Challenge group”, that I’ve been part of for almost two months rests at my fingertips, available for support, ideas, camaraderie, like the support and encouragement I received when I was part of a triathlon team or my running group that I trained with. The only difference is that my Peloton team is a virtual one. We have never met in person and probably never will.
I had my Peloton bike for several years before I participated in the online aspect of Peloton. In Peloton speak I had over 300 rides before I uttered many words on the Peloton main Facebook page. I’m a big Facebook user, but I have bad luck in groups, I have a big mouth, I’m very opinionated, especially when it comes to politics, child rearing, and religion. I piss people off, I get pissed off, and it’s wasted energy I want to avoid. I also don’t like to waste time getting sucked into sad stuff all the time, I get depressed.
I have been sticking with plain Facebook and my Art Facebook page. No groups! But one day in January, I felt I needed a change, my hormones were changing, I started getting hot flashes, I faced the fact that I had gained weight over the past four years since my kids were born. It was early in the morning, I just did a ride on the bike and I went on Facebook, visited the Peloton page. I wrote how I was feeling, I told the Peloton world I wanted to change, I even told them I had been taking anti-depressants for over two years, and had just quit, cold turkey. I got so much support, invites to various groups, which I joined a bunch. I didn’t last long on any of the Peloton groups though, except one, a particular- challenge group, the first challenge I signed up for was 200 miles in one month.
That was my first month off my anti-depressant, my first month adapting to my changing body, I was turning forty-seven in a few months. I was determined to do the challenge, I even got sick the first two weeks with a terrible cough. I made myself ride on my scheduled day no matter what. Half way through the challenge I got worried, the miles I had to do everyday to make my goal seemed so hard, I thought I couldn’t do It. At this point I bought a heart rate monitor, I used to train with one when I was running before the babies were born but hadn’t since. The first Heart rate ride I did was sixty minutes long and kicked my ass. But after that ride I knew I could complete my goal and started riding only 45 or 60-minute rides.
This month, there was a new challenge, do at least twenty 30- minute rides and at least ten “beyond the ride”, in Peloton lingo that means anything from strength to stretching, yoga, hiking, any exercise other than spinning on Peloton. I had a goal of adding trail running, yoga, stretching and meditation. I started off at the end of February with two trail runs, and with my new heart rate monitor I was set. I couldn’t believe how good it felt, that I was in as good shape as I was, and it was all because of the challenge I had just completed on my Peloton. I’m still just starting out running again, so I still have a lot of training to do, but at the beginning of this months challenge I signed up for a trail race that’s next month. I haven’t done a race in over four years and I thought I never would again. I added yoga and stretching on the Peloton app and my body started feeling better right away, I was very tight. I started meditation again, I haven’t mediated since the babies were still newborns. I had a regular practice before they were born. For some reason I didn’t keep up with it in these past four years.
I wanted to delve deeper back into yoga, that was another regular practice I had before my kids were born, but always at a yoga studio. Since they’ve been born it’s hard to fit in going to a yoga studio. I joined an online yoga on demand, the Peloton yoga classes are only 45 minutes and I like a little bit of yoga theory when I take my classes, and progressions. I have been doing an Ashtanga program the past couple of weeks and meditation, it’s been an amazing addition to my Peloton.
The other goal I had this month, that I considered part of my “Peloton Challenge” is my diet. I have been wanting to go back to vegetarianism for a long time. My diet hasn’t been that great since becoming a parent either, even though I tried. I have been doing great on this goal, not totally vegan, I’ve had a bit of cheese, eggs, and fish. But overall, I’m doing well with it.
I don’t miss my anti-depressants at all and I feel like I have more energy and feel healthier all around.
Today, I did my 30- minute heart rate ride in the morning. I was gone for most of the day, but when I got home I had an hour and a half left before my babysitter left. I never give up two-time periods in a day for exercise, but I had the urge to go running, hiking, or do yoga. I picked my Ashtanga Yoga and meditation for parents. I sat on the cushion and listened to the mediation teacher. He said, “Let go of fear”, I cried. The whole meditation was about letting go of energy that didn’t serve you. I realized I have held onto a lot of fears since my kids were born. But these past two months have been healing, my fears and insecurities have been dripping off in my sweat, flowing out of my breath.
I sit here in this room, my Peloton, Yoga, Meditation room. It’s quiet and peaceful. It’s totally different than the first day I typed my message on the Peloton Facebook page. I am so glad I did that, I am thankful for my Peloton challenge group. You’ve helped me change my life for the better.
I sit here in this room, my Peloton, Yoga, Meditation room. It’s quiet and peaceful. It’s totally different than the first day I typed my message on the Peloton Facebook page. I am so glad I did that, I am thankful for my Peloton challenge group. You’ve helped me change my life for the better.
Dirty Laundry Blog by Jennifer Hynes 