Biggest Loser Triathalon, Day Three

It's done! I can't believe I actually did a triathalon--albeit a modified one.

I got to the gym this morning with a plan to do 30 minutes on the elliptical and then an hour with my trainer, and to come back this afternoon for the spin class and the 15 mile ride.

It didn't work out that way.

I saw the trainer who does the spin class, and asked her how crowded the class usually is. I planned to come in early to be sure I didn't get closed out of this class that I absolutely needed to take. I told her I was coming to do my 15 miles.

And then she dropped the bomb.

Oh, you do know, right, that the cycles in the spin class measure in kilometers?

WHAT?!?!?!?!?! You mean all this time I've been thinking I can do 15 MILES in an hour class, and I'm only doing 15 KILOMETERS??? Oh no, NOW what??? There's no way on earth I can do 24 km in an hour class where I usually do 15.

I went and did the workout with my trainer, and we came up with an idea. i could do the first 5.5 miles on a bike out in the gym, have it noted, and then come back in the afternoon as planned to do the other 15 km. So, I hopped on the bike. It was alot harder, and slower, than the ones in the spin class! It took me just under an hour to do the 5.5 miles!

I headed home for a snack that I hadn't planned on needing, changed into capris because it was getting hot, and headed out to do my many errands. I stopped at Wendy's for a salad for lunch, and got home just before 2 to eat and regroup. 3:00 found me back at the gym, checked in for the cycle class.

I started riding at 3:20. I wasn't taking any chances of not finishing by 4:30 when class ended. The instructor had an ear infection, so we had a sub, who is a total Nazi about spin class--even in a Beginner Cycle class! She had us working from the first minute.

I had already ridden an hour this morning, so I was not all that peppy. The clock refused to move--time wasn't passing! I covered up the readout so I wouldn't focus on how far I'd gone or how long I'd been riding. I peeked now and then. 20% done. 1/3 done. 50% done. By that time, I was pretty much done in. I didn't want to ride anymore, I just wanted to go home and sleep! I gave myself a little pep talk, and noticed that the guy in front of me was going A LOT slower than I was. Nothing like a little comparative motivation!

I pushed myself until I saw I'd done the required 15 km. But there was still 10 minutes left of the class--guess I didn't need to start early after all. At the 1 hour mark, I just tanked. I stopped. Stretched. Assured the instructor that yes, I was OK. We were down to the last few minutes of the class.

And then my display went blank.

WHAT?!?!?! Oh no! How will I prove that I did the required distance? I went up to the instructor as soon as class was over. I told her "I did 16.3 km, but the display went out.

And she then informed me that the cycles read in MILES, not KILOMETERS! Aaaarrrrgggghhhh!!!!!! She believed me on the distance though, and happily signed my paper, saying she saw me working and knew I'd done what I needed to do. I hobbled out of there feeling like a very exhilarated 90 year old woman!

So, I either rode 15.5 miles, or I rode 23 miles. Either way, I'm done. I made it! I survived!

Now, if I ever get my hands on the instructor who told me it was kilometers...