Countdown2009


So, here we are, my friends, at the end of another year.  We've passed the Winter Solstice, the darkest time, the time when the days are shortest.  It's the time for going into the cave, the time for introspection, the time to stop DOING and start BEING.  It's the time for re-assessing and deciding what seeds we want to plant for the coming year.  Think about it.  What do you want to manifest this year?  What do you want to accomplish? Better health?  Increased fitness?  Completing that race you always wanted to try?  Taking that really tough class?  Teaching that really tough class? Moving above and beyond your comfort zone? Maybe it's simplifying, maybe it's just BEing present with yourself, for once.  Maybe it's moving to the front of the room...

This is often a difficult time of year for people, as it can be challenging to take away the distractions and really go inward.  However, as we cross over the Solstice, the light begins to return, little by little, each day until it peaks in the long days of summer.  This reminds us that there is hope, that, in the dark times, light always returns.  It is the way of the universe.  

So, today I wish you happy holidays and amazing things in the coming year.  To my fellow bloggers, I am so glad I stepped out this year and have connected on this new level. My students have benefitted from your rides.  To those who ride with me...I thank you with all my heart.  I wish you all clarity of mind, peace in your hearts, good health and many, many kick-ass Spin classes!

I sometimes get asked if I do "holiday" music rides.  Uh, NO.  But, I have always loved countdowns, so I went for a challenge this year.  Could I take iTunes top selling songs and ride to them?  Well, it's going to be hilly, but, for the most part, I think I can do it (almost).  There were a few that just couldn't work and I use some of them in cool-down.  The bigger challenge was with the ones I just don't LIKE.

After a quick warm-up, we're climbing.  Each hill has 4 sections (SC, RWR, STC and a breakaway on the STC).  I'm kind of riding them in a pyramid so, in the first hill, each section is 15 sec.  As the hills go on, the sections get longer (30 sec., 1 minute, 1.5 minutes, 2 minutes, 2.5 minutes) but the breakaway stays at 30 sec.  On the longest hill, each section is 2.5 minutes.  Then, we start to shorten them on each hill as we "come down" the other side (2 minutes, 1.5 minutes, 1 minute, 30 sec., 15 sec.).  When I normally teach this one, I don't give any flats in between hills.  We usually just come down to the next SC.  But, this time, we're riding 30 sec. flats in between each.  I'm doing some in the saddle and some standing.  The final hill for the #1 song is totally a STC, no sections.  For this music, there should end up being 12 hills and, if you are dorky like me, that's 1 for each month in the year!  LOL

Here they are.  Happy 2009!

In Love and Light,
Jen

iTunes #20  Shake it/Metro Station (warm-up)
#28  Paralyzer/Finger Eleven
#22  Hot N Cold/Katy Perry
#16   See You Again/Miley Cyrus
#14  So What/P!nk
#12  Forever/Chris Brown
#11  4 Minutes/Madonna & Justin
#10  Don't Stop the Music/Rihanna
#9   Love Song/Sara Bareilles
#8  Pocket Full of Sunshine/Natasha B.
#5  Disturbia/Rihanna
#4  I Kissed a Girl/Katy Perry
#3  Low (feat. T-Pain)/Flo Rida
#2  Viva la Vida/Coldplay
#1  Bleeding Love/Leona Lewis (hill #12)
Auld Lang Syne/Barenaked Ladies (cool-down)
No Air/Jordan Sparks & Chris Brown
I'm Yours/Jason Mraz
  





 

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