The South

We went to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina for vacation and I opted to keep up my training, instead of just lazing around on the beach. And after an 18 hour car ride, all I wanted to do was move. I joined the North Myrtle Beach Aquatic and Fitness Center to keep up my biking and swimming. Granted I had the whole Atlantic Ocean to swim in, I don’t like seeing fish when I’m swimming. Best not to see what is lurking in the waves. 

Sign on the door to the gym.

My first spin class was at 5:45 am on Monday morning. I got up at 5, had breakfast in the dark, and drove the 5 miles to the gym without another soul on the road. I signed up for the spin class (is this really necessary for a 5:45 am class?) and got on my bike it. Somehow the Spin bikes don't bother me, but my road bike at home is murder on my lower back. Not sure how to adjust it so that my back doesn't feel numb 20k in to the ride. There were a few other people there and the instructor introduced herself and told me that “We do things a little differently here.” Oh boy. The first thing I noticed was that there wasn’t any thumping music on, just some up beat country music. This was going to be interesting. Throughout the 50 minute class, there was a running commentary; Cat was describing the actions of the smoker in the parking lot who seemed to be outside for most of the class, Tom and Jerry were like the two guys in the balcony on the Muppet Show, and there was Boo, who I think was some sort of law enforcement officer, but I couldn’t be sure. It took me a while to acclimatize myself to their accents. I skipped one class and did my spinning in the fitness room, but 90 minutes was just way too long to be on a stationary bike without all the free entertainment and distraction of the class.

Over the two weeks, my spin mates were always the same, the music was always new to me – I can’t say that I have ever done a Spin segment to Bolero before, although there was one cut off BonJovi on one playlist, but when the conversation turned to the latest AARP magazine and articles, I couldn’t keep up. Being a Spin class, I could make it as hard or as easy as I wanted and usually topped up with another 45 minutes or so of spinning or treadmill in the fitness room, with good thumpy music on my ipod. On my way home I stopped at the Starbucks for my usual decaf double shot non fat latte, tall and not mezzo liken Montreal.

Some other Starbucks regulars sharing their meal.

Back at the condo, everyone else was just getting up or starting breakfast on the balcony and I would join them for second breakfast before we headed to the beach to play.