Intensity

Cycle: An intense stationary cycling workout that will challenge you while allowing you to work at your own pace! You will want to bring a towel and water bottle to class. Cycling shoes are optional. (Pedals are SPD compatible).

Character profile:
I think he said his name was Howard. Howard is the very intense Asian, about 36 years-old, Cycle instructor at our Gym. MC and I decided to try a class right before the wedding and were amazed at the difficulty of the it. Howard comes into each class with out a word and strips off his scrubs to reveal black biker shorts. He has clip-in, bright yellow cycling shoes and a static humorless, passionless expression on his face. You can tell he thinks he rocks and he is serious about it. His hair is generally in a modified limp Mohawk died in parts in manic panic cherry red that looks burgundy on his black locks. He is pierced and tattooed but in the safest way.
He takes himself very seriously.

Set up before each class is very minimal and we begin. At first, I thought the music was lame 90s, primarily chick rock songs, but I have subsequently realized they are more often more current covers of lame 90s chick rock songs - think Fiona Apple. I didn't know covers of her work existed until these classes.

Occasionally, Howard drums his hands on the handle bars as we grind through a particularly hard grade and a thudding baseline. He is not having fun with the music mind-you - he is feeling it - he is rocking.

I imagine him creating his mixes marveling about how none of us squares in his classes will appreciate his craft. By simple fact of outside indicators of edginess, one should know he is a cool kid. He has a tribal tattoo band around his arm and a small gold hoop in his left ear as if to let the general public know he is far more complex than you could understand.

I wonder if he has a girl friend and how he talks to her through out most of class. I wonder what his peers at work think of him but think I know what he thinks of them. I bet he is one of those people that was a super nerd in high school and is still bitter about it. He's crafted a persona that does not match his true self (which is hidden deep inside and very infrequently exposed). I'd wager that he thinks he has a secret personal life that no one at work could imagine- one filled his intense exercise, and music appreciation. I am sure he feels complicated. I bet it's one of the first things he says when he meets a woman, something like " You don't know what you are getting yourself into (sly smirk) I am pretty complicated."

Musing about Howard's intentions and self-image get me through one of the most (like Howard himself) intense, work-outs I've ever had.

When the class is over, I'm left with an aching body and likely five pounds less water weight than I walked in with.

I wonder if Howard wonders about me.