The Everest Ride - my tale of the journey!

My toughest Spinning endeavor yet – the two-hour Everest Ride!  I’ve been thinking about how to put this ride into words while truly conveying the intensity of the ride.  That will be no easy task!  This article details the Everest Ride through my eyes, mind, and body.  The picture above is my friend Alex and me AFTER the ride - still smiling!

The ride was held on June 25, 2009 at Reebok International in Canton, MA.  It was my first visit here and I was impressed by the magnitude of the facilities.  I met up with a fellow instructor and we ventured to the room where the “The Ride” would be held.  I am now calling it “The Ride” as no ride I have done can quite compare! 

As we walked into the room where the ride was to be held, Josh Taylor and company were preparing the room.  There were about 50 bikes in a very cozy room.  Normally, my preference would be to have a bit more personal space between myself and the next rider but I would later find comfort in such cozy quarters.  We took a front row spot as I didn’t want to miss an ounce of the much anticipated experience.  The room was a buzz of activity as instructors chatted and welcomed each other.  As I mounted the Spinner NXT, I knew that I was about to become humbled by the Everest Ride. 

Josh introduced himself to the group and talked a bit about his history with the Spinning program.  He has been a Master Instructor with the Spinning program for 10 years now.  Since retiring from professional bike racing this year, he has gained a greater appreciation for Spinning.  He proceeds to tell us that for him, the Everest Ride profile is the ride that he can never top.  As instructors, we all have a profile that we regard as a standard and compare others that we build to it.  This just reinforces to me the importance of planning profiles and injecting the process of setting goals for our riders.  This point becomes even clearer as the evening continues.  This is exactly why I am here.  It becomes easy to lose sight of the true manner in which the Spinning program should be taught. 

Josh sets the tone for the ride by explaining that we will be climbing up to the summit of Mount Everest using mental visualization, PowerPoint pictures, and verbal cues.  He recounts the history of building his profile for this ride by interviewing a friend that had made the attempt to the summit of Mount Everest.  We are warned of the reality of climbing Mount Everest - the challenge is not in the terrain but in the altitude of climbing and the fact that the lungs will be taxed by the lack of oxygen.  My mind is numbed by the thought that at some point in this two-hour ride, we will simulate that feeling! 

For those not familiar with Josh’s music selections, I will attempt to describe as he handles this component of the ride better than any instructor I have ever seen.  His music selections are unique, full of feeling, and expertly blended and timed to the ebb and flow of the ride.  Almost none of the music used in the Everest Ride is familiar; yet he has the knack of selecting pieces that completely draw you into the rhythm as if it were your favorite song.  

With this brief introduction, we begin our journey… 

We begin by closing our eyes and listen to the sound of the wind howling in bone-chilling temperatures.  

There will be five camps that will serve as rest stations before approaching the summit.  As we make our way to Base Camp, we prepare our body and mind for the experience.  We are asked to find something in our life that we have to get over.  This something can be big or small.  Just the thought of this brings back memories of a class that I taught that I asked the members to do just that.  Using metaphors in class can be very helpful in working out other issues in our lives.  We ride for fitness but must we always make it just about physical fitness?  Why not mental fitness as well? 

Just the journey to Base Camp located at the foot of the Khumbu Icefall fills the mind with thoughts of doubt and exhilaration.  Pictures of the base of the mountain flash on the screens as we make our way to Base Camp.  Our slow and tedious journey to base camp feels like a full blown ride to me!  When we arrive at Base Camp, I find myself with more energy than when I started out.  Encouraged to recovery slightly before our trek to Camp I, I take in some extra deep breaths and some water.  I am already feeling this and we are only 25 minutes into it! 

With visions of Camp II on the screens before us, we pedal on.  We are traveling toward the Lhotse Face, which is a sheer wall of ice.  We are told by Josh that in reality, many climbers lose their life.  Keeping a steady pace, the intensity in the room is building.  As I look around, I find myself surrounded with intensely focused faces.  

After the trek to Camp II is finished, by body starts to feel both energized and challenged.  I can’t believe I am still feeling this good!  After a brief rest and hydration break, we press on to Camp III. 

We are asked to close our eyes once again and focus on our goal of getting over something.  Closing your eyes makes the ride internal.  It doesn’t matter what’s going on around or near you, it’s all about you.  You are in competition with yourself.  The only pressure you have is the one you burden yourself with.  Making our way to a rest stop, Camp IV is ahead.  We are warned to take a bit of recovery and prepare for the remainder of the ride as it will be a serious challenge. 

We are warned of the seriousness of the terrain before us upon leaving Camp IV.  The challenge continues.  The final camp before the push to the summit.  As we pedal on, Josh describes what we will experience in the final pedal strokes ahead.  We will soon be approaching Hillary Step, appropriately named after Sir Edmond Hillary who was one of the first people to summit Everest.  As our pedal stroke become more serious, we quickly realize that the completion of the ride hinges on our ability to persevere through both the physical and mental challenge ahead.  

The tempo of the music becomes more intense to accommodate the terrain.  Legs are burning.  Heart rate is soaring.  Breathing is labored.  Closing our eyes helps to turn the focus internally.  THIS IS A SERIOUS CLIMB! 

As we approach the highest peak on earth, we are again reminded of our goal.  HAVE YOU ACHIEVED YOUR GOAL?  Surely, this ride is a mere simulation of the real climb but right now, I can tell you that I feel like I am standing on top of the world.  Having reached the top, a familiar and comforting melody of “Here Comes the Sun” by the Beatles is played as pictures of people on the summit are flashed on the screen before us.  I feel like I have just been to “no man’s land” and now I have just returned to the comfort of home.  The room that had just been completely silent for two hours, with the exception of Josh’s voice and the phenomenal soundtrack, is now buzzing with comments about the intensity of the ride.  

Some people leave quietly – too exhausted to share their experience with others.  Others stay behind to compare notes with those that shared the love of a unique challenge on the bike.  I stayed behind to absorb any last minute comments and chat with the willing soles that weren’t anxious to start their real journey home.  I left Everest with a goal that was accomplished as well as a few new friends – and a new experience for which to tuck away for safe keeping in hopes to draw from it to provide a similar experience in my own class…..someday!