So blog 6: Who’d have thought I’d get this far – and up to over 300km on my bike (well I have to admit, that’s shared with my husband!)?  It’s been good for me to be asked to write this blog too – it keeps me accountable.

If you’re new to this, I’d suggest buddying up with someone via the facebook page – or writing a blog like this. Believe me, the other day I was talking myself out of a session, but the thought I’d have to lie on my blog spurred me on to get changed and get on with getting my butt on the bike.  Being accountable to someone/something really does have its advantages!

I’m managing to keep up with two sessions a week and have only just discovered the filter feature in the app.  Although what use it is other than looking for a shorter class I don’t know, because they’re ALL equally as difficult in their own way – even the shorter ones.

I was heartened to read on the facebook page this week about a discussion on standing at 85-90rpm and Darren’s advice about building leg muscles around the knee joint to feel stable – and if you can’t achieve the entire time standing at this rpm – IT’S OK TO SIT DOWN BUT KEEP THE RESISTANCE AND CADENCE!  Phew!  My aim is to try and stand for at least HALF the time suggested on the screen – which I’m sort of managing.  Getting so much better at the slightly slower pace but the legs are on FIRE standing at 85-90rpm – along with the lungs….

I’ve now given all the instructors’ sessions a try, and all very different in their own way.  Rachel with her mad crazy curls bobbing around, constantly smiling; Mel with his all seeing eye’s who seems to know when your head drops and your form is starting to suffer.  His ‘push push’ and ‘heads up’ do make you refocus yourself and your form.  And of course, Darren, who looks like he’s doing disco moves on the bike with his hand gestures to move up to ‘jump jump’ – but it’s nice to see them ALL breaking a good sweat and they make you feel they’re working as hard as you are!

Am I feeling fitter?  My knee hasn’t had the crazy swellings it had the other week, so I’m hoping the muscles are building.  My resting heart rate is coming right down and my fitbit readings are telling me I’m in the very good to excellent bracket for my age group.  My weight doesn’t seem to be moving BUT I’m not focused so much on this, more on the fitness and recovery from injury – if a few pounds disappear that’s a bonus but if they don’t, I’m not too hung about it.

So my advice this week:  be accountable and it’s ok to sit down from time to time!