One Heart, One Soul, One Hour

I had an 8 AM call to China this morning (I feel so cool being able to say that and actually told as many people as I possibly could about it), and since I was still at my parents' house, I decided to work from home for the morning instead of getting on a super early train back to Manhattan. This meant that I was able to go to Tripp Doherty's 6 AM spin class at Woodbury.

I was concerned that I might not get a bike so I stayed up until 4 AM to book it Monday morning. For those of you not in the know, you can book a bike using MYEQ 26 hours before a cycling class. Since I didn't get home until 3:15 AM, the extra 45 minutes wasn't that big of a deal.

4 AM email confirmation. I don't eff around.

I love Tripp's classes. It is impossible to attend one and not feel good for the rest of the day. Tripp is more than a cycling instructor; he is an inspiration. Tripp's the reason I started running 50Ks. I asked him one day if he thought I should sign up for the 25K or 50K trail race, and he was like, "Do the 50K. Believe in yourself." I trust him completely, so I signed up for the Greenbelt Trail 50K the next day. As we know, I've now run two 50Ks.

The title of this post is the mantra that Tripp shouts throughout class. It's so true that we all spend our days very disconnected from one another, but inside the studio cycling room walls, a group of strangers come together to create a force working towards a common goal. I've tried to find this same collective feeling in other spin classes and I haven't been able to find anything that comes close.

I find that I am able to work harder, pedal faster, and find strength I didn't think I had when I am in Tripp's classes. I turn into quite a beast, and I'm always proud of my workout. I never dial it in with him.

Tripp's an inspiration to a lot of his students. Today he told us about a lawyer who hadn't been to class in 2 years. He came up to Tripp recently and said how he had been inspired to leave his law firm and start his own because of Tripp's influence. That's pretty freaking awesome. I'm being completely honest when I say that something that sounds crazy or out of reach seems totally possible after spending time with Tripp. Your own law firm, running 34 miles... it's all in a day's work.

Tripp and me after class.

Being around Tripp makes me want to be a better person. Many times today I found myself getting annoyed or short-tempered, but I took a breath, thought about the kind of person I want to be, and was able to respond in a much more even-keeled and compassionate manner. When 26 people respond to a message that says, "Please do not respond to this message," it makes me want to shake them. Having the peace of mind to step back, and reply kindly is a big step for me.

Tripp also peppers his classes with current events, his take on the economy, and challenges you to think about what you hear and read. I hadn't given much thought to what will happen in three years when all of the people riding out the economic downturn in law school graduate. The demand for lawyers doesn't seem like it's going to escalate, and suddenly a large number of highly educated people will be unemployed and in debt. And somehow I missed that Russell Crowe attempted to kayak in Cold Spring Harbor, failed miserably, and had to be rescued by the Coast Guard.

If you have the opportunity to spin with Tripp, definitely take advantage of it. He really can change your life.