She's No Plush Toy

What is it about Sunday’s with Carolyn? I seem to rally in her class. After 5 days in the saddle I should be for all intents tired and spent from a week of my new battle with the Watts indicator. By the way those new consoles are a blessing and a curse simultaneously. They raise the stakes in our quest for fitness but it can also be a yoke a heavy one at that especially if we get too caught up in what the readings are.  Back to Carolyn, as I was saying normally I don’t expect much out of my physiology being 63 but The Blue Sapphire ups my game her personality, her conviction or maybe it’s her lesson plan. Carolyn always has one of those and by the end of today’s session my calorie meter read 800, and every indicator on that damn screen was higher. It’s always a good time with the Lambster. Thanks Carolyn.   

Sunday With Carolyn

Carolyn was nothing short of spectacular this morning. She has embraced these new consoles without letting them take center stage.  I know that the power numbers are the true measure of our efforts but each bike’s calibrations might be slightly different than the next and what I have to keep in mind is that each day is different and just like a pitcher whose curve ball doesn’t curve or sinker that doesn’t sink one class doesn’t have to mirror the last.  I may have more energy than the day before or just be dragging my butt.  Carolyn knows that instinctively and unlike me to her numbers are merely a guide not a religion. 

What The Blue Sapphire has done is put the fun back into our beloved spin class and given me a sense that I don’t have to exceed yesterday’s numbers but rather see progress over time. The Watts and other indicators are a measuring stick and are not there to hold us hostage for higher numbers every time we saddle up.  

The crowd on Sunday’s always seems to be just a bit different than during the week or on Saturday’s but there’s a good sprinkling of some of my favorites like Howard, Ferne and Ivan to name but a few and the new faces were just as energetic just as enthralling to be with and for that I thank you.  And Carolyn I am so glad that I have made it back to your class with more regularity. There was one that was conspicuous by her absence but I am sure she will be there smiling tomorrow. 

Queen Bee

I know her as The Blue Sapphire and the Lambster but she was the Queen Bee today. Her flawless execution of workout and discography made for a lightning like session. She helped me cap off yet another week of higher watts and calories burned. Carolyn is a master motivator and with the new equipment we have the wings to fly strong in and out of the saddle.  The new Schwinn’s are not perfect but a vast improvement over their predecessors. They have amped up the workout immeasurably.  

And the Queen Bee had it all going on today and we were the worker bees buzzing up and down her hive.  The energy for the early Sunday session had us focused, driven and relentless. For this writer that front row can be daunting but I like it up there with the likes of the Stacy Tucker’s of the world. Women like her and guys like Michael and Roy add just the right pressure for me to give my level best every session.  

Sunday usually ends the weekend but MLK has us savoring Monday as well. Thanks Carolyn for making Sunday morning great and to my friends Kristen Finello and Cameron Bean for a most enjoyable brunch too!

Go Someplace I’ve Never Gone Before

That’s what it was this morning with The Blue Sapphire, Carolyn Mellace. I have been pushing harder than ever in class these days in search of who knows what. The closest woman in the world to me worries I am spinning myself to an early grave. Well maybe not that severe but even I know that I give my all to this group exercise. My all.  When I looked at the river of my toil beneath my bike today I realized that what I seek is inside my head not in the pedal stroke. 

Carolyn’s class today was by far the best ever in the 3 plus years I have taken her sessions. It was the energy, the discography and of course the authenticity of the lithesome one leading a packed house in the Lavender Palace. Carolyn gives her heart and soul to us every Sunday and we love her for it.  Today was just well even better. 

The 1015 was for me a metaphor of where I am headed now. A new road, a new direction and if I keep my head right size one that I will take with me when I am but ashes.  Thanks again Carolyn for a great Sunday. After lectoring today it capped the morning off perfectly. Going someplace I’ve never been never felt this good.  

Awesome Work

Carolyn Mellace: The Blue Sapphire 

She used to teach on Thursday nights and again on Sunday but now the treat of Carolyn Mellace is singular, Sunday.  Sundays with Carolyn is for me something I have missed until more recently and I am glad I am making it back to spinning with this lithesome jewel.  

 Sunday the traditional day of rest finds us all here working just like it was a weekday. And today with Stacy’s bike bedecked in balloons and tinsel we were set for a festive ride in the saddle. Once the congratulations were made to our celebrant the real work began. The Blue Sapphire’s ride is no walk in the park even though she delivers her ride with sparkling blue eyes and a knockout smile.  Carolyn was the first instructor that taught me “jumps” and how to do them with the least amount of shock to the body. These moves are the real burn to the ride and although it’s taken me awhile I have the movement down with fluidity.   I love when she says: “Saddle Down” I don’t know why but I do know that “jumps” get me to my anaerobic threshold faster than any other interval can.  

Sundays with Carolyn are pure joy and the workout is kick ass. I can still feel the fire in my legs. I’ll be back for The Blue Sapphire: Carolyn Mellace.  

Sundays With Carolyn

Carolyn Mellace, Good God what a talent. Don’t you just love her? She’s vivacious, charismatic, and energetic and she weaves a great spin class every Sunday not once but twice. Some of the same beautiful people I see every day were here today and each and every one says the same damn thing: How great is she? I am never surprised and although I haven’t been a strict devotee of The Blue Sapphire there’s no one that can beat her pound for pound. She like KJ has a plan, expects a ton from us and when she says she likes what she sees you can bet your bottom dollar she’s not just wagging her tongue to make us feel good. She expects a lot from us and for the most part we deliver on our end.  

You gotta love it and I am grateful for my health and the ability to spin with Carolyn. 

The Blue Sapphire

 The Blue Sapphire, Carolyn Mellace this Sunday gave EQ maybe our last spin for the next few days anyway on the approach of Hurricane Sandy. The woman is pound for pound one of the fit women I have ever met. I have waxed about Carolyn many times over these last 3 years and since she is just part time I don’t get to take her sessions as often as I would love to.  

Self described her music is eclectic. Well maybe not actually. It is of course not formulaic by any means because she draws on the full spectrum of music of current day, classic rock and even disco which helps I think make the ride so unique. One of the aspects of Carolyn’s road I particularly love is her “jumps” which always gets my HR up to the maximum zone in the shortest interval. And over the years I have been able to make the transitions from standing to the saddle a hell of a lot more gracefully and eliminated any chance of injury. It’s always a challenge and spices the hour.  

Carolyn Mellace as I have said before a true gem of the Sapphire variety.