Pedal of Honor

The instructor had a message for me emblazoned across her T-shirt, but I refused to see it.

I went to my gym last week to take a cycling class and I was all psyched for a really great workout when a substitute teacher walked into the room.

I had never seen this woman before in my life, but I immediately decided that the class was going to suck big time and I would get a crappy workout.

I saw the words “Do Not Judge” printed on her shirt, but I was too busy judging her to notice.

I want my regular instructor, I thought, channeling my inner infant. Who is this interloper? Why wasn’t I informed?

And look her, for God’s sake—she’s kind of…heavy. What could she possibly tell a miraculous physical specimen like yours truly about burning calories?

It turns out this woman—Tina—had a lot of tell me and not just about working up a good sweat. She also reminded me how important it is to embrace new things—and new people—and to stop being such an obsessive loon.

I was still inwardly resisting her as she cranked up the sound system and blasted the old dance number “I’m Gonna Get You” and--I swear to God--started singing and dancing in front of the class.

“Why waste your time?” Tina wailed. “You know you’re gonna be mine!”

What the hell is this? I grumbled Amateur hour? I thought Star Search went off the air years ago.

But then I started getting into the class and I realized that song was an excellent choice, since it’s about winning over somebody over. And that’s exactly Tina did.

Her attitude was so positive and so infectious that I started singing along with her. In the immortal words of Bugs Bunny, “what a character!”

Yo, DJ Pump This Party!

But she was also a great instructor. I had so much fun during her class that it took me a while to realize what a tough workout I was getting.

Instead of riding on the bike with the rest of us, Tina walked around the class talking and encouraging us.

At one point she had us stand up the bike to simulate riding uphill and, as she walked by, she suddenly stopped short and looked me right in the eye.

“Climb every mountain,” she sang, shifting into Julie Andrews mode.

Oh, yes, this woman was nuts—but in all the right ways.

Tina had a fondness for 90s dance music and she wanted us all to know it.

“Some of you young people probably don’t remember these oldies,” she said.

I didn’t want to mention that as a disco era survivor the words “young” and “oldie” are relative. So, I just clammed up and enjoyed the music.

Tina had such a great way of motivating her class. While some instructors go heavy on the drill sergeant routine, Tina got you moving with humor and positive vibes, so that I really wanted to work hard for her.

By the time the class was over I drenched in perspiration and quite satisfied with my workout. And it turned that Tina was also subbing for a Zumba class in the neighboring studio.

“If you want more, come next store,” she said.

It was a tempting offer, but I had places to be and I was wiped out from the spin class.

I’d love to work with her again, but Tina told us that this particular gym was too far from where she lived, so it was unlikely we’d see her again. I was disappointed, but I was grateful to have at least taken this one class with her.

"If you liked the class,” she said. “I’m Tina the sub. If you didn’t like the class, then I’m just the sub.”

Of course, I love my regular instructors, but it was nice to work with someone new and give myself a break from the routine.