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Saturday 16 April 2016

BIG SPIN 2016 | About raising more than your heart rate:


Hello!

On May 22nd 2016 I am taking part in the New Forest Health & Leisure Big Spin 2016. I am one of the 200+ people participating in this event at Totton Health & Leisure Centre. This indoor cycling event takes place for 4 hours between the hours of 10am and 2pm. We will be spinning for the duration with very short breaks in between. This in itself will be a huge challenge, but I am so excited to give it a go!

The Big Spin are raising money to be divided equally between four local charities:

If anyone would like to sponsor me or would be kind enough to donate to help raise funds for these amazing charities, you can do so either by contacting me directly or by visiting the fundraising page Virgin Money Giving. If you wish to donate online, please make sure you enter my full name 'Karen Eleanor Jenkins' on the Virgin Money comments section.



I attend spin classes 3x a week and have been doing so for at least four months now and I love it! I hate missing a session and have met some lovely, like-minded people who I am so grateful to know. They continue to support me and encourage me on a weekly basis and I am so thankful to them for that.

I was first introduced to Spinning about a year ago (about this time last year). I had been going to the gym for a few months and a couple of people suggested that I gave it a go. So, after plucking up enough courage, I agreed and booked my first class!
The instructor was really friendly and helped me adjust and set up my bike and I even started chatting to the person next to me about spinning and what to expect etc. The lights started to dim and music started to play and I was told to only do what I could and to enjoy it. 

I DID NOT ENJOY IT.

I must have lasted 5 minutes, if that. I was short of breath, felt really hot, my legs ached like I had never experienced and due to not being used to exercising with the coloured lights in a darkened room, I felt quite dizzy and was afraid I'd pass out. I made it to the end of the session and thanked the instructor, but told her I found it quite challenging. I walked out of that studio and never went back for about 6-7months!

In September/ October 2015, a few people who go spinning regularly, encouraged me to give it another go. Reluctantly, I agreed to give it another shot, but if I still didn't like it I wouldn't do it again.
So, that week, I booked my session and went along just as before, and asked the instructor to refresh me on how to set up my bike. Once I was set up and the class started, I did find it difficult, but nowhere as much as I did the first time. I got through the session, but felt I was the weakest in the room. I felt I was back to square one, after coming so far in my journey (see my About Me section). This did upset me at first and thought I wouldn't go back, but I'm not a quitter, I'm a fighter. So instead of giving up, I challenged myself to become stronger, fitter and prove to myself I could do it. I knew I wasn't weak... far from it. So I kept going. I attended a few classes a week and felt stronger after each session. 

In January, I made the commitment to attend a spin class at least three times a week and I have been doing so for the last four months! I can now make it through every class and walk out of the studio feeling really happy, feeling so strong and feeling super confident. 

Towards the end of February, I was asked to sit in the front row during one particular class and throughout the session, I couldn't stop smiling. I was thinking back to my very first class, where I thought I would faint, to that day when I was in the front row, riding and keeping up with everyone else in the room. I couldn't believe how far I had come. This was a very special moment for me and probably sounds ridiculous to anybody else, but I hope the Big Spin in May gives me the same feeling of accomplishment and proves that I can do anything I put my mind to, if I only believe.


I am so excited to take part in the Big Spin challenge and will write a post about the event and let you know how I get on!

Wish me luck and remember if you would like to sponsor me or any of the Big Spin cyclists for this event please get in contact or visit the linked website Virgin Money Giving at the top of this post.

Thank you for taking the time to read about my story and for supporting me in any way you can!

Live, Laugh, Love,
Karen Eleanor xXx

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All information about the Charities and Events mentioned in this post can be found at the linked websites.

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