shift to a higher gear

 

Shift to a Higher Gear Ride

 

Hello everyone!! My name is Corrine. I teach indoor cycle class here at my local university. I totally love it. I started just over a year ago at this time.  I shifted my gears last year and tried something I had never tried before. I knew that it was going to be hard and take a lot of work but I knew if I just kept going I could make it and at the end I would be stronger and better.

 

Let me explain. You see in March of 2012 I got the worst phone call of my life. My dad, my hero, had lost his battle with depression and he had taken his life. My earth shattered!!! I was broken. I was sad!  I didn't know how to deal with these deep physical feelings that I was having. It was hard. VERY HARD!!  My brother shared a story at the funeral about how he was beating my dad in a race one time but not for very long. My dad quickly caught my brother on his bike and hollered out, "Jason shift to a higher gear!!"  Why would he yell this to my brother?  Well you see on a bike if you can push a bigger gear and keep you cadence up you will actually travel faster down the road than if you sit in that smaller easier gear. If you can train your body to push a bigger gear you will be faster and stronger. 

These words resonated with me and I felt like I needed to do something with them.  What?  It took me awhile but I finally figured it out. I needed to do something that I had always wanted to do. It was going to be really hard and require me to shift to a higher gear. I told my husband of my plans on my birthday in December of 2013.

I started down my path not really knowing how this was going to work out.  I got certified as a group fitness instructor. (that is another great story that I should share sometime) I certified then to be an indoor cycling instructor. Then I saw it.  In the newspaper of all places. HELP WANTED!! Indoor cycle instructor University of Oregon.
I thought about this for a week. Should I answer the ad?  They would never call me back. I am not qualified. I did it anyways. I typed up a resume and cover letter and sent it in. I got a phone call. I got an interview. I got an audition. 

I got an audition???? Holy crap now what?  I have never even taught a single class EVER!!!  I worked hard for a week then I showed up and gave it my all.  

 I GOT THE JOB!!! I think they were a tad bit desperate but guess what I got great reviews. They offered me more classes the next term and it is now my one year anniversary and they have given me more classes!!!

 

So this ride I designed with all of that in mind. I call it my shift to a higher gear ride. I teach my class about trying to push a higher gear and that is the theme for the whole ride. I also share my story with them and encourage them to find someway to shift gears in their own lives. 

shift to a higher gear

the ride