Hilary Rowland, Co-Founder of Boom Cycle. Courtesy of Boom Cycle.
‘I feel like the tortoise in the Tortoise and the Hare race, and I have Bugs Bunny’s Tasmanian devil spinning right past next to me.’
When Hilary Rowland, the co-founder of Boom Cycle invited me to one of her spinning classes, my friends all laughed: ‘maybe you should start with an easier class’ one friend suggested. Granted, the last time I exercised was at Les Caves du Roy during last year’s August Bank Holiday and I have always followed the ‘black-clothes&green-apples-all-day-keep-the-fat-away’ philosophy. But as I put on the years, I have been putting on more and more of a muffin top and as I mentioned in my new year’s resolutions, I am ready for some exercise!
So last week, I went to Battersea, to one of Boom Cycle’s latest studio openings. Boom Cycle is doing well and is expanding; it recently opened this Battersea studio in September and just opened a studio in Hammersmith. When I walked into the Battersea studio, I felt like I entered someone’s Wellness, Lifestyle and Fitness Instagram account, where everyone is super-fit and wearing stylish exercise-wear, and they all have a water bottle or a juice in their hands.
Boom Cycle follows the trend of SoulCycle, the cult cycle class in the US, where you cycle in the dark with dance music. Hilary, from Kentucky, felt there was a demand here in the UK and started the company with her then boyfriend. Previously, she worked in New York as a model and became a SoulCycle fan there. She is blonde, tall, fit and radiates sunshine. When she greeted me she told me ‘You’ll be fine, it’s just like dancing!’
I took my seat on a bike next to a serious looking cyclist who basically didn’t have a water bottle because she is so hard core – to give you an idea. The lights were low and the music pumping. Hilary, who taught the class, has so much energy and enthusiasm that it is impossible to imagine her cross or sad. She motivates us with words like ‘Motivation, Determination, Power!’
I feel like the tortoise in the Tortoise and the Hare as the class starts and I have the Tasmanian Devil spinning next to me. As I start feeling out of breath and my legs start to ache, I glance at my watch and only 5 minutes have elapsed! There is no way I am going to finish this class. OK, I could fake a sprained ankle, or maybe complain of chest pains. But no, I hear Hillary’s voice yelling ‘Resolve! Dig deeper!’ and I am snapped out of my haze and am back spinning as fast as I can, but relative to my spin neighbour, I feel like a senior citizen.
Half way through the class, the lights go even dimmer and I relax, no one can see me faking-it-until-you-make-it. I go at my pace and let the pros get on with it. The adrenaline and endorphins have started flowing and I do feel quite good about myself. After we finish, Hilary tells me she is doing 14 classes this week because of instructors being off. Insane, I say, but she tells me she’s used to it. Teaching that class was a piece of cake to her. As I hobble out, I think to myself that it was a lot fun and feel quite proud for not bailing out. Although it is for the sporty types, if I can do it, anyone can.
xx
NHYM
NOTTING HILL MUMMY 