Alright, time to buckle up. I’m clipping in, but I’m not going in alone: We’ve got a water bottle and a towel, obviously. I even put ice in my water today—a rare treat—because it’s one of those little things that makes the biggest difference in Tabata class. Sometimes to go the extra second, you have to go the extra mile. Ice water, may the promise of your cool embrace inspire me to push for every one of those intervals.
Tabata day! I hate to love it, love to hate it—the discomfort of the challenge lasts a lot shorter than the sense of accomplishment that comes after finishing. Here we go. All aboard the Tabata train for a morning commute. Destination: Ally Love’s apartment for a 30 min Live from Home Tabata Ride.
As for the towel? I’ll be holding on to you for dear life. We don’t need to re-create what happened last time, when you ended up on the floor when I needed you most. What was up with that?
Not a phone in sight, just me and the Bike, living in the moment. Where we’re going, we don’t need push notifications. It’s a good thing I’m literally attached via cycling shoes to this Bike for the next 30 minutes so I’m not tempted to check my phone. This is my time.
Let’s get it.
Pedaling, pedaling, pedaling. Easy.
Huh, my shoes are the perfect amount of tight right now. There’s a little victory.
Ally is promising this is going to be a hot one today—10 out of 10 difficulty. Perfect. Great. Lovely. Yep, this is just what you signed up for. No going back now, unless…
No. You can do the Hamilton Ride tomorrow. Stick it out.
Ally’s reminding me I’m a boss. But isn’t she the boss, since I’m going to be following her every instruction? I guess we can both be the boss, so long as we both make it through. We’ll see how it goes.
Oh, no! Someone just passed me on the Leaderboard. C’mon, it’s just the warm up! Ah. Should I hide the Leaderboard? I should hide the Leaderboard. I’m too competitive for my own good.
Tabata: two-to-one effort to recovery ratio. 40 total intervals today, broken up over five sections. Ally’s encouraging us to think of each of those intervals as little snacks … What are we snacking on, habanero peppers?
That’s a ‘lotta Tabata. But we got this. I’m feeling warm, sweating a little bit. I even did that warm-up ride today like a good Peloton Member. (Not that I’ve ever skipped a warm-up before…) My body is right, my spirit is right. Check me out!
As a matter of fact, I’m feeling damn good. Let’s bring that Leaderboard back. Moving along, there we go! Hey, let’s throw out some high fives while we’re at it. You get a high five. You get a high five. Behold, my fellow Tabata-takers, my hype has no bounds. My love knows no limits. We’re all in this together.
So the warm-up is almost over. We’ve got a moment to towel off and hydrate and gather ourselves. The calm before the sweat-storm. An all-too-familiar moment on this piece of equipment.
And now we’re going! Ah! Go legs, go! One hundred twenty cadence! Three, two, one…
Ten second rest. Nice. Wait, how are there only two seconds left? Was that the shortest 10 seconds of all time? Oh boy, another interval.
Woo! Done. How are the 20 second intervals so long, and the 10 second breaks so short? What is time? Ten seconds isn’t nearly enough time for metaphysical questions … maybe after the ride.
Go!
Hello, rest … water … oh, and looks like rest time is over already.
Go!
How does she have the breath for shoutouts?
Go!
How do those other Members have so many rides in their milestone shoutouts? I’ll get there … towel? Towel. Better.
Go!
Rest! Sweet rest! And we’re out of the saddle, shaking out our legs. Ooo, this is deluxe rest. Thank goodness for your benevolence, Ally. My legs thank you, my heart thanks you.
We’re off again.
And again.
We’re in the rhythm now.
I hope the plants in my apartment are working overtime producing oxygen right now. I could use it.
I definitely need a meditation class after this. And a good stretch. And some dessert. Peloton has me covered on two of the three. Nobody’s perfect.
Ahhhh. How is she dancing during all this? Good for her! I need that energy! I will have that energy! I’m dancing right now!
You know, I’m generally not one for electronic music, but I couldn’t imagine listening to literally anything else right now. My rapidly escalating heartbeat is giving the song’s BPM a run for its money.
I’m sorry, is my speaker not working? You want me to add resistance? Add? Oh, fine. I promise I won’t touch it. I won’t take it off. During this interval set, resistance is lava.
She wasn’t lying about that 10-out-of-10 difficulty thing. Gotta appreciate her honesty.
Another break. Hello, rest, my oldest and dearest friend. It’s been too long! I don’t remember my life before this ride, I’m not sure what it’s going to be like after this ride. This ride is all I know. I am this ride.
My heart is pounding. I can feel it beating. Like, not in a teen romance novel sense, like literally.
Sprint! Help me, rest, where are you?
Hey again, rest. What’s up?
Sprint! Rest, are we more than just friends?
Sprint!
Rest, I didn’t mean it like that. I just really enjoy our time together.
Only five more. Five is easy. That’s a good, round number—oh, we’re going again.
She’s grunting. Same, Ally. Same.
Three minutes left. Finish strong.
Trying to beat that last output!
And again!
Again!
How many more? Oh, we’re cooling down. We’re done. Rest, that’s an absolute glow-up turning into a cool down like that. You love to see it.
What just happened?
That just happened.
I did it.
We did it together.
Breathe. In. Out. Water. Towel. Sit up. Breathe. Can someone tell my heart the ride is over?
Ally’s sweaty, but I’m most definitely sweatier. I love that about me. Tomorrow is laundry day. It’s all good. Worry about that later. For now, I feel stronger. I feel amazing. I feel accomplished.
A few minutes ago, I felt anguish and fear and stubborn determination. I questioned myself, I questioned everything. Like Ally said, that’s what Tabata is all about.
And now? I feel like a snack. And not like a Tabata interval snack, an actual snack. Like an apple. With peanut butter.
Join Anthony in a Tabata class on the Peloton App!
