Tripp Doherty

A Smaller Jack

2012-02-25T13:43:00.000-05:00

There was a void this week with that truncated winter recess schedule when there was no 12:15 Wednesday class. I like that slot particularly because well it’s mid week and I can attend to some of the office paperwork that has started to pile up on my desk at work that morning. And I love the fact that I can take leave of my senses and spin for an hour with the Charismatic One. Spring is nigh and my thoughts start to think about riding outside as well as inside the Lavender Palace and I am sure our leader will be spearheading an out of doors charge in the upcoming season.

I’ve been hitting it hard these past two weeks in an attempt to make up what I thought I lost in a lighter schedule the previous fortnight but that’s just the obsessive side of me as I continue to lose weight which to some is not needed. I often think about being 140 again but I think that’s way too light to even ponder. I never in a million years thought I would be back in the shape I’m in now but after two years in spin class the results have manifested themselves on my physiology. I thank my dear friend Tripp for being part of my renaissance.

What If?....

2012-02-21T19:17:00.002-05:00

If you want to hear my voice read this entry please click here and you will be redirected to Vocaroo: Vocaroo Voice Message

What if every time we went to Tripper’s class it was our last? What would you do different? Sounds a bit much but go with me on this just for grins. Would we enjoy it more? Would we give it our best effort like tomorrow didn’t matter? Would we get there on time and not sashay in like we had all the time in the world?

When I am in his class there is only one thing the next hour. I rarely think about what I did last week or something I am procrastinating about right now. It gets me to focus on exactly what is happening in the moment. Too often I think I am engaged in more important thought and then I wind up misplacing my keys, Bluetooth, wallet and even underwear and socks in my gym bag. If I can just remember to keep my head where my feet are I would save enough time to meditate every day, make calls I keep forgetting to and call a relative or friend I have been neglecting because I am too self absorbed.

Today in the 8:30 I got to sit next to my dear friend Heatherr Featherr (sometimes three r’s) What I like about this young woman is her enthusiasm, determination and commitment. She had already gone swimming before class and there she was saddled up for Tripper Tuesday and ready to roll. She’s young enough to be my daughter and if I had a daughter of my own I would want someone like her. On my right was Connie and I often see her posts about Weight Watchers when I open my page and it makes me think about the only diet I ever went on back in 1975. I went from 214 to 162 in four months on that regimen and of course now it’s so much better with more choices and less limitations. Connie is always smiling and her ebullience spills over every time she’s in propinquity.

Now it’s almost time to head and see my friend Peter Charles in Point Lookout maybe he can help me attach the audio version to my blogs so that I can read my entries to you in my own voice and intonation. I don’t think there’s a 1215 tomorrow because of the Holiday schedule but do check and see. Until next time my friends.

Fondly

Jack

What If?

2012-02-21T12:08:00.002-05:00

Fondly

Jack

The Sun Goes Down, The Stars Come Out

2012-02-14T20:22:00.000-05:00

The prodigal son has returned and just in time too! It’s been nigh on 3 weeks since I saddled up in Tripper Tuesday and although I have been spinning with very competent instructors in South Florida nothing, no-thing is like being in the Lavender Palace with Mr. Inspiration Tripp Doherty. He was at the top of his game this morning as I caught the second act of the 8:30 before I took my regular turn in the 945 and as per usual the room was filled with an energy that is unmistakable when our leader is at the controls.

Some of my favorite classmates like Mary McCann in the 8:30 and DJ in the 9:45 helped make my homecoming feel like I was putting on my favorite glove. I love that split of a class and a half because I get to see 110 of you instead of just 55. And there seems to be some new members in the flock and I am anxious to get to know all of them and I do hope they’re amenable to the echo of guttural sounds from yours truly.

“The sun goes down and the stars come out” (Glad You Came-The Wanted) had just the right timbre for the synchronicity of the 945 class because the rhythm of this particular song seemed to capture the artificial intelligence that I swear is alive when all of you are in propinquity. * I can hear Lori Spiegel saying: Jack that’s a little out there. And I suppose it is but sometimes the words just type themselves and well I’m just not responsible. Well maybe you get the idea I like that song.

Suffice it to say I am glad to ride with all of you but the call of the Southern Sky is in my blood now.

*Propinquity: See The Golden Girl

http://jackbriant.blogspot.com/2012/02/golden-girl.html

A Sentient Man

2012-02-09T08:26:00.000-05:00

Hello fellow Tripper aficionados. Do you think that I’ve abandoned you for those of you that care? Well I’m on a slow boat back from China (is that PC?) and will land on a Schwinn near you soon. And I must tell you these Johnny Q. Spinner bikes are not very comfortable. Has it been that long since I have missed all of your radiant faces?

Let me say that the spin instructors down here are not too handy when it comes to their iPods and have a degree of difficulty in providing a seamless choreography. Sort of makes you appreciate how much prep goes into each and every class at EQ. Even when Tripp moves the play list ad hoc during the session it never seems like crashing cars.

Now a word about our favorite personality, Tripp Doherty is truly a sentient being. After all it takes one to know one. Has there ever been anyone as sensitive that you know of in a world gone cold into an abyss of catch phrases, phone mazes, (pay attention please our options have recently changed in the 20th Century) google it, talking heads, and 247 channels and still nothings on? I think not!

Now a word about us men as Lori Spiegel muses that I have jumped off the deep end with this report. The touch of a sentient man who despite being emasculated still shows up while the world is shouting to “man up”. I’m way out on a limb here but you’ll have to excuse me I’ve taken leave of my senses because as I alluded to earlier that’s what happens when you ride on a Johnny Q. Spinner bike long enough. In any case I will be back soon after I pack my suitcase and figure out just what baggage I will be bringing back. If you want to leave a comment to check on my sanity please do. I’m not all there I know.

Bust It!

2012-02-04T11:51:00.000-05:00

I had yet another singular experience in my spinning away from home today. Yes I can hear Lori whispering on facebook about my spinfidelity. And in a way she’s right how dare I write about other instructors in my blogs. In any case a buffed out man named Barry who seemed to look very much like my friend Ritchie led us in a spirited 60 minute version of his Southern hospitality.

To be truthful most of my spin instructors have been of the lithesome variety but Barry (more akin to the body type of David Cooper) is not what one might expect leading the charge of the light brigade in the cycle room. Nor was I used to someone singing along with some of the lyrics in their discography but if you stay around long enough you will always see and hear something you’ve never experienced before. He actually used his vocal chords rather adroitly as he blended the lyrics into his ride. Barry’s approach felt less thematic in terms of the music and in this way I sensed the percussion with more clarity, which gave the backbeat central focus. I’ve always been taught to ‘feel’ the music but today except for when my visceral attention to Cee Lo Green’s Forget You was played, I was Ringo Starr pounding out drums with my pedal stroke.

I know most of you are at Cycle for Survival and doing a marvelous job raising millions for this cause that has hit many members squarely in their hearts.

The Heart of Spin

2012-01-28T09:56:00.000-05:00

Only in spin class can you get to spend your birthday over three days. For me it was shout outs in Wednesday Tripper, again in KSC on Thursday and again today for those I missed on the previous two days. Debbie (the other sexagenarian in the room) greeted me with a smoothie after class and later I got to spend precious minutes with my other friend (yes my friend) Debbie Jensen. She says that when we speak she sees light I told her it’s simply the starshine reflecting off her striking canvas. She deflects everything so gracefully and shows humility like its second nature. She is the Golden Girl.

How do we know we are getting a good workout in spin? When the time goes by in a blink that’s how. That clock races around the dial every time I clip in and it’s a gentle reminder too that although another birthday has passed I can ill afford not making every minute as if it was my last. This past week has given me a new respect for all of you and I implore you to tell me your story because I want to get to know you just a little bit better and because after all you’ve enriched my life immeasurably.

She's Coming Home

2012-01-21T15:03:00.000-05:00

This past week I thoroughly enjoyed myself in the Lavender Palace. The workouts were arduous as always but for some ineffable reason they were more satisfying than any week I’ve spent in the CS. Tripper was more motivated than any week prior and in these past two weeks since my return from Florida I have felt closer to those that know me and for those that don’t I love exchanging smiles knowing that just maybe I have touched your lives in some way. I love to write and it never occurred to me that so many subjects intrigue me. Well maybe I am not ready for a treatise on Quantum Physics just yet but all of you have given me the encouragement to balladize my experiential life in and out of that stationary bike. I am a bit of a romantic and I will also admit to being just a tad hypersensitive. I love being with you all and because you put up with my bellowing especially in Tripper’s class I beg your indulgence.

So what’s in store for 2012? Cycle for Survival is nearly upon us and as we were talking about it 6 months ago I thought it a long time but it seems like just a minute ago we were all helping Tripp raise money for Island Harvest. Now February 4 is literally moments away and I wish us all the best of luck as we help in our small way to help find a cure for a disease that takes so many beautiful people from our midst.

This week we had the twins mark their birthday and I of course will not reveal their age albeit just about half mine. And with the return of the Prom Queen: Debbie Jensen the week for me felt like icing on my cake.

Applied Science

2012-01-13T17:24:00.000-05:00

Remember when I wrote about a t friend of mine who told me that I couldn’t lose weight in spin class? I just read another article claiming the same thing because of a number of factors. Here is what the article said.

The Sins of the Spin

Spinning follows a very similar pattern of “improvement”. Initially, spinning presents a challenge so you expend a reasonable number of calories while doing it. However, you rapidly become better at biking and learn how to effectively move your legs in a fashion that conserves the most energy possible.

While conserving energy is awesome if you are a competitive cyclist trying to win a race… this is an absolutely garbage phenomenon for individuals using exercise as a weight loss tool.

Compounding the negative aspects of spinning are the following factors:

No wind resistance to overcome

No side-to-side sway, little upper body activation

It is weight supported!

It also said that your legs will get bigger and more muscular and that spinning was a garbage workout.

So I guess all my spin mates who look svelte and are ripped are wasting their time. WRONG! I lost 30 pounds was that a fluke? Was it also a fluke that when I ride on the road my stamina and endurance has increased many fold from my years on the elliptical? As the new age phrase goes: A yeah NO. Please read this article and let’s write this ill informed author where to get off. I am mystified how they let people write about stuff they know little or nothing about. If we asked Tripp what would he say? Here is the link.

http://graemethomasonline.com/he-s-a-i-d-she-s-a-i-d-why-spinning-wondoesnt-make-you-slim/

But take heart all read all the comments blasting this guy and some of them are athletes off as well as on the bike.

Tales of the Ancient Mariner

2012-01-04T09:40:00.000-05:00

On my recent trip to the tropical zone which by the way holds daylight for a full hour more than up in the frozen tundra I found myself at a loose end not being able to spin everyday. I took to the streets with very mixed results. I couldn’t understand why as I started my jog with the Pulsar HR monitor that I was seemingly out of breathe at a HR as low as 94. What I wound up doing was start stopping which made me feel like I was the proverbial fish out of the Lavender Palace and that maybe that I was kidding myself as to how fit I actually was. There was a fourth run that allowed me to make a full 45 minute interval without stopping but the following two road sessions had me right back in the soup of oxygen deficit. However on my last run I decided to do some wind sprints and that was the ticket that gave me some solace. But as to any idea that I might run a marathon again my friends I think that is a foregone conclusion.

And what I think I have discovered is that since these HR monitors are based on weight and HR it can be deceiving as to how many calories burned. I don’t think that if you have a low HR to begin with that the calories measured are in any way truly accurate. Someone correct if I am wrong but I don’t think it’s ipso facto.

Did you miss me? I surely missed you all and when Wednesday 1215 rolls around again my smile will be as broad as the English Channel. If I start saying “Do What” please feel free to slap me.

Beachy Spin

2011-12-21T19:23:00.000-05:00

A change of paces these three days as I cycled at the beach down in Fa-la-la. Not a bad place to spin provided of course you have some musical accompaniment to spur you on. I loved the view of the white caps as they rushed to shore as I am truly a visual person. But it’s the music that does it for me always was that way when I was a marathoner and on the bike I clamor for good music.

On an old Johnny G. Spinner bike was I and although it was a little long in the tooth next to our Schwinn models it worked just fine as my mad pedal stroke took off in an environ that has its own set of interpretative inspirational track.

Some of the music that I used to spurn just two years ago I am now motivated by. Did I really say that? In fact the Eminem song called: Lose Yourself had me pumped as I kept adding road in position #3. Rap I am listening to rap holy s*it. One verse that struck me in particular was him getting booed off stage, which made him even more motivated to push on. It was the vociferousness of the rejection that told him he was right on target with his dream. Plenty of allegory for me and even though I am long in the tooth I can still bite and bite hard.

I am so sorry to have missed his Birthday on Tuesday but I was there in spirit and as I took off as the sun came up I was thinking about all of you back in the Lavender Palace in Woodbury. See you soon. Merry Christmas, Happy Chanukah and Happy New Year to all my friends.

Jack

Eminem Lose Yourself

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1TADyXC2K0g

Din Da Da The Roots

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0LqvUy7jNVI

2011-12-19T14:04:00.001-05:00

Rock On Tripper!

2011-12-17T18:26:00.000-05:00

Tripper’s birthday arrives this Tuesday and it will be a perfect day in the Lavender Palace as our man of spin turns 44. Is it okay to tell a man’s age? I think so we men have a different lens than the female of the species when it comes to marking Father Time. Still when you get long in the tooth as I, you get just a little sick of hearing “old man.” Tripp however is just hitting his prime and although we won’t have him climbing Mount Washington again there are many challenges ahead for him to face and conquer. His 2011 if you ask him might be one of the most significant he has had in many a turn around the sun.

Happy Birthday Tripper see you in 2012 when you make more history. Oh by the way I will be in a warmer climate this Christmas and I bid you all a great holiday.

We Are Family

2011-12-12T00:02:00.000-05:00

At the risk of being merely a reporter about the festivities on Saturday night I would be remiss in not telling those unable to attend that the very social Mr. Authenticity made all of us feel that we are really part of his life and that although he might be our spin instructor he is really our friend. And on Saturday you could feel the genuine love we have for this man.

Now none of this is possible unless a certain barrister made each and every one of us feel so welcome not to mention the attention she paid us of the kind reserved for favorite relatives and intimate friends. This is a great team and you need only look to the smile on Tripp’s face all night long that this one may last a lifetime. But what do I know I have been called out on strikes if you get my drift.

As much as I have loved my nearly two years in spin this class has given me the F word as opposed to the A word. I have many Acquaintances here at EQ mostly because of my blogs and I hope it is also about my passion but here in Doherty’s class the F word takes center stage: Friends.

The Human Torch

2011-12-08T21:44:00.000-05:00

There are times when the energy that man emits makes me think of the Human Torch. He should actually spontaneously combust into a ball of flame. How does he commit such feeling to each and every class? Is he a bottomless pit? I spoke to our man today about how one of our members always feels good when she takes his class.

As if by magic whatever we are going through personally we get an hour respite and our troubles seem to be expunged. Its never in words it’s just his personal aura. And that will always make me think: Flame On!

A Memorable 2011

2011-11-27T15:21:00.000-05:00

This year was a memorable one for Mr. Doherty and we are as much apart of it because we helped make it happen. The latest accomplishment was his philanthropic success with Island Harvest and from my keyboard this was the crowning act for the year. Of course there were many other outstanding moments like My Green Tambourine back in April, Jessica atop Tripp’s bike in May, the passing of Jennifer Linn and Tripp’s second Iron Man in July, Tripper unplugged when the club lost electricity as a result of Hurricane Irene and the show went on anyway, the club’s support to the people of Prattsville and the Philadelphia Marathon.

A wonderful year on many levels and I am sure each of you have a particular memory I have left out here but 2012 promises to be even more eventful if I know Tripp at all.

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving and I will see you all in the Lavender Palace this week on Tripper Tuesday.

P.S.

Cycle for Survival is February 4, 2012.

News From Philadelphia

2011-11-21T21:53:00.000-05:00

Tripp and Maureen Russo wanted me to tell you all that they are grateful for your support in their latest quest running the Philadelphia Marathon. I will let Tripp tell you about his race when you see him on Tripper Tuesday but he did say that he was proud of Maureen who finished her first ever marathon in a time anyone would be proud of.

I can’t wait until tomorrow to see our hero and heroine to congratulate them both. For Tripper it has been an ever so memorable 2011. He has accomplished so many things both personally and philanthropically that we can’t wait to see what he has in store for him and all of us in 2012.

Happy Thanksgiving to all of my friends that read Tripp’s blog and to all of those who don’t.

Marathon Woman

2011-11-19T19:47:00.000-05:00

Maureen Russo takes off on her first marathon in the city of Brotherly Love Philadelphia tomorrow morning and we all wish her success and that on Monday and Tuesday morning she’s not in too much pain. Mo has set me up with text messaged service that will track her progress and I will if I am near the keyboard tomorrow pass that along to all of you.

We truly are a unique team of people because in all the exercise clubs that I have joined and left never did I have a sense that I would have such a communality with such a great collection of members that had this sense of belonging. Some might say that I am engaging in hyperbole and that we are just close acquaintances but is that all that it is? I don’t think so. Although I have been accused of being seeing things that are invisible to the naked eye but I think that heartfelt feelings are more genuine.

So Mo we will be thinking about you as you conquer your next challenge.

Spin Notes:

The rumor mill has the Island Harvest filling the bushel at nearly 30,000 dollars. What a haul.

Island Harvest Part II

2011-11-15T21:49:00.001-05:00

I think that for me at this juncture to recapitulate what happened on Saturday would be redundant. I believe that Constance Korol writing from Syosset Patch has done that with plenty of aplomb and kudos to her for the remarkable engineering of the event for Tripp and her relationship with Island Harvest.

What I would like to do is mention some of the supporting cast that made the whole event run like clockwork and all the more enjoyable. The first woman that comes to mind is Janene Cangro who gave up her bike so graciously and then proceeded to capture some of the more candid images taken atop the windowsill at the corner of the studio and let us not forget how she inspired the man at the top of the studio in ways that are well frankly incalculable. Thank you Janene. By the way you are a gracious host as well. Next I would like to thank the ubiquitous Cindy “SPOILED ROTTEN” Goldberg. She made sure that every thirsty rider had a fresh water bottle so that they could continue their own form of pandemonium. And Cindy gave us all a carnival like sideshow outside the glass doors when she sparkled us with a demonstration of just how a hula-hoop was supposed to work when it was patented in America in 1958. I remember those plastic versions as a kid and I never could get the hang of it for more than a few turns around my waist but Cindy could have been the TV ad person for Wham-O the way she fired it around her hips.

Then there were women like Julia and Cindy Ash that made it their goal to spin the full four hours and gave Tripp plenty of inspiration with their brand of tenacity and fortitude from the front row. And with the appearance of DJ and Mary McCann at the start of the third hour made us regulars feel even more at home. Not to mention that these two young women (who could make the cover of any fitness magazine) also added their very palpable spiritual presence. And I would be remiss if I didn’t mention Maureen Russo who will be running her first marathon this weekend. Maureen is quiet but is always a delightful fixture in every class she takes with us. She brought her beautiful daughter. (a spitting image in person and voice) There are others of course that I may have missed but without these members maybe the event to end events might not have had the exclamation point these women gave to us all.

Superfect!

2011-11-13T19:36:00.001-05:00

What does it take to fill 220 bike hours with cycle enthusiasts in less than three weeks? It takes Mr. Inspiration, Tripp Doherty. Never will anyone doubt what he is capable of when he sets his mind on a goal again. And I am talking about yours truly. I was dead certain Tripper could populate the room two times but four? It seemed like a task only an Ironman could pull off. Well he did it and did it big and I’m not sure who else could have pulled it off.

Trying to recapture what the day felt like in the heart is no easy task. When you talk about spirited emotion it’s hard to find the semantics that can give it the true sense of excitement that was generated in the Lavender Palace on Saturday. Tripp galvanized us all and his “Carry Each Other” signature song became the rallying cry that was but one ingredient that made this an amazingly successful fundraiser. Many of our EQ members and their friends that gathered for this inaugural Cycle for Island Harvest benefit for the hungry on Long Island truly gave not only their hard earned dollars but they also helped raise the consciousness of just how alarming this need to feed the hungry really is.

Being an avid spinner these past two years has dramatically changed my life in mind, body and spirit but experiencing the palpable sensation that is generated when we as a “family” get together and draw on our collective energy together like we did Saturday well it just doesn’t get any better. We at EQ have done some other benefits the biggest being Cycle for Survival which raises millions in search of the cure for rare cancers but this one, which attends to the basic physiological need of survival the need to eat, has such immediacy to it that it demands just as much or more attention. I don’t want to make this a political talking point but in our small way we made a great dent in feeding some hungry families this holiday season.

More to come.

Picture courtesy of Michael Korol

We Carry Each Other

2011-11-11T10:44:00.001-05:00

The Big Day is tomorrow and with a late rush nearly all the bikes are filled for 4 hours but don’t give a thought to not inviting anyone and everyone because last minute no-shows are always possible with the supervening situations of life. In other words get down to EQ and take part in the Island Harvest Benefit starting from 1 PM ending gloriously at 5.

I will do my best along with Constance Korol to lay down in words what it feels like to be part of the festivities. I have no doubt and if this morning was any indicator that Tripp will be flying and have enthusiasm on full tilt for something that he has become so passionate about. This man is so obviously committed that his will becomes an irresistible force you find yourself wanting to comply with.

I know that as Americans we can be inundated at times with charitable fund raisers but in this case it is the dis-ease of hunger we are talking about and as one of the basic three needed to survive it becomes crystal clear that we just have to open our pocketbooks. Any donation is a good one and by showing up tomorrow you send a message that you are willing to sit down for hunger and spin your butt off.

Island Harvest Benefit Saturday 1 to 5 PM

2011-11-08T22:11:00.001-05:00

Just another day in Tripper neighborhood except that we are that much closer to The Main Event this Saturday commencing at 1 PM in the CS which of course I affectionately call the Lavender Palace. It is the benefit for Island Harvest and the hungry of Long Island. Tripp has pulled off what I personally think is a major fund raising feat collecting well into 5 figures without corporate sponsorship or even a Mother Ship like some of the other well-oiled charitable organizations have behind them. This is not to disparage any of those magnanimous entities but in this economy without advertising dollars and media driven awareness this fundraiser might not have gotten airborne except for the enthusiasm and energy from our beloved redheaded mop top.

And whatever small form of exhortation I can provide for you from my desk I implore you to bring anyone and everyone for an afternoon that I guarantee you will not forget. There’s nothing like the satisfaction of a great cause which makes us realize how blessed we truly are.

Spin Notes:

Sorry to my friend in #25 as it appeared my shouting in the 9:45 was splitting her eardrums. Although it’s Sammy Davis for me, “I gotta be me” I have to respect that I will not impose my exuberance on anyone. Although I think that I will bring a pair of earplugs in case we should be juxtaposed at sometime in the future. And as I caught the end of the 8:30 and took the next class, I just have to issue a challenge to the 9:45 that the 8:30 is kicking our butt.

P.S.

Congratulations to Stacie Ries on her NYC Marathon 2011.

November 12 Island Harvest Benefit Ride Updated Nov 4

2011-11-03T21:21:00.001-04:00

It’s finally happened a benefit ride featuring Tripp Doherty. I was chagrined when I would see an Equinox placard featuring a spin instructor’s arrival for a guest ride in our club and it didn’t feature Tripper. Well that’s all changed as our good friend Constance Korol has shown me the headline: Cycle For Island Harvest Tripp Doherty. Tripp has some lofty goals for Cycle for Survival in February but he might have an even more ambitious plan for Island Harvest for this Thanksgiving.

He told me that he wants to raise $600,000 dollars and when I heard that number I was thinking, no way. Well maybe yes way. I am trying to see how far he is along in his quest and if I get this information before I post this I will pass it along. In any case next Saturday November 12 from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM is the charity ride for Island Harvest. So here’s the deal: Ride for one hour and the suggested donation is $35.00 and if you are really ambitious $100.00 for the entire afternoon ride. Now you can donate more if your pocketbook can be stretched and our General Manager, Louis Cohen, will collect these donations. Please be patient if I have any of this incorrect I will correct quickly.

Constance reminds me that we bring friends/family as non-members as well and please take a look at foodforlongisland.com as well as twitter and facebook.

Guest Blogger: Liz Davies

2011-10-31T14:12:00.000-04:00

I received a request to post on my blog about exercise for cancer patients. I thought it appropriate that this young woman, Liz Davies who is a recent college graduate and is deeply committed to the idea that exercise is a vital component to those stricken with cancer. I think she nails it here and I hope you agree.

Fitness Inspiration for Cancer Patients

Those who have cancer may feel like the treatments are more draining than the disease itself. These can sap their energy, making them feel weak and tired all of the time. They may even feel nauseous and sick. This is not the way that they want to live, and they will be glad to know that it is not the way that they have to live. Something that many people do not realize is that exercise can really help them to overcome these feelings. It can help them to regain their strength and to feel better. This is true for all types of cancer including breast cancer, lung cancer and even rare forms like epithelial mesothelioma.

Increased Strength

First of all, exercise can help them by increasing their muscle mass and making them physically stronger. The body will be weak already, so this strength can help them to feel like they are able to be more active. They will be able to do more things, showing them that their life can still be as fulfilling as they desire.

Better Blood-Flow and a Higher Heart Rate

Any exercise gets the heart working. This helps to prevent blood clots and other such problems. The rising heart rate can also make them feel less lethargic. This is one of the reasons that cancer patients have been shown to have a lower risk of a reoccurrence of cancer if they are exercising frequently.

An Improved Outlook

Exercise can just help people to feel better in an emotional sense. They will be more awake and alert. This will improve their mood. It can also help them to connect with those around them.

The Best Exercises

Some exercises are ideal for cancer survivors. One such exercise is simply stretching. Increased flexibility helps with blood flow and allows more exercises to be possible. Resistance training with weights or machines is also a good idea since patients will have often lose muscle mass during their treatment. They could also have gained fat, and having larger muscles will help them to burn it off. As they start to feel better, aerobic exercises such as walking or swimming are encouraged. These can also help to reduce fat.

How to Stay Motivated

When someone is not feeling well, it can be hard for them to want to do anything, let alone work out. They need to keep the positives in mind so that they can be encouraged to continue working out. They need to set goals for themselves. Even small goals, such as walking for a mile, can be helpful. Furthermore, they could reward themselves when they accomplish certain things. Maybe they have been denying themselves deserts. When they have reached a certain exercise goal, they could allow themselves to have a dessert that they love. They should also think of exercise as a way of showing cancer that it cannot rule their life.

Liz Davies is a recent college graduate and aspiring writer especially interested in health and wellness. She wants to make a difference in people’s lives because she sees how cancer has devastated so many people in this world. Liz also likes running, playing lacrosse, reading and playing with her dog, April.

Cycle for Survival and Island Harvest

2011-10-27T17:01:00.000-04:00

Tripper wanted me to make note that the reason he missed the 12:15 yesterday was because of a mandatory meeting for Cycle For Survival. He never misses class this we know and others and I just assumed it was for something important not that he was shirking his position as Spin Instructor par extraordinaire.

He did tell me that there are still 110 bikes open and that he is taking on a yeoman like effort to get each of those bikes filled with riders for the February 4th 2012 edition of Cycle for Survival. We know that he can do it and I ask you on his behalf to help him in making next years event even more successful than 2011.

There is more however. Tripp is determined to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for Island Harvest in time for Thanksgiving and when I sit down with him I will get into more detail about what we can do beside our own donations for making that a stunning success as well.

See you tomorrow in the Lavender Palace. Please share your comments.

Hayley's Comet

2011-10-26T20:40:00.000-04:00

A bit of a surprise today greeted some of the Tripp aficionado’s for the Wednesday 12:15. Tripp was not teaching today. Hey what’s the deal? No Tripper? Since I had already taken the hugely challenging KSC 8:30 I was not exactly upset that I wasn’t taking a second class as originally planned. But as I spied my friend DJ approaching the front desk I said why not? I figured I would just take it easy and not get too caught up in the vortex, as is my wont.

Hayley was so polite and thanked us for taking the class in spite of the fact that she was a “sub”. We as creatures of habit are a bit spoiled when our routine is changed especially when our beloved Mr. Doherty’s who never misses a class was not present. We were here so I told myself let’s do it. And do it we did!

Hayley is taking over the vacated Saturday 8:00 AM and this being her first class at Woodbury it might have made some nervous but not this young lithe redhead who had an excellent call and a great command of not only our attention but brought out an effort I was not expecting and she did it with authority not easy for a newbie to pull off. I liked her and she will be another welcome addition to the Galaxy of Kristen James stars. As I looked at DJ she was duly impressed as well and applause broke out among us. I was genuinely pleased but not surprised because KJ knows talent and yet another precious stone enters the treasure chest. Thank you Hayley.

Prattsville

2011-10-21T23:49:00.000-04:00

Inland areas of New York and Vermont saw some of the worst flooding in decades at the hands of hurricane Irene. A small town in the Catskills called Prattsville where just over 300 homes were mostly underwater is depicted here.

Tripper and Janene and company captured some images of the devastation, which are heart rendering and almost surreal to witness. The members of Equinox contributed some much-needed provisions to this little hamlet. Janene Cangro also furnished us with one of natures wonders as well as you will see above.

The Funhouse

2011-10-18T18:40:00.002-04:00

Just before spin class today I was in a jocular mood (something that has escaped my demeanor of late) and I told Nancy Kaplan (God she is so damn nice) that I had amoebic dysentery. Instinctively because Nancy’s husband is a genius doctor I knew she would know what that term was. In fact she related that her hubby had treated one of his patients who had come back from Africa with a severe case of it. Well I have to admit that I have not visited any developing or 3rd World Countries in the last fortnight and that my current gastro affliction did not occur anywhere else except in my own environs. I do know that it was the fastest way I lost 10 pounds except for running a marathon. And this “dose” of whatever the hell I have has knocked my stamina for a loop.

The iconic 8:30 is always a fun house atmosphere and this edition was nothing less. I wish that I could bottle the energy that’s generated in the Lavender Palace and sell it in the Black Market I bet it would fetch a hefty premium. Of course I am kidding but the intensity of emotion always lifts my spirits. In the last week I have spent so much time at home in just one room that I started to think I should redecorate my bathroom.

The Bonfire Ride on Thursday is sold out and John at Image Cycling wants to thank you for your support.

P.S.

On Thursday night starting at 7 until 9 we say "goodbye" to our beloved GM Peter Rothermel. The proceedings take place at "516".

P.P.S.

Optical Image in Plainview run by our friends Heather Featherr and Cheryl Israeloff are my new Opticians. Cheryl is a Dr. of Optometry don't you know. So when you see her in the hall a little deference please. And what else can be said about Heather one fine Optician.

You Give Me Fever

2011-10-14T19:19:00.000-04:00

After missing Wednesday and Friday this week I am down on my energy supply. I missed my vitamin-Tripper and only a fever and chills kept me off my Schwinn. Ever get the chills? On Wednesday night I had two blankets, socks, sweatpants and a sweatshirt on and every time I had a visit outside the confines of my luxurious bed I shivered right to the bone. Do you really care about this nonsense? Some do but I will be back aboard on Tuesday with a fever this time in my pedal stroke and a voice not heard in a week.

I miss you all and I was lucky to be asked to join Team Beam for the Cycle for Survival event this February. (Part of me wishes it were tomorrow for my own personal reasons) How about the Imagecycling ride on the 20th? I obviously missed last nights but I would like to join John around the campfire at the Planetarium. Last time Tripper joined us. See you all soon.

Our Bonfire

2011-10-11T16:57:00.000-04:00

There is no way that the phenomenon of spin class with Tripper is happenstance, accident or coincidence. As time passes and his legend grows we know that these things are born and bred and do not fly in on a wing and prayer. Although there is much prayer I suspect that goes on silently within these walls no one would believe that a spirituality in an exercise class is possible but nonetheless it does exist. We are family and as I watched Lisa in the front row mouthing words to a song out of the past this morning, I knew instinctively the chord that Doherty reaches is deeply embedded in our solar plexus.

The 8:30 will always have that iconic sense to it ever since the tambourine session back in early spring. Now it has grown into a hot ticket where there is only one other instructor that could fill the CS in that time slot and we all know who that is. And as great as she is this is something completely different. I won’t say it’s better I will just say it’s different. Those that have only taken one class here and claim to know all about it I feel sorry for because they don’t know what they’re missing. I as you know am an ardent fan of both and there’s no way I could do one without the other. Unless of course I had to and that answer will always be in my head and not in print.

Spin Notes:

John Hinrichsen who held an imagecycling event for AIDS also back in the spring has an event on the 20th of the month outside the Planetarium around a huge bonfire. Some of you enjoyed the class under the roof of stars as John played thematic music to a wonderful motivational ride. DJ said it was as if you couldn’t perceive John moving from the saddle to position 3 he was so smooth. I have the link here just in case anyone might be interested. A class around the fire might be much more interesting than roasting marshmallows. There is also a ride on the 13th just in case you can get there on short notice.

Image Cycling Home: http://www.imagecycling.co

Singular in Nature

2011-10-08T12:59:00.000-04:00

Now a word or two about Thursday night. As I was telling Tripp today the ties that bind us in this tightly knit group are truly singular in nature. But what does that mean? Well the word singular denotes superiority, exceptional artistry and unusual. All three are innate characteristics of Tripp the man and the energy and feeling he blankets all of us with. Singular is also separate as singular in nature. Hard to duplicate and most often not fully understood or grasped because words do not give it the texture of the emotion that is generated being in the setting with him whether it is in the Lavender Palace or in a restaurant like the Metropolitan Bistro this past Thursday. This writer felt equally at home with my spin mates in street clothes (The women looked fabulous) as I do in my Schwinn.

Never one to compare this gathering to the ones we have experienced with an official Equinox theme but this night was empty of holding one’s breath as to what face we presented to one another. We didn’t have to dress to impress rather we just had to be our authentic self regardless of what we wore. Our hearts were open and that breeds a deeper sense of belonging to something truly singular in nature. I feel so lucky to have been apart of Tripp’s growth and human development in this venue of his life. We his most intimate friends have no doubt given him the strength he naturally possesses that he shares with us every day. It truly is not just an exercise class where we have fun it is a relationship we have woven through sweat, tears and the biggest smiles in the universe.

We Are Family

2011-10-04T16:13:00.000-04:00

Fellow Trippers let’s all meet at the Metropolitan Bistro on 39 Roslyn Avenue in Sea Cliff this Thursday @ 6 PM. Let’s exchange stories of inspiration and triumph and just share a good time with all of us in street clothes.

Here is the link if you need to know more. http://www.restaurant.com/rdc/metropolitan-bistro-sea-cliff-american-restaurant-rid=396903

One of my wheels came off in the 8:30, as I had to pull off the tarmac due to this gripping asthma that has virtually crippled me and some of you as well I imagine. And bad timing for me too because the music was so eclectic and so damn good this morning. I watched several of you mouthing the words to Boogie Oogie Oogie by A Taste of Honey. Can you believe that was a top tune in 1978? I won’t give you away don’t worry but I loved hearing this song again.

The energy just runs high here and where can you go where members want to embrace each other just to show their camaraderie and how we have grown to feel this close. Remember that song by Sister Sledge; We are family? Are they really that close? I think so! The bonds we have formed are hardly imaginable anywhere else. I know I have said this many times before and as time goes by the intimacy grows.

My Spin Shoes

2011-09-30T22:49:00.001-04:00

Resting comfortably in my walk in closet upstairs haven’t had to do much this past week. In fact I am sure just a bit of dust has started to collect on my shoe tops since I left them flat footed on Monday. I suppose that I haven’t forgotten how to put them back on and clip myself into my favorite Schwinn, but that’s not what worries me.

What does worry me is that my stories, my little vignettes about this passion have run its course. In the beginning it seemed that I had a treasure chest that was bottomless and that no amount of words could ever describe the feeling I got before during and after a class with either Kristen or my co favorite Tripp Doherty.

There could always be another story for me to write and who knows maybe there will be but maybe just maybe this blogger needs to get on to more serious subjects like My Life After AA or my real passion to finish writing that mystery novel that I started 3 ½ years ago. Have I run out of gas and like Captain Kirk asking Scotty to run engines on impulse power? Maybe my warp drive at least for spin class needs a new set of dilithium crystals.

For more of Jack Briant: http://jackbriant.blogspot.com/2011/09/stuck-on-230.html

The Chrysalis

2011-09-28T10:04:00.000-04:00

There’s school and then there’s recess. After 5 days of school I was ready for recess. And Mr. Mayhem invited us in to his playground today and a good time was had by all.

It’s not often that I can say after an hour of hard play that I wanted more but today was the day. First off Tripp’s music selection was plucked right out of my memory banks and several songs struck my visceral chords like a violin bow. I was nearly beside myself as the journey took me around the bases like an inside the park homerun.

I don’t always know the route he is going to take us on but I instinctually know what to do whether it’s cranking up the resistance or running wild on a flat road. Back in the corner of the CS yours truly could be heard heralding the next song as it reached into my heart and tore out my enthusiasm for public display.

The man is a phenomenon and I always walk out of the CS and ask myself what happened? I truthfully can’t describe what he does but when he waves his magic wand I am always transformed out of my chrysalis.

Writing is my passion and Mr. Mayhem brings inspiration and I like it like that.

Transcendence

2011-09-25T11:29:00.000-04:00

I will be away this week and my thoughts are with you all and I hope that I do not have too many withdrawal symptoms. Then again a rest is not always a bad thing and maybe just maybe I will reprint an earlier story that perhaps most of you have not seen from the first days of Tripp Doherty.

These past two weeks have been revelatory to me because my perspective has changed about this class and this class specifically. I have always enjoyed spinning with Tripper from my first day and now almost a year and a half later he has transcended what I thought was an hour I always looked forward to. Now the time in the Lavender Palace has become much more personal because I am using the inspiration here and integrating it into my own life. I have gone through my own renaissance this past summer and many of my own issues have been resolved using the lessons all of you have taught me.

We can accomplish many things in this room that go beyond the pedal stroke and for that I am eternally grateful.

Shambhala

2011-09-21T18:02:00.001-04:00

Where is Shambhala exactly? I think it’s East of Eden or maybe it’s West depending of course on which way you’re facing. It gives me the impression that the Lavender Palace is our Shambhala. Nothing else exists when we’re here. We can pretend we are in touch with the outside world with our Blackberry’s and iPhones but if we leave technology in the locker room we are as nature intended when we exercise, shut off from the outside world.

Once in awhile I get caught up in the remains of the day and what I might be facing when I descend that back stairway but for the most part I am fully in the present moment of each pedal stroke and I never get caught up in the last road whether it be one that leaves me gasping for air or wondering if my heart will leave my thoracic cavity. Kristen taught me that if I look back at what I’ve just done I would impede the flow, which is the next road or what the sweep of the second hand will bring. There’s plenty of time to rest when the hour is done and for me I love bringing my body to the max knowing that the worst that can happen is I start to fail and have to slow down.

This is my Shambhala or as close as I can get to my Garden of Eden because beyond the time I lay my head down at night the world is hurtling at me full speed but it is in this hour the world takes a back seat and slows down and watches me driving forward and that the rear view mirror is for those stuck in revisionist history asking what if…

More here at Jack Briant Reporter

http://jackbriant.blogspot.com/2011/09/text-message-part-i.html

Autumnal Equinox

2011-09-21T00:10:00.000-04:00

He’s shows up even when his body says no. And that’s the kind of dedication we get from our instructors at EQ. When Kristen’s grandmother passed away a fortnight ago she gave an exemplary performance in her class. Tripp is proud too as he never misses his stint and today his chest must have been screaming for a break. As I have said before it’s not all about the money it’s about commitment and we are the beneficiaries of fitness coaches second to none.

As the summer officially comes to a close on Thursday we have a lot to reflect on. It was a great summer, as it seems every season is this past year and a half in Tripper’s class. And personally for me it has been the best since I was a teenager. Spin has been rewarding to me particularly tipping the scales as I lost 11 pounds since my last cardiologist visit some four months ago. When we work out in the Lavender Palace we give it all we have and as we should because our own inspiration inspires those around us.

EQ says it’s not fitness it’s life. I think it’s even more than that because when we share each day in this intense physical experience together we forge relationships that are in their own way singular. We may not break bread together but we become part of each other’s day in ways that many friendships will never see.

Spinspiration

2011-09-17T20:47:00.000-04:00

When I talked to Peter today the confirmation was complete at least for me it was. Although our Branch Manager hasn’t experienced the phenomena of Doherty firsthand he knows that you can’t put up the numbers Tripper does with the consistency over time and not be the singular talent he is.

That’s nice to know that a manager of Pete’s caliber respects what we know intuitively. It also gives me satisfaction that what happens in the Lavender Palace translates into inspirational stories like Dana and Maureen taking themselves on the road and challenging their deepest resolve to compete in Triathlons of their own. These things don’t just happen unless they have an epiphany that tells them they can accomplish something that was never even on the landscape of their mind map. They hear the voice of Tripper and it spurs them to move beyond what any pedal stroke could. Doherty is not carved out of any mold one might expect would be required to make a spin instructor par excellence but then again it’s all about results not just technique.

Cycle for Survival will be upon us before you know it and with the talented lineup Equinox has it will surely help raise more dollars for research than the remarkable sum last years event produced. And it’s members like we have that are not only generous but committed to make 2012 a memorable one.

I Am the Team

2011-09-14T16:04:00.002-04:00

A little late but here it is.

The distance between going to work out in “just a gym” and Spin class with

Mr. Doherty is the virtual bridge too far. There is no correlation in space and time and in all my years of exercise this is the most fun I have ever had and that includes running up the Empire State Building steps or completing a 100-kilometer race.

He has taken unity and woven it into a fabric only close friends can come to know. I have been a fan(atic) of his ever since I first took a class with him in February of 2010 and then started his blog 17 months ago. And if you recall the first story I wrote about him called: Body Surfing you will get the idea what I had no inkling of back then. This is an experience that makes a trip to Disneyland or Hershey Park seem like a merry go round. You can feel it every time in the Lavender Palace. This man is so transparent and so enthusiastic about his craft that whatever they are paying him it’s not enough. I wonder if corporate really knows what he does. When he put that class on the day after Hurricane Irene with no electricity and the power for his music supplied by a devotee’s automobile, there was no fanfare from the Mother Ship, none. Someone needs to wake up.

I try not to get controversial in either of my spin blogs but let me just say I hope that corporate doesn’t let this jewel get away because this is a singular talent. I have no axe to grind, I don’t get paid for this and I am beholden to no one but I love this man because what he does unseen needs to be seen and recognized. Are you listening upstairs?

Take a look at the picture at the top of this story and get a feel for what happens here. And if you don’t get it ask us.

The Wind and the Spirit

2011-09-08T22:26:00.000-04:00

A dear friend to many of us, DJ was talking about the ambient emotional temperature in class yesterday in the 1215. She agrees like I do that whether it’s before, during or after a class with Tripper you are smiling ear to ear and take a visceral voyage of the heart. I know that I am being just a bit maudlin lately with you all but with each passing day I become more enamored with this man’s spirit. Remember what I have said in the past it is not so much what he says it is in the words unspoken and the genuine ferociousness that he lives his life that I most admire. This could easily be a narcissist dream to lead spin class but Tripp is not about that and his sensitivity to all of our feelings including the music he plays or just how hot or cold the Lavender Palace is, is something he pays extraordinary attention to.

I also know that the winds of change can be upon us without notice like a tropical storm or a sudden gust of wind that shifts what we take for granted. I for one will never take “Spinspiration” or “Mr. Mayhem” or “Svengali” for granted and as I look mortality in the face with more than a sidelong glance now that I am a sexagenarian, I also know that nothing lasts forever. I have learned many things in spin class and in this class I luxuriate in the culture, commonality and friendships I have developed here. I have been in many clubs in my life and this experience will live in my beating heart always.

The Unspoken Language of Love

2011-09-06T23:24:00.000-04:00

There continues to be an invisible force in the Lavender Palace when that man is here. Ethereal is the word that comes to mind and yet I won’t say spiritual because I don’t want anyone to think we are having a religious experience spinning but I do think that the setting provides the stage for the human drama we all face even if some of it’s unspoken. Does that make sense? A lot of the shared feelings we have for each other are through the music he plays. Take today for instance. When he played Cracklin Rose I could see and hear most of the studio singing or mouthing the lyrics. That will never happen except here. I have said this before some things just fit here perfectly and would seem anachronistic in any other class. So what I am saying is that Tripp strikes notes in perfect pitch like a tuning fork that vibrates on and on.

Today was 9 spin classes in 9 days and yet a challenging workout broke out in my pedal stroke this morning even when I thought I was spent from the previous 8. I love Tripper Tuesday. He makes me smile, laugh and think every time I take that saddle. What I also love is the language I share with this man through my writing and his energy. We have a symbiotic relationship that I revere and treasure. And I also know that so many of you share feelings with him that are similar and yet very different. All of you have expressed those sentiments so eloquently in one way or another and love him dearly like I do.

Command Decision

2011-09-03T13:27:00.000-04:00

Someone has to take a stand and it might as well be me because writing a blog is hardly considered to be a democracy and here is my decision. I have decided to go back to my original title for his blog and that is: Mr. Mayhem. Okay, okay a collective set of groans can be heard as I type this but let’s consider something. As many of you that endorsed the new “spinspiration” I had twice as many say they didn’t like it as it felt like CBN or worse yet a Coke commercial from the 80’s. You know “I’d like to give the world a coke”. When I changed the logo to Svengali (and I had votes to go back to that as well) I thought that coming to Tripp’s class likened itself to being put in a trance. However, some didn’t like that because Svengali in the historical sense of the book by Dilber in 1894 had the principal character as an evil hypnotist. Now of course it would never be insinuated that anything but fun and joy were going on in the Lavender Palace but I admit that Svengali might not be politically correct. But like other fictitious icons even Mr. Clean got a makeover.

Mr. Mayhem is truer to what I experience in Mr. Doherty’s class because it is not scripted and he is so extemporaneous that we never know what will transpire. Take for instance how he does a pull up on the metal frames on the glass panes. Who would think to do such a thing? If any of the other instructors did that they would be looked at with incredulity. However just like Cary Grant who got to shove Katherine Hepburn to the ground in The Philadelphia Story it seems perfectly natural when Tripp does it.

Or consider when tambourines were played on that Tuesday morning earlier in the year or just what went on most recently when the lights went out.

So go on and grumble and unless there’s a huge outcry it’s Mr. Mayhem. I bounced this off someone I truly trust in the class and he/she agreed with me. Tripp you don’t get a vote as much as I love you man.

Let Me Know What You Think

2011-09-01T20:58:00.000-04:00

So fans of Tripp Doherty, what do you think of the new logo? Designed by Liz from EQ Great Neck. I would like to see if we could play a bit with the font of Spinspiration. Your thoughts would be much appreciated. Or if you like it as it is then please tell me your humble writer.

Keep It Dark

2011-08-31T09:34:00.001-04:00

Electricity notwithstanding Tripper Tuesday went on as scheduled with even more fanfare than when all the juice is flowing. We did have to make do with no ventilation and an oppressively hot CS but thanks to Gloria and her Toyota SUV equipped with an outlet the music played and played and we danced in our pedal stroke. The 830 and 945 rocked and being that I took both classes my cycle mates were in synchronicity with the music and as the darkened club was lit by the energy of the usual suspects I think we showed to ourselves that we all should be committed. The members of Woodbury can never be called faint of heart because at any other club given the same set of conditions would find a ghost town within.

Our executive producer Louis made sure the constituents were supplied with plenty of water and the “Maintain” staff had a boatload of workout and bath towels to keep us all as comfortable as possible and it would seem that minus only some of the creature comforts it was business as usual. A few of the elite trainers had some of their clients in and probably could not anticipate that they would find the Lavender Palace as filled as it was. Kristen will surely hear of our exploits and smile and know that she has us pegged as the best athletes in the metro area.

Have you seen the old movies wherein the performer gets tomatoes thrown at them if their act is not meeting expectations? Tripper never one to disappoint had towels thrown at him in show of our appreciation and love for this iconic enthusiastic man that has more energy than LIPA before it went dark.

For more Jack please see me here as well. http://jackbriant.blogspot.com/2011/08/coxswain.html

TODAY CLUBS ARE CLOSED

2011-08-29T08:32:00.000-04:00

TRIPP IS AT GREAT NECK FOR THE 945 ALL CLUBS ARE CLOSED EXCEPT GREAT NECK

A Day Without Spin

2011-08-28T16:37:00.000-04:00

A day without spin is a day without sweat, meditation and communion with our fellow members. The growing sense in the CS and I can only speak from Tripp’s classes and KSC is that we have from the Beatle’s immortal classic: Come Together. And why not? We see each other nearly everyday and share a common experience, the bond of working out together. Most clubs find members engaged in exercise in isolation, we on the other hand feed off each other’s energy, presence and inspiration. In a competitive world this singular experience equips us in ways we may not have considered ever before.

Where outside of our significant others and immediate family do we get the love and support we enjoy in the CS of Equinox Woodbury? Not too many places I suspect and it is here that we learn social skills our forefathers and mothers may not have been too adept at instilling in us. We all have the innate talents of loquaciousness and affability and spinning gives us the luxury of face-to-face contact and that has us enjoying what social media can deprive us of and that is being fully associated with our surroundings. There is nothing like the human touch of all our senses. It is here that we get what our psyches crave: the feeling of community in this our third space. I think that being in close personal proximity of each other fosters the feeling that we can rely on our friends here for emotional support and the energy of wishing each other well especially when life takes us on detours we may not have been prepared for.

Spin class isn’t that just exercise on a stationary bike? That’s like asking if kissing is just putting our lips together.

The Big Umbrella

2011-08-26T08:55:00.000-04:00

Is there still anyone in doubt about the effect or even the influence this man has? I found one in the locker room but I will keep that to myself because some people just will never get it and that’s okay. Most times if you haven’t experienced something for yourself you can only sympathize with what someone else is going through and then it’s only a rationalization at best. And then there are those that are either skeptical or even worse cynical and just take things so literal that they can never see the forest from the trees.

Today it was yours truly that found shelter under The Big Umbrella Tripper opened and I scooted out of the rain as fast as I could. Dealing with personal issues is part of the human condition and no one; No One is immune from the grasp of life on life’s terms. One thing I know I am abysmal at and that is being a husband. I am also cognizant that I am not alone, but it never feels that way when confronted with the fact that when you let people down they can get pretty angry. Okay suffice it to say that after being verbally assaulted last night I was able to keep my cool and say nothing to my would be assailant. Though she was never of major consequence in my life, when you are derided in public or private it can hurt and cut deep. A friend told me to meditate on it and what better way to meditate than in spin class and spin amidst the music and sweat and heavy breathing works for me. Tripp’s words caught me by surprise but I was asking my angels what it was I could do and they gave me the answer through this remarkable man who I think is a channel for all of us to tune in to.

I was able to get up early enough to catch the last half of the 6 am and I get to see people I ordinarily wouldn’t like Janene and PC two very beautiful souls that are a beacon to me in the darkened studio. The Big Umbrella is something we all will need this weekend and as Tripp said get flashlights, water and think about the indomitable spirit of Tripp Doherty.

Cycle for Survival is next February 4 and sign up begins next month. Look here for details.

He's Authentic, Oh Yeah!

2011-08-24T18:34:00.000-04:00

I had a visual recognition of another reason why our friend Tripp Doherty is authentic. Want to know why even though we already know that he is? As he was pedaling this afternoon, he closed his eyes in the middle of a lucid dream and just then the broadest smile lit up his countenance. In that instant I knew that you couldn’t fake that kind of raw emotion no matter if you were an Academy Award nominee or the best spin instructor. He says he loves what he does all the time but I think it’s what he brings to all of us that he really loves. Oh yeah he loves to spin with us but it is the affect/effect he has on all of us to varying degrees that truly makes this CS something quite extraordinary. Some have reported relief from the heartbreak of the loss of a loved one by simply sitting in the CS with him. His infectious demeanor can cure most spiritual ills we face or at the very least bring them into a different perspective. For others he inspires them to do triathlons like young Dana and Maureen. So it’s not just that he loves his job, he loves what doing his job means to us.

Did you feel that earthquake yesterday at 151 pm EDT? It wasn’t an earthquake it was just after shocks from the 6, 830 and 945 Tripp spin classes from the day before. So I like hyperbole but he does shake me up every time I enter that room to a cry of Jackie! You probably feel as I do that I love this man and what he has meant to me not just with writing stories but how I have gotten a new lease on a life that has brought me back to knowing that my time has come again and my existence matters more than I could have ever imagined.

EQ Printing House

2011-08-22T23:44:00.000-04:00

Part II of my sojourn on Saturday included a 45-minute spin with Tripper in the exclusive Greenwich Village Equinox Printing House. The perception I had about it previously was that it was strictly “High Hat” and for the Bon vivants that inhabited the Manhattan Island. And the offer to sell its ownership to EQ a year or two ago must have been so irresistible they couldn’t refuse. The sale was not without its complications however because the club through some intricate permutations would not fall into the “all access” memberships Equinox offers. In order to join this club if you were a member in another EQ would require you to pay another monthly membership and with restrictions on the use of the pool the club had its cake and ate it too.

But it’s merely a history lesson because had it not been for Tripp headlining the Saturday 1030 the club by itself is in all honesty nothing special and coupled with the fact that there are no locker rooms it left me with a odiferous connotation. Having been at first rebuffed from a guest pass for Saturday the Red Headed League (Tripp) got me in without much fanfare as long as I agreed I wouldn’t use the pool, and since I didn't bring my trunks I had no intention to swim.

And we had a surprise guest in Mary McCann a welcome addition to any room and I will spare the reader about my glorious pontifications about her but needless to say it was pure joy watching her from across the CS with that broad smile that lights up her lovely countenance. Lest I not forget the statuesque beauty Janene attended the proceedings as well and the comfort of home base was complete.

The 45 minutes was over as quickly as it started and I finally understood that these out of the way voyages for Tripp in my opinion are based in loyalty and sentiment rather than whatever remuneration he receives. Thanks Tripp for a glimpse into your beginnings and for getting my car started. Now back to Tripper Tuesday and the home of the real deal EQ Woodbury. No disrespect mind you to the two other franchises but home is where the heart is.

Dancing in Heaven

2011-08-21T01:30:00.002-04:00

It’s in the direction of heaven. It’s north anyway. Scarsdale, the hamlet in Westchester is home to another version of Equinox. It was time again for another road Tripp which this time would include the exclusive Printing House in Manhattan. As some that know me I have a marked propensity to be just a tad vociferous in the saddle when the notes on the scale hit my tuning fork. Saturday’s 8 am with Doherty featured a choreography no one else could play without garnering quizzical looks all around. Imagine listening to Build Me Up Buttercup by the Foundations, would you ever believe that half the CS was lip-synching the lyrics to this 1968 bubble gum classic? Well there were two young women in the front across from me named Emily and Dina who weren’t even born in 1968 yet they mouthed the words as if they grew up with that chart topper from 43 years ago. In fact there were many in the studio that were either miming the words or vocalizing them audibly. Only the singular personality of Tripp Doherty would even attempt it.

One of Tripp’s protégés a lithe EQ trainer named Lisa bedecked in an outfit only her physiology could fit into was smiling so broadly she could have stopped traffic on 42nd and 5th. Just the type to realize that all the schooling is for naught unless you can reach into people’s souls like our mop top crusader does. She has the built in acumen EQ equips their talent with but this young woman wanted to add the necessary spices so that when she cooks in her own class people sit up straighter and take notice.

This is where it all started for our trance inducer and had it not been for Scarsdale the Tuesday 830 would never have attained it’s iconic status. The layout of this CS has four phalanxes of bikes facing each other with a five-foot aisle separating the two armies. And it provides the perfect dance floor for Tripp’s back pedaling fandango that makes us smile and hit the pedal stroke with a deeper resolve. His fans are just as deep here as they are in his home office in Woodbury and he’s not about to leave this place, not just yet anyway because the roots run deep.

After class I had left the ignition on and it drained my battery. As I looked for Tripper to tell him that I wouldn’t be following him to Manhattan for part II of my story he pulled out jumper cables and we were soon on our way.

Next Up: The Printing House. I have just completed this entry and along about Monday I will release the second part of what was a great Saturday.

The Svengali Papers

2011-08-19T15:12:00.000-04:00

What will never cease to amaze me as I sit here and tap out the letters the universe hands me is that when I need a title it lands in my lap faster than my cat Mon Ami. Today I found myself in the 45-minute version of Tripper and when you filter out the warm-up and cool down the time in the saddle is more like 38 minutes. That’s just a sin and on Fridays I will just have to yank my posterior out of that sweet recumbency for at least part of the 6 am class. 45 minutes? Uh yeah, NO.

I however get a reprieve tomorrow and unless Peter Rothermel is unsuccessful in his bid to obtain permission I will do my remote from first Scarsdale and then the very exclusive Equinox Printing House. This place although annexed by EQ maintains some of its exclusivity in that an all access membership does not grant you ingress. I just want to do a report is all and give all of you a bird’s eye view of our Iron Man in a different place and different time. Let’s see if Peter can wield his power otherwise I will have to ask Svengali to use his mystical powers to get me seated in this CS albeit only one time.

The book on Tripp is that he is well schooled in the world of finance but feigns discussion about it other than to say that all those talking heads on all those networks know No-thing. Nothing. And when he said today that anyone claiming to know what’s next is lying. True words, they are lying because no one knows what’s ahead. We do and that’s the next pedal stroke. And what else do I need right now? No-thing.

Hopefully I will be reporting for you a Saturday edition of the Svengali Papers.

The Icon

2011-08-17T22:52:00.000-04:00

The most pensive I have ever seen Tripp was today in the Wednesday 1215. As demonstrative and pumped as he was in the Tuesday 830 he was the antithesis today. Always fun whether he is blowing a 50-amp fuse or quietly passionate like today, he always inspires me in my writing and in my fitness. I thank him each time I set my words down right here.

Mary McCann brought in her AIT’s* today and there was no mistake these young ladies were her offspring. I bet these two know firsthand how much respect their mom gets at Equinox. Kristen says she’s not all that but we all know how this woman lives an exemplary life. It’s hard to describe someone that lives so congruently when it would be so much easier to take the easier softer way. I wax on about her and her self-effacing style would even make Hercules maudlin.

I intend to make a Saturday morning road Tripp to Equinox Scarsdale and the Printing House. I have been to Scarsdale but not to the Manhattan Equinox and I am anxious to get a different perspective on where it all began for the trance inducer. I suspect that I will glean something I have never seen before and what better way to spend a Saturday doing a double spin with him.

He was particularly resplendent today in shorts that nearly qualified as knickers except for the fact that these shorts gathered below the knee instead of above which was the classic style dating back centuries in 16th century England and a modern loose fitting zipper necked top. But what makes the whole image complete is that iconic disheveled hairdo which reminded me of that first time I took his class in the old studio. A lot has transpired since then and sometimes I do feel so close to this man that reminds me so much of my own youth.

*AIT: Angels in training.

After 6 Hours of School

2011-08-16T10:41:00.000-04:00

After 6 hours of school I’ve had enough of the day. I hit the radio dial and I turn it up all the way. The opening lyrics to one of my favorite Beach Boys songs from 1964 and that is what Tripp reminded me of this morning in a powerful edition of his 8:30 spin class. He was amped just a bit more being away from our environs. His tripp back to Lake Placid for purposeful reasons must have given him a renewed inspiration for his next adventure, the NYC triathlon slated for August 2012. When he mentioned it this morning I could see that commitment was etched in his countenance as deep as the wrinkles on my forehead. A year goes by in a blink. Speaking of blinks, that is what’s happening to me in spin. The hour is rocketing by faster than any speeding bullet Superman bested and but if not for a personal appointment I longed for another hour because in the words of Jacqueline Susann: Once was just not enough.

Tripper was definitely thematic today as we searched for signs and angels which we have many of in our midst. (Like Mary McCann) And the feeling of family at least in my opinion runs deep in his classes because it’s so deeply personal with him and us. He has people reaching beyond any restraints their mind had conceived. Heck he has me running again something I thought that I would never attempt again. I love being in this class as it sets the tone for the other 23 hours or in the case when I do a double Tripp, the next 22.

TRIPPeriential

2011-08-10T17:29:00.001-04:00

Mea Culpa I missed the iconic Tuesday 8:30 and I hear tell it was another magical edition of Svengali. To try and make up for it I found myself in that odd time slot of the Wednesday 12:15. An eclectic choreography to be sure today but as usual we come to expect the unexpected from Tripp and he delivers the newspapers always on time even if he does break some windows when he pitches.

Looking up I see Peter Charles or PC to the “in crowd” and it’s unusual I spy him unless I catch the last half of the 6 am class because this is a wanted man. He is his company’s MVP and this IT genius looks the part even when he is pouring rain from atop his Schwinn. He told me he was going to invite me to his enclave but heretofore I am just an intention. We will see but to be candid and truthful Peter Charles is a very busy exec.

Rose seems to be recovering nicely and she is apparatus free on her injured left leg and is spinning with seemingly no problems. My two youngsters youngDana and Maureen are quickly becoming excellent runners and on Tuesday next I hope to join them and Tripp for some roadwork. I am filled with trepidation however because it’s been a long time since I had any consistency running. The beta-blockers really do cramp my style but they also probably keep me alive too.

Our friend Lisa whom I see both in KSC and Svengali unfortunately lost her husband on 9/11 will have a feature story done on her beloved first husband on Friday. I will try to get the details so we can all share a piece of her devotion. He gave the ultimate sacrifice and we open our hearts to Lisa.

I am experimenting with either The TRIPPerience or TRIPPerential as a new icon for Svengali. I got the inspiration from the T-shirt he has been sporting of late.

Track 2

2011-08-05T09:00:00.000-04:00

Another 45-minute version of Svengali had me wondering where the time went. Kristen has said that our time is but a blink and 45 minutes is just a warm-up. But even a small dose of Tripp is vitamin E energy.

The Twins were back today and as I looked back at them at rides end they unbeknownst to each other smiled in unison at me. The energy that travels through them is on the same track even though each is a separate train unique in purpose and personality.

And as I looked at one of our resident angels: Mary, I could see she was putting on a brave face and I for one hate to see her in any kind of pain whether it’s physical or emotional because she is there quietly for everyone and she does it without ceremony and integrity. Integrity: Doing the right thing when no one knows about it.

It’s time to take a break because I have so many blogs and only ten fingers.

The Heart of Summer

2011-08-02T13:31:00.000-04:00

Now that some of the excitement of the IMLP has died down just a bit it’s time to refocus on what the Master Blaster has in store for us as we hit the heart of summer. It’s gone by in a blink and it seems like minutes ago we were fighting the worst winter we’ve had in decades.

I have not been able to sit and strike the keyboard as much as I would like my friends but I will make more time in the 25th hour of the day because God only knows how I love to write. Today of course is Tripper Tuesday and Mr. Doherty continues to bring in the numbers like no one can in the 6, 830 and 945. Who can pull off that amazing feat in our club? Think about it. To those that have not tried Svengali I can tell you you're are missing out on pizza and ice cream. Yes I know you should eat salmon but you can only eat so much fish.

I saw someone canoodling at breakfast today but I’ll never tell however it couldn’t happen to a nicer person. Tut tut you will never pry this out of me, not in a million years. I almost gave it away but in the words of the Go-Go’s: My Lips Are Sealed.

Rose of the twins is recovering from her lower body injury as last week I saw her working out slowly on a stationary bike in the main room but I also noticed our resident angel Mary McCann in a very scary looking soft cast with a metal brace on her right forearm. I wasn’t going to be the 100th person to ask her what that was all about I just hope that the pain is endurable. Speedy recovery Mary. I will have to talk to one of the Archangel’s and ask; what gives?

Asian Bistro

2011-07-29T18:23:00.000-04:00

Our man of the year returned triumphant to the CS this week and I caught three and a half classes because I was anxious to catch up with the women in the field with Tripp in Lake Placid. Maureen, the self effacing Stacie and of course Janene. They were an integral part of the support Svengali received in this his 2nd Iron Man contest. And as I have already heard from Stacie, I will coax and cajole Maureen and Janene for their side of the story as well.

Last night a gathering of spin classmates from our club met at the Asian Bistro. Kristen James and Tripp Doherty were the headliners and the two stars had all their aficionados present. Even though there are plenty of members firmly in one camp or the other depending on how you like to ride there are a number of crossover athletes that ride in both classes. Yours truly rides in both obviously and I have come to the conclusion that it is the pure dynamism of their personalities that fosters the high draw they both have. Just an opinion but I happen to think it is not about what educational background an instructor has because you can have all the credentials in the world and have the charisma of a flea. Not these two because they both engage us on a visceral and extremely personal level and that is why we are their devotees.

Kristen is more structured and her choreography is pre planned the night before or even the week before and conversely we know that Tripper loves the spontaneity of the moment to decide what song he will plate next. I am extremely biased in Tripp’s camp and his musical selections and have told Ms. James that I in effect with rare exception hate her music, which is mostly studio musicians that cannot sing. Sorry didn’t mean to get off on a rant here. Needless to say Tripp is about extemporaneousness and that leads to what I called recess in the past and I now call pure entertainment with a high calorie burn. And there is one thing more with our hero and that is that we have a developing closeness that rivals any gathering whether it’s at the Asian Bistro or in the friendly confines of the Lavender Palace.

A Youtube Video

2011-07-27T21:00:00.001-04:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1dElVvtO9Y

This might be a better view and listen than on the blog. Try it at Youtube. Let me know if it works for you.

Jack

That Video Everyone Has Been Talking About

2011-07-26T21:19:00.000-04:00

Here is that emotionally driven video of a 70 year old woman contestant finishing the Iron Man. Tripp, Maureen and Stacie and Janene all agree it was a an experience they will never forget.

Iron Man Stories

2011-07-25T21:44:00.000-04:00

Here is a great story from Stacy Ries a humble super athlete in her own right tells of her exploits with Tripp up in Lake Placid.

Hey Jack,

The day after??? Sorry, if I send another text I might have a muscle spasm in my thumbs...so...

I will summarize:

You know this one...

2- the time I had to get up Sunday to make it to Lake Placid before the roads closed.

10 - the cumulative number of hours I have slept in the last 3 nights.

15- the number of miles of the marathon course I ran chasing Our Athlete. (Can’t even guess the miles I also jogged and walked elsewhere on the course).

23- the number of times I teared up spectating.

56- the number of text messages I sent Sunday

65- the SPF of my sunscreen, which proved useless even with repeat applications.

610- the number of miles driven getting to and from the event.

Watching Svengali giving it "all he got"...PRICELESS.

So, while I do not know how Tripp faired post race, my thumbs hurt, my feet are sore, I'm sunburned, tired and marginally crippled...but still smiling. Yes, I did "survive" an Ironman!

Now I just have to power through a 6 day, 70-hour workweek. I am considering it endurance training for next year.... SPECTATING, that is.

Jack, I gotta say I had a total blast feeling like a member of Team Tripp out there Sunday. I'm a newbie to the group so it is great to be welcomed with open arms. Hanging w/ Jeanine and Maureen ...the exchange of data by text...the running around. Getting the updates to and from you.... I had so much damn fun...being a part of something like that can keep you on a high for weeks. Thanks. Stacey

Ironman Redux

2011-07-24T19:41:00.000-04:00

He is in and results as I receive them.

Swim/Running Results

2011-07-24T11:00:00.012-04:00

Update at 2:38 PM. Tripp is near the end of his 112 miles on the bike with the marathon to come. Stay tuned fans.
Maureen reports Tripp has passed mile 1 of the marathon I will post the bike results as soon as they are posted. 2:55 PM
Bike result are up.

Tripp Doherty
BIB AGE STATE/COUNTRY PROFESSION
2038 44 New Paltz NY USA

TOTAL SWIM 2.4 mi. (1:16:23) 2:00/100m 1090 235

BIKE SPLIT 1: 30 mi 30 mi (1:19:57) 22.51 mi/h
BIKE SPLIT 2: 86 mi 56 mi (3:06:32) 18.01 mi/h
BIKE SPLIT 3: 112 mi 26 mi (1:48:41) 14.35 mi/h
TOTAL BIKE 112 mi (6:15:10) 17.91 mi/h 891 202

Finish 12:11:35 Congratulations TRIPP

RUN SPLIT 1: 12.1 mi 12.1 mi (--:--) --/mi
RUN SPLIT 2: 26.2 mi 14.1 mi (12:11:35) 51:53/mi
TOTAL RUN 26.2 mi (4:30:38) 10:19/mi 796 177

TRANSITION TIME
T1: SWIM-TO-BIKE 6:33
T2: BIKE-TO-RUN 2:51

Tripp's 30 mile bike split is 1hr 19mins averaging 22.51 mph.

http://mylifeafteraa.blogspot.com/

He's Looking Good!

2011-07-24T06:42:00.003-04:00

Mirror Lake from Maureen Russo

Thank you Stacie. He looks ready to me.

Live race coverage can be found here. Courtesy of Constance Korol:

http://ironmanlive.com/audiovideo.php?race=lakeplacid&year=2011

Bike

2011-07-24T00:47:00.000-04:00

Bike Course

(112 miles/2 loops)

The two loop bike course takes place on state, county, and local roads.

Exit transition down the school bus ramp, crossing School St. onto Colden Ave.

Left at the bottom of the hill on Mill Pond Dr.

Right on Sentinel Rd. (State Rte. 73) between the Downhill Grill and the old IGA.

Follow Rte. 73 toward the ski jumps

East on Rte. 73, you will see the ski jump on your right, climb approx. 1 mile followed by rolling hills past the Mt. Van Hoevenberg Olympic complex. The long descent into Keene begins at the Cascade Mt. trailhead and passes the Cascade Lakes. Please use caution on the descent!

Turn left on State Rte. 9N in Keene

North on Rte. 9N to Upper Jay

Follow Rte. 9N to Jay

Continue through Jay on Rte. 9N toward Ausable Forks. The turnaround is at approximately 5.6 miles, just before College St. in Ausable Forks

Return to Jay via Rte. 9N, making a right on State Rte. 86 in Jay

Follow Rte. 86 to Wilmington and turn right onto Haselton Rd.

Head out 1.0 miles on Haselton Rd. to a turnaround point and return to Rte. 86

Right on Rte. 86

Turn left to stay on Rte. 86 in Wilmington towards Whiteface Mountain

Right on Northwood Rd.

Left on Mirror Lake Dr.

Right on Parkside Dr.

Left on Main St.

Right on Cummins Rd.

Left on Lake Placid High School access drive

Repeat loop

After second loop, enter transition from behind the high school

*The transition zone and finish line area located on the Olympic Speed skating Oval.

Tripp is according to my live reports is focused and ready and well wishers are sending him the energy back to him just like he gives to us in the CS at home. There were some moments of consternation felt by some and this reporter but our man is on track and ready for his second Ironman. I will keep you posted as much as I can and if you want to follow him go on the website and track his number: 2038.

This is your reporter Jack signing off until the morning.

Swim Course

2011-07-23T07:50:00.000-04:00

Swim Course

(2.4 miles/2 loops)

The two loop swim takes place in Mirror Lake, a calm, pristine lake right in the heart of Lake Placid. It is an excellent spectator course. The water temperature is typically in the high 60s to low 70s. Wetsuits will be allowed

The swim is a mass start keeping all swim buoys to your left. Each athlete will exit the water and run on the beach before entering swim entrance for second lap.

The ChampionChip system will be used to time the race and to ensure everyone completes 2 laps. Swim Lap times will be available on the Internet.

After the second lap, exit the water and run down Lake Placid Club Dr. , downhill to transition zone. There will be carpet on the road. The swim course will close at 9:20 am (2hr 20 minute time limit).

*The transition zone and finish line area located on the Olympic Speed skating Oval.*

*Reprinted from the official website.

Jennifer Goodman Linn

2011-07-22T15:04:00.001-04:00

Tripper in preparation for his Ironman in Lake Placid had this to say about the passing of Jennifer Linn: It makes me feel so very sad and I wish I could have said goodbye to the inspiration for so many that are surviving with cancer and for those of us that just were in awe of the way she carried on her own personal battle.

And so I am sure that Jennifer will be in his thoughts as he swims 2.5 miles, bikes 112 and runs the traditional marathon of 26.2 miles. Do any of you know why the marathon has that extra 2/10th of a mile?

Weather: Sunday calls for a high of 74 and mid 50’s for the start of the race with winds of about 8 mph.

Check here for updates on Tripper's progress and I will have some live reports from Stacie and Maureen.

For more Jack Briant: http://mylifeafteraa.blogspot.com/

Climbing the Walls

2011-07-20T12:14:00.002-04:00

When you see a manager in the dugout you have to feel for him because he can’t swing for his players nor can he field ground balls and line drives. He is in essence held captive and can only react after the fact and although he can anticipate he can never actively be involved in what is transpiring.

Not the case with Tripp Doherty he can lead by living example in the Schwinn we are in. We can emulate his pedal stroke and he is with us not just our witness. I usually put my outstretched hands out to feel the energy in the room and beyond the vibration there is the palpable energy from all of us talking back to Doherty in the silent language of love and respect that we hold for him. That would normally be an overstatement anywhere else but not here, because it is simply true.

When he climbs the wall he’s is our illustration that anything is possible all we have to do is think it and we can scale any height any obstacle any situation.

He leaves us after today and I will ask all of you that read this tome (I hate to say blog) to wish him well on his journey to Lake Placid and I promise you that with the help of my minions in the field to report his progress all the way on Sunday. If you have something please share it here with comments or e mail me at

JackBriant@mac.com

Iron Man II

2011-07-15T20:14:00.003-04:00

Now I have seen everything. The 7:15 Friday class, which by the way is only 45 minutes, was filled to capacity today. The fan base is growing because there is no explanation as to why a time slot, which is usually vacant, was jammed to the rafters. Need we say more? I think so.

I was considering John Victor for the 8:30 but an appointment mid morning had that idea nixed and with all respect to JV (another star talent) I am happy to have experienced Tripper’s class which had an even mix of both genders and just seemed to pulse with an energy that was not only palpable but took me to that mythical 120%.

Some of the members will be witnessing Tripp’s Ironman II next Sunday and I have secretly arranged for onsite remote reports from two of my confidants and along with the website updates we will have Tripp covered like maple syrup on pancakes.

It’s about 8:10 PM now as I write this and the class this morning still resonates.

Day Tripper

2011-07-14T15:49:00.000-04:00

Where else can you find a spin instructor that has never missed a spin class in what four years? We all get sick but just like in AA when your ass falls off you pick it up and you bring it with you. A perfect idiom for the Trance Inducer, Tripp Doherty. We would be more than chagrined if we ever see a substitute in his place and I wonder who Kristen will plug in to take his slot as he heads up to Lake Placid? I think we should all show up in his classes as if he was there and honor him because I think he would appreciate it a lot. I may be wrong and it’s probably easier just to skip but I don’t think that’s how we roll. Let whoever is in his place know that we are a tight knit group and although he is our inspiration our camaraderie is unlike any group he or she has ever been witness to.

Think about it because we are a little smug when it comes to him aren’t we? If Tripp’s not there we might say to ourselves: I am going to sleep or I will catch him when he comes back. No not good enough. Let’s ask him tomorrow and see what he thinks. Maybe I am just full of hot air or trying to ride the bike in the picture.

Lake Placid is fast approaching and I will update how our hero is doing on a regular basis so check in often and leave comments so that he can feel us back home.

Runner's Low

2011-07-10T15:32:00.002-04:00

Tripper wanted me to get this youtube video up and you will get a "feel" for what the Ironman is like:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnqpYKx8Fvk&feature=related

I am well acquainted with Runner’s High having experienced it firsthand in my marathon and ultra-marathon days of the 70’s and 80’s but hey Jack it’s the 21st Century and the running boom is over at least for this aged warrior. I know that Lizzie of Ari and Lizzie will chide me about talking about how old I am but that’s to be expected. One because she is a sweetheart and two she is only 30 something.

However, be that as it may I had no spin bike on my weekend retreat and so I was relegated to running on the boardwalk in Long Branch New Jersey. Not exactly a bleak prospect but I can tell you that my first run on Saturday was anything but fun. I wound up walking and running and running and walking. And I know that these beta-blockers are kicking my ass and are keeping my HR at such low levels, (Resting rate is 47) but there might be a way around these joy killers. And the answer was simple enough. It was to just keep running and today Sunday I did just that in the 6 AM hour. And I put the clock on it for a point A to B run. I took 30 minutes out and I was amazed as it was only 22 minutes coming back. I am not claiming I am ready for another Boston Marathon but it does tell me that I will include some running into my spinning regimen. I am convinced that the run will accelerate my progress in the CS.

And no I am not ready for Dana, Maureen (Woodside) or anyone else yet and may never be but I do know this that what I claimed I would never do again has me giving one foot in front of the other a second thought.

The Prince of Excitement

2011-07-08T19:55:00.001-04:00

Next up my friends watch as the story unfolds before your eyes.

When my lights go dim what better way then to head home with my handlebars in front of me and my friends of the Lavender Palace all around. I know that they will carry me out to rest to an everlasting peace. No, not a morbid thought as some might exclaim but what better ending than to be with those that live in my heart rather than next to my toothbrush.

A surprising near capacity room today in the 7:15, as Tripp seems to make all the odd time slots a place of anticipation for his growing legion of fans. And I can always sense the depth of the energy when he takes the helm and today the red headed Prince took me for that ride only he can muster from my pedal stroke. Playing those familiar tunes that attack me viscerally my heart literally leaps from my thoracic cavity and wants to do a dance on the floor right next to Jennifer Lopez. It’s tough to keep my excitement within the realm of the possibility that my sexagenarian body will allow but it’s also so satisfying to know that I still get amped up like the three way light bulb next to my reading stand.

The Prince of Excitement nears his next challenge of his 2nd Triathlon in Lake Placid and watch here for hourly updates of his progress, as he will no doubt shatter last years mark. He will surely give all he’s got.

Beyond Spin

2011-07-07T15:35:00.000-04:00

Lest it become a habit I am back at my keyboard and scribing refusing to rest from this past Saturday where my fingers couldn’t type the words fast enough. And before anyone accuses me of writers block I will make an entry from my class with Tripp Doherty yesterday at the Noon hour. It is fast becoming apparent that our sessions with Tripper have moved past the stage of simply being an entertaining spin class, and beyond that a very closely-knit spin class. But I think things have started to escalate in terms of each other’s commitment not only to each other but also as to what type of training some of us are doing.

Maureen Russo just recently took up an eleven-mile run after several spin classes on Tuesday on a topographically challenging run with Tripp starting at the bicycle path in Woodbury to Cold Spring Harbor and then back again. I have run the hills in Cold Spring Harbor and let me tell you they are as challenging as any hill you will find on Long Island. What made Tripp’s eyes open wide was the fact that he expected her to be far behind him and she was in his words: Right There.

We have, as Tripp will attest a tremendous core of extreme athletes that are multi talented. You will find outdoor cyclists, runners, swimmers and in the case of Stacie Ries and Tripp, mountain climbers. I wonder if parachuting is not out of the question now. The point is that we in Woodbury in particular are not one dimensional in the sense we not only push the envelope every time we don those spin cleats but when we put on climbing boots, running shoes or in our bare feet when we hit the liquid surfaces too.

I am looking for stories from all of you and if you are shy those friends of those athletes that you admire let me know about because we want this blog to expand beyond the walls of our Lavender Palace.

Wake Up Jack

2011-07-05T20:30:00.000-04:00

I was slated for the iconic 8:30 but as I left the somnolent state this morning, the digital clock read 4:47 and since I didn’t feel tired the 6:00 am whispered: “Get up Jack”. And out of the night chariot I arose.

Although I have fallen head over heels for the 8:30 where the energy is always jumping I don’t get to see some of my favorites like Young Dana or PC and it’s a sure fire bet that they would be there in the 6:00 and I was not disappointed. By the way Dana is looking super svelte and you can tell her training with Tripper is paying dividends. My friend Woodside, Maureen has also stepped up her training and she is slated for an 11 miler in the hills before long. She is progressing in leaps and bounds via her running regimen and her coach has her reaching milestones weekly. I am so tempted to do a mile or two but something is holding me back. Maybe it’s my knees.

Tripper had us riding for longer intervals in the saddle today versus in position 3 and I for one think that although it feels easier to achieve higher RPM’s seated over standing, I also think that we can direct more power and achieve better results while seated. I will ask Tripp maybe tomorrow in his noon spin.

Anyone have a comment about the 8:30. I need to clone myself or get a press pass.

A Rush

2011-07-03T08:06:00.002-04:00

How can the challenge of spinning be so satisfying? I will venture a guess, it’s because of how much of a good time we have doing it. I have tried doing it on my own with none of my classmates present. That experience is much like my own workouts have been like for the past seven years, lonely. I know how to kick my own butt because I was a marathoner. But it was a solitary sport even when I was running with thousands of people. Back then there was no one alongside me urging me to give my best performance, because I had to find that desire within. That was much easier when I was a young man but now a ½ a lifetime later I don’t have a race to train for because I am just trying to stay fit and there is no contest, no clock at each mile marker letting me know how well my training has paid off or not. As a sexagenarian fitness can seem like an amorphous pursuit but spinning has changed all that.

The results for me are much better than any personal bests, medals and trophies I may have collected back then. Even running up the Empire State Building has not given me the same satisfaction that spinning has given me now. I have learned to breathe, hydrate, pace my ride and give my all and no trinket can match the feeling I get when the class is over. In fact of late the hour seems to literally fly by.

A little over a year ago I was fortunate to stumble on Mr. Tripp Doherty. I have supplied many adjectives to this mysterious man who injects me with adrenaline each time I have taken his class. When I spin with him I know two things; I had an exciting ride and I am soaking wet. It’s almost liked a great movie; it holds my attention and when I walk out of the theater I feel good. When I spin with Svengali I have burned 500 calories as well. And what amazes me is each time I enter the CS with him the story he tells is one I have never heard before.

Profiles: Christine Oh

2011-07-01T08:55:00.001-04:00

I had the pleasure of meeting Christine Oh at Lake Minnewaska last year on our ride with Tripp. She is an Iron Woman who is humble, understated as you will read someone we can look to for inspiration as well. She gives us a snapshot on her recent day.

Hi Jack,

Christine Oh

Christine wrote: "Hi Jack, not little me. My life is really not interesting enough to write about:) Just enjoying the places I go, people I meet and enjoying every step of this journey which will lead to who knows where.... today happened to be an amazing day of training, took a spin class in the morning, went and ran 10 miles, and this afternoon joined our dear friend Tripp for a mile ocean swim. It was pure bliss! It's days like today that remind me of why I do what I do. I'd like if we could all get together out on the roads or on the mountain bike soon. The weather has been so good to us, let's hope this continues:)) BTW, I had the pleasure of meeting Stacey in Tripp’s class, we did a 2.5 hr. trail run last week after his Tuesday class. She's an amazing person!"

And after she saw this story she had to comment back to me illustrating her own attractability:

Christine Oh: Lol! I'd really like to see a blog about your experiences as a 2-hour marathoner. You are one heck of an athlete yourself Jack!

Stacey A. Ries What an Athlete!

2011-06-29T13:49:00.001-04:00

Stacey Ries

Hello Jack, Would you happen to know if Maureen from the gym is on facebook...or do you have an e-mail contact for her? There are no doubt several Maureen’s...but she is the wonderfully understated and humble hardcore Triple Tripper Player on Tuesday's who is training for her 1st tri. (Whoa..that wasn't intentional! ) I've been running with her every Tuesday after class but don't know her last name and didn't get her e mail, etc!  Also, I gather from your blogs that you've hit a rough patch of road personally. Ever notice that life is like a spin class...minus the flat tires that is? No coasting in spin and certainly no downhills. Awful lot of hills. And the best you can hope for at the top of 'em is a flat road. But even then most of the time you're pedaling like mad on the flats just to hold your place. But perhaps that is why spin is so rewarding...it's one hour...even on a bad day most of us, most of the time, can keep our minds focused, our spirits high and our pedals flying. The remaining 23 hours of the day are a lot less certain. Anyway, just wanted to say hang in there. Your blogs help a lot of the rest of us keep the pedals turning in life and make us smile too. 

 Thanks, Stacey Ries

Need I say more about the friendships we develop here? They have a quality that transcends because when you share passion and enthusiasm with another human being the ties that bind are like square knots that won't let go.

The Doldrums

2011-06-28T17:30:00.000-04:00

Once in awhile my inspiration takes a holiday and leaves me flat lined and today is one of those days. Tripper Tuesday has become my respite from my current chaos and like a sailing ship that has hit the doldrums on the windless sea; Svengali sends his gale force winds and lifts all boats including mine, which of late has been taking on water faster than I can pump it overboard.

The Twins are back and just like the radio waves we cannot see, their energy preceded their homecoming. I was just thinking about them this week and as I turned from my #21 there they both were smiling in unison at me as if they heard my call from the great beyond. One of my guardian angels was to my right and she looked over just to make sure I was properly equipped with the liquids that would keep me from the travails that have plagued me of late. How does it get better? Tripp says: We Carry Each Other. No truer words could be spoken as my friends in the CS have an authenticity that is unparalleled. I feel like we have connected on some deep visceral level that casual acquaintances and some relationships we call friendships could ever lay claim to.

Okay so I am being melodramatic. The problem is that this writer is way too in touch with his anima and whenever the Mr. Softee* truck plays its tune I think its my theme song.

Temporary Blindness

2011-06-25T20:11:00.000-04:00

Amidst turmoil it can happen that one falls asleep at the wheel and one might forget to use common sense. That was me this week in Tripper’s Noon edition this past week. I apologize for the scene I caused when it need not have happened in the first place. A friend has told me that I should keep glucose tablets in my gym bag. I went out and got some powdered Gator Ade and an emergency protein bar and I promise my friends it will not happen again.

Tripper has told me that there are many stories to be told on this blog and I am so ready to tell them all I need for you the reader is to tell your story. I have been writing for nigh on a year and a half about spinning and all of them have been from my perspective. How do you see yourself from behind your handlebars? We feel the energy of Tripp and those around us but what makes you come back again and again? What does this experience bring to your personal life? I think it was Constance who said she continued to hear Tripper’s voice when she was doing her Ironwoman urging her on. What is it for you? You know what it is for me. Now it’s your turn.

Once Was Enough

2011-06-23T05:59:00.002-04:00

Might it be that the universe talks to me in English? Especially in view of the fact that I wrote in KSC that maybe a second spin class was not a good idea. Lo and behold after about 25 minutes in Tripper’s 1215 I started to feel light headed. It was as if I was outside myself and it was then I realized that my brain was starting to shut down. I had no choice it was going to be another dramatic exit and as I slowed my pedal stroke to a snails pace and then came to a stop I realized that there was no way I could just vanish. I motioned to Tripp I was okay and gave the high sign to my good friend Debbie. I shuffled slowly down the corridor and sat down on a bench outside the main studio and watched as my body continued to rain on the rubber mats between my legs. This was not about my heart which was beating regularly it was a feeling I had not felt ever.

After about 8 minutes or so Steve the trainer happened by and instantly knew that I was experiencing a drop in my sugar level and ran downstairs for a Gator Ade. Within a few minutes I perked up and thanks to experts like him I didn’t keel over on to the floor. I thanked him and I will not leave myself under nourished again. Kristen is always telling us to fill ourselves with something nutritious and of course I ignored her excellent didacticism.

Rhapsody in Steel Blue

2011-06-17T18:16:00.001-04:00

On the heels of a roller coaster week in my own personal life I can feel a sense of satisfaction about our friend Tripp Doherty. He makes me forget my own troubles and gets me out of me by taking me for a ride. I know it’s his job but we all know it’s more than that to him. He gives us his heart and soul and we return to him our passion and devotion.

This week the women of Svengali took it upon themselves to insure that one of his dreams was met for 2012. He wished and they granted. It wasn’t trance induction it was just love in return. I never envisioned that when I started blogging about Tripper that it would evolve into this love fest but it has and there is a wonderful rapport we have in the collective when those glass doors close. When we emerge, wet and winded it’s as if we just experienced Rhapsody in Blue and I know I am so Jazzed for the day as I descend the stairs and head to play my song on this keyboard.

P.S.

My special thanks to my friend the PQ, Debbie Jensen.

Tears of Joy

2011-06-15T09:29:00.001-04:00

From Constance Korol:

I just wanted to say that in the process of collecting the money from the members, you could see how much they adore Tripp. They wanted to reciprocate the joy he gives us every Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. They want him to be happy.

Maureen Russo:

I wish more of you could have experienced Constance giving the Tripp the entrance fee first hand. Tripp was soo touched, and speechless. He truly wears his heart on his sleeve. He deserves that and more, it just shows you how much he gives to people, because everybody just wants to give a little something back to him, and they did.

Dana Bratti:

Unbelievable!!! So well deserved on his part!!!

And from me Jack, it's been a great Tripp taking his class, getting excited, writing about him and just having a great time every time I enter the CS.

The Tripp of a Lifetime

2011-06-14T08:07:00.000-04:00

We go on a journey every time he arrives here on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Most of the populace would use the phrase that his cycling classes are an “experience” but I think and this is just me sessions with Tripper are a journey of the mind through the doorway of the heart.

In a chat with Louis before the 8:30 he told a story that is not often told here at Equinox. It is the fact that instructors in our club can carve out their own individuality here. In other words despite the fact that EQ is a huge corporation the staff here are encouraged to bring their own personal singularity to their innate talent. How else would we have the devotion that we do with (and I will only mention a few) people like Tripp, Kristen and Pam. They have that attractability factor that generates a mass appeal that they might not be able to put on display someplace else. You can’t mass-produce a Picasso but at EQ original paintings are something we see every day.

Today was an emotional day in the 6 AM and although I did not get to witness our devotion in action I nonetheless will chronicle the story maybe tomorrow.

The Man in the Center Ring

2011-06-07T20:22:00.000-04:00

A printing malfunction at the front desk kept us on the edge waiting to sign ourselves up for the remaining bikes for the new iconic 8:30. It reminded me of last year in the old studio for KSC wherein arriving 45 minutes before did not guarantee a seat for the remaining 10 spots. Life in the CS has become my 2nd home in this my 3rd space. I have been here since the beginning when signups were in a trailer in the front parking lot and I have spent the better part of 8+ years here and it is like no other club I have been to in my life. From big franchises like Jack LaLanne, Gold’s Gym and NY Sports Club to small mom and pop owned gyms this one is the only space where I am in no particular hurry to leave every time I walk in those doors. There isn’t much to complain about ever here and this regime (I have seen them all) including Peter Rothermel and the ubiquitous Louis Cohen make it even more comfortable than when I first arrived. I love to wax poetic about Equinox and in particular Woodbury because I feel as comfortable here as I do in my own living room.

I awoke at 6:18 yesterday thinking I was just in time to sign in for the 8:30 but alas I fell back asleep and as a result had to get to the queue a bit earlier than usual. A full house for both the 8:30 and the 9:45 on Tripper Tuesday as it seems to be the trend as this man’s popularity continues to grow. And there is plenty of crossover from KSC as well because I see some of my favorite faces in Tripp’s class enjoying the fandango and the singular passion that is Frank Doherty.

In two sessions with Kristen and Carolyn Mellace I found myself using the new monitors and they had me transfixed, but on this Tuesday I barely glanced down at it and wound up burning the same amount of calories. Go figure. Make no mistake, I think the monitor is a useful tool there is not much doubt about that but it also tells me that for me Tripp is the main attraction like the man in the center ring of the circus.

And some just can’t get enough of Svengali, like our guest blogger yesterday Maureen Russo. I saw her steal out of the CS at 9:15 to sign up for the next class. What devotion because frankly we just can’t get enough.

Lake Minnewaska

2011-06-06T15:53:00.000-04:00

Here in her own words is Maureen Russo about her trip to Lake Minnewaska this past Sunday.

After taking many spin classes with Tripp and listening to how beautiful Lake Minnewaska was for mountain biking, I finally decided I had to go and see what it was all about.

The problem in my mind was that I had never been mountain biking, and didn’t even own a mountain bike.

I made the decision to rent one and, I was on my way to Lake Minnewaska.

Upon arriving I meet Christina, who informed me that she is an Ironman participant, and immediately I asked myself what have I gotten myself into?

Shortly after Tripp arrives, and my adventure began. We were moving along through the rolling hills, and enjoying the beautiful scenery. I was holding my own and was feeling pretty good, praying that we wouldn't see any of the snakes and bears that Tripp kept talking about.

Tripp began talking about this very steep uphill, that he would like to go to, and told me that he thought I could make it up. He told me it was like being on “8” in spin class, but for ten minutes!! I figured what do I have to lose?...but I did not make it up the hill, I had to get off and walk the rest of the way. Although it did take some time to get the feeling back in my legs, it did not discourage me from the rest of the ride.

I got to experience what Tripp had been saying in class about taking what we do in spin class outside. And being able to do the ride because of his class.

It was a great day, a ride I will never forget. I will definitely be going tack to Lake Minnewaska, and I will make it up that hill next time.

Thanks for a great adventure Tripp.

Far From the Madding Crowd

2011-06-05T16:49:00.000-04:00

Unfortunately I won’t be able to record for you the Sunday trip to Minnewaska with Tripper. I instead will scribe about our trance inducers Friday in the CS. Fridays for me are the redux of the Tuesday mayhem and it’s a great way to start the weekend. On Fridays I have the added convenience of coming late to the 6 AM class and find a bike because some have left for their vocations. I still get about 25 minutes of effort and since the 715 is only 45 minutes I still get the full hour in.

And at 8 o’clock I still can start my day far ahead of the madding crowd* that starts everywhere at 9. The 715 was full as only he can do in that odd hour and the fun never ceases to amaze me because his excitement never wanes. He is incandescent every day and his infectious fandango is airborne and we don’t need the CDC for antibiotics. He loves what he does and what else can we ask for except to get a shot of B-12 whenever he gets to call the pedal stroke. Be warned 45 minutes is over seemingly before it begins.

*Far from the madding crowd: Thomas Hardy’s Fourth Novel from 1874. Madding means frenzied.

Lake Minnewaska Part II SUNDAY June 5th 9 AM Start

2011-06-02T22:45:00.002-04:00

Tripp informs me that the weather will not be a factor and that blue skies and spring temperatures will prevail. He is inviting all up to his second home for a pre-summer ride in one of New York’s most scenic parks. The bike paths are perfect: challenging for the expert and yet still paths will suit the beginner to intermediate rider. The festivities start at 9 AM and no matter what your skill or endurance level is it will be a day you can ride to your hearts content. Call him on his cell for any updates you need or email me at Jackbriant@mac.com

The 8:30 Galvanized

2011-05-31T10:26:00.003-04:00

Any controversy that may have existed as to the most emotional spin class that I have ever taken in my short tenure was ended today in the 8:30. The pulse at the outset was high I could feel it and if there was a meter to measure Human Energy it would have hit TILT. Some of my favorites were in attendance: Mary McCann, The Twins, Lisa, Marcy, Maureen and Randi in the back row. These friends can be counted on to lift our spirits no matter what the day has brought us.

The class was full at 55 and about 10 minutes in the whole course of the ride changed and brought us together in unison like I have never experienced before. Jessica had taken her place on an empty bike because of the 5-minute rule, which states that if you are not on your Schwinn 5 minutes before class commences you will forfeit your bike. It was now ten minutes in and a young woman and let me just call her “Big Brazil” by the detail on her tights started a confab with Jessica and we all knew what was happening and the net of it was that Jessica being the good sport she was got off and gave her bike to the late comer. Now it’s easy to lay judgment on someone we don’t know and call them egocentric and selfish but far be it for us to sit in the court of public opinion. Let’s focus instead on the fact that throughout the confab while the music played Jessica never changed her countenance, which was a broad smile. Some of us like me for instance might not have taken too kindly to be summarily unseated and I know personally since I had lost a bike under similar circumstances about a month prior. Jessica took it without so much as a shrug of her shoulders and as she started her exit the CS erupted with a sigh of indignation. However all was not lost Tripper to the rescue as he gave up his bike to Dr. Jessica. Pandemonium broke loose and he lifted the room single handedly. We have come together before but not like this. Just like Mary McCann from a week ago Jessica displayed the élan of yet another you want in that foxhole should the need arise. This is no act lady and gents this is authentic and the 8:30 will always carry a memory I shall not forget.

It's All About the Music

2011-05-28T07:23:00.002-04:00

A friend of mine who is a devout Tripp aficionado was quite clear why she preferred Svengali and it was all about the music. The memories that his selections invoked for her in the end were the drawing factor. And it got me thinking at 545 this morning that distinguishing one great spin class from another was for me not the music but rather quite simply the charisma of the instructor.

It’s no secret that I am not a fan of the American Top 40 because by simply adding a moog synthesizer into the musical production, just about anyone can carry a tune. Take the performers out of the studio and put them in front of screaming fans, and the catchy rifts that excite our adrenalin flow fall flat on the eardrums. The Black Eyed Peas for example are fantastic musicians but unless their voices are filtered electronically inside the studio when they play ‘live’ their voices are pedestrian at best. It makes me sad on one level but maybe it’s just because I am a child of the 60’s and singers well could carry a tune all by themselves.

When Tripp plays Que Sera by Doris Day or a theme song from a popular Television show from 35 years ago it’s just another one of the ties that bind us to this unusual personality who at times we have trouble hearing over the music but it never seems to matter because we journey with this man whether it’s following his exploits up a mountain or his indefatigable spirit through the next Iron Man competition. So for me it’s not class versus recess or how I connect with the pedal stroke or even if Hall & Oates is playing. It’s whom we have a fondness for and Tripp Doherty just does it for me.

So it’s all about the music or maybe it’s just because Tripp is Almond Joy, indescribably delicious, and like me the nut makes it a sojourn not a spin class.

It's that woman again you know the one that gives up her bike to another.

Mary McCann

2011-05-25T09:52:00.000-04:00

In a playful mood yesterday as I crept into the 8:30 about 15 minutes late, and spied an open bike I thought that a double dose of Tripp might just be the tonic to get my long day into night started. Since I had booked for the 9:45 I was determined to stay within myself to make it through the second class. I am not like some youths like Maureen Russo and Mary McCann who can virtually go on forever. I need to conserve lest I run out of the energy kinetic. Well as you might probably guess that plan ran afoul as I was induced into his trance once again and got caught up in the choreography and fandango. Seems like this is a repetitive storyline here that happily I cannot escape.

At the start of the second class, I thought I could instigate a little rivalry between the 8:30 and the 9:45 but that thought was changed when a rider arrived late for the bike next to mine and according to the 5 minute rule she lost her bike to a waiting line member. Tripp and his soft heart was visibly disappointed but rules are rules. As our chagrined rider headed for the exit, Mary McCann on bike #16 for her second class offered her bike up to the late comer. This seemingly simple act of kindness had me thunderstruck. I applauded her as she exited because who does that? Mary McCann that’s who. In the year and a half that she has been my acquaintance and spin mate Mary has shown me that actions speak louder than words ever could. A cliché to be sure but Mary says nothing and does everything. I cannot begin to imagine how blessed her nuclear family feels about her, far be it for me to know but here as a member at Equinox Mary McCann has continued to show over and over that she is someone you can count on to do things with integrity. Kristen say integrity is doing the right thing when no one is looking this is Mary. I will never forget how she took the bull by the horns getting that Island Harvest food drive started last year. I am sure those that share a closer tie with Mary have your own story about this amazing woman that anyone would love to have in a foxhole with them.

Near Dark

2011-05-21T15:02:00.000-04:00

We of the Friday 7:15 have made a declaration silently that not everyone needs class but everyone wants a great workout and to be entertained. An unusual time in the schedule to be sure and the fact that it’s only 45 minutes and is over in a flash makes it too little of a good thing. But I wanted to mention here something about that group of our spin mates that we rarely get to see let alone get to know.

Too early for me to rise for the 6:00 AM slot start; I can usually get there about mid session and thereby heat my frame up for the short version I have just mentioned. The pre dawn crowd is from what I can glean a very hearty bunch. After all they must look at that digital alarm at the ungodly hour before 5 AM. Virtually inconceivable for most of us to even open our eyes at that time they somehow do it on a consistent basis. Those go getters that have vocations that start 9:00 AM or prior still make fitness a priority in their life at the expense of more shuteye. We are not likely to get to know them as we of the later crowd enjoy more comfortable timetables like the 8:30 or 9:45. But these members are not subterranean dwellers and although not a vociferous bunch they are nonetheless quite committed and waking up with Tripp is not exactly like a journey to the dentist.

The 8:30

2011-05-17T20:40:00.000-04:00

What has now become simply “The 8:30”, and clearly one of the most spirited classes offered in our CS, Tuesday is owned by Svengali. Even the most serious of us cannot help but use those 12 facial muscles to smile (Anatomy Notes) when Tripp goes into his impromptu fandango. And make no mistake there are days like today when the heavens are wringing the sponge where we just don’t feel all that cheerful but somehow our incantation specialist convinces us the sun will be peeking out from behind those dark gaseous curtains very soon.

Today Tripper played one from one of my all time favorites groups: Hall and Oates. This selection from almost 30 years ago still spikes my adrenalin like it did from the days of my life as a dancer. When the music strikes a chord within your framework, it’s the second best feeling in the world. What’s the first? Love of course what did you think?

I have written about it before, Sven has the most eclectic musical lineup of all our instructors but it all seems to work its magic and I don’t know who else can play music that makes us all clap rhythmically.

Shelter Island Ride Tomorrow Check Tripp via cell for weather

2011-05-13T13:19:00.001-04:00

As a wide-eyed kid growing up in the 1950’s I experienced the awe and wonder of Coney Island. I also know that the rides of today might claim to be more thrilling but nothing in the 21st century even comes close to the heart pounding fear I felt back then riding Coney’s Thunderbolt Roller Coaster, Parachute Jump and Steeplechase Ride. However, that same exhilaration is recaptured and is playing several times a week @ Equinox. It runs on Tuesdays and Fridays and the ringmaster is Tripp Doherty.

This was the vision that struck my mind of heart as we saddled up in Tripp’s afternoon class today. Just like a barker in a side show Mr. Mayhem had me wondering where to put my quarter so I could gain admission to his personal amusement park. It was a foregone conclusion that the performance would be filled with his singular brand of ebullience and my only concern was just how was I going to keep up with Mr. Astroland’s musical incantations filled with alternating speed, resistance and outer world charm as only he can conjure up.

Today's ride made me think about my favorite Coney Island ride and it was called The Steeplechase. Essentially it was a simulated horse race where one rode on a wooden horse suspended 30 feet in the air and as you sped down a steel track at 60 mph it gave you the thrill of a roller coaster. And the power of what it might be like to be a jockey on a thoroughbred at Belmont. This was the imagery I felt today with the incandescent one. Like a demonic cheerleader Tripp used his physiology on and off that stationary bike like it was part of his anatomy.

I love spinning as some of you might have guessed but today I was back in my childhood when Coney Island was the place to be every summer growing up.

The Party of the First Part.....

2011-05-11T20:12:00.000-04:00

We the party of the second part would like to inform the party of the third part that Tripp Doherty although an enigma to those that can only think with the conscious mind, that he is a life changer for many of us in the CS. We make that statement with no agenda only to bring attention to the fact that in-group exercise it is paramount that the instructor can lead the class because of a professional designation in the various protocols that require countless hours in achieving them. So the instructor must not only be proficient but charismatic as well with that attractability factor or that X factor that you either have or you don’t.

Since Equinox is at the top of the virtual class in fitness clubs, one of the things that make the Mother Ship happy is a studio that is filled to the four corners with members. Come by on a Tuesday and you will see not one nor two but three full studios in a row with the Master of Trance Induction; Mr. Tripp Doherty Although he is not from any Jell-O mold we have ever seen, he carries a devotion that is unparalleled with no distinction in terms of gender or age. A man for all seasons and a man for all people. We love this man. We love him.

Shelter Island Ride

2011-05-07T18:44:00.000-04:00

Date: Sunday May 15

Starting point: Sunset Beach Hotel on Crescent Beach ( Sunset Beach) Shelter Island 11965

Starting times: Early morning ride with Tripp 6:30 AM

Second ride with Tripp 8:30 AM

Main ride all levels 10:30 AM

The main ride can be anywhere between 10 miles up to 30 miles over varying terrain.

There will be maps handed out for the main ride. There are no road markings for the ride.

Directions to Sunset Beach Hotel ( It takes about 2.25 hours to get there from exit 36 on the LIE including the ferry)

The ferry to Shelter Island is in Greenport on Route 114. As you come into Greenport you will see signs to the Shelter Island. Just get on line with your car and they will direct you onto the ferry. They run continuously. Get a round trip ticket. As you exit the ferry go up the hill and then bear right on to Grand Ave. Stay on Grand Ave 1/4 mile ( do not turn onto 114) straight and then bear left onto New York Ave. Stay the speed limit which is 25 mph. You will drive along side the golf course till you come to s stop sign. Turn right on to West Neck Road and go up the hill. Continue straight up the hill which becomes Shore Road which will take you to Crescent Beach. You will come to the staring point as you make the turn.

Here is the first loop link so that you can map your ride.

http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/33125142

The Planetarium Ride

2011-05-06T21:06:00.001-04:00

It is so difficult not to sound like I am writing in hyperbole about our Planetarium ride on Thursday night, but it was so singular in nature that the experience was incomparable to any spin session this writer has ever had. The caveat of course was how could it be because of the setting and the theatrics attached to it. This made the ride so introspective that all five senses save the olfactory were engaged and engaged like never before.

The young O’Connor twins, Rose and Marguerite who selflessly gave of themselves to raise money for AIDS research, spearheaded the event. People like that are moved personally and their desires to take on a project like this have to be congratulated not only for their effort but going outside the box of their own personality.

Our instructor, John Hinrichsen with a resume that would rival any professional athlete, has a demeanor that flies in the face of being the center of attention. He is naturally self-effacing, which allows you to travel on a journey within that is unencumbered by our own self-consciousness. We in a felt sense ‘fly’ with no boundaries and with the vista of the overhead stars cape that is the planetarium the ride takes on a Zen like prayer as we look at our own lives absent the egos that constrict us.

Along for the ride was our own Tripp Doherty, which gave all of us a sense of belonging and we rode together in spirit as well as in effort. The O’Connor twins accompanied by their mom were beaming ear to ear from start to finish and after they thanked us for coming John took over with a craft that affirm his other talents. This writer will be back again because this experience will only serve to enhance every ride in our CS back in our home at Equinox.

It Ain't Jack

2011-05-04T13:46:00.001-04:00

't j

A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush as the ancient idiom goes. It dates back to medieval falconry according to the phrase finder just in case you are interested in useless facts.

My day included a sojourn to Queens and as I lay in my comfortable bed this morning I mused that I could probably make the 12:15 Tripp class in Woodbury if all things went according to plan. But wait Jack things rarely go according to plan so why not seize the opportunity and go to Tripp’s 7:30 and in this way I have that in the bank. And so that is what I did as I write this tome about the 45 minute express version of Svengali.

Seeing Janene was a pleasant surprise and in the front row no less had me taken aback as well. That studio in Roslyn with no windows can be tomb like but with the likes of Tripper it matters little because he brings his own environs with him. I have gotten so accustomed to the 60-minute versions of spin class that on the rare occasion that I take a 45-minute one the clock time rockets by and today was no exception. It seems that by the time I have worked up a real sweat, the cool down is upon me and it always leaves me with wanting more.

And as the noon hour is approaching here in Queens there is little likelihood I make it in time even for half of Svengali back in Woodbury so the decision this morning was indeed a good one.

Tomorrow night you will find some of us including yours truly and Tripper at the Vanderbilt Planetarium for the charity ride starting at 7 PM. I think as of this writing there are two bikes left according to our friend Rose. If you are interested e-mail me at JackBriant@mac.com.

Assessing the Universe

2011-05-03T15:23:00.000-04:00

So often as I watch Tripper look to the heavens (even though there is a ceiling overhead) I see his eyes dart in a myriad of directions and I have come to the conclusion he is assessing the universe for his communiqués with the world ethereal. Might sound farfetched to some but if we examine why we are in the studio with him in the first place maybe this conjecture is not out of the realm of possibility.

As I have recounted before, we are not exactly aware of all the reasons why he makes us smile and how he motivates us in the saddle and out in the real world, but let’s face it he just does. So why is it not possible that he gets guidance himself for the journey he will take us on? I believe that there are forces unseen that provide the direction for our compass needle but it seems Tripp has his finger on Magnetic North.

Maybe it’s fanciful but just like we can’t see the forces of two magnets that alternatively are repelled and so strongly attracted, we cannot necessarily see why someone has charisma and why the energy of another is just muted albeit temporarily. Take my new young friends Margaret and Rose, (Identical twins) they are fairly new to the CS and when I met them about a month ago their particular charm and charisma was apparent like a 100 points of light and when people like that join our company it makes for the unseen energy in the CS just come alive in a very palpable way. By the way both have spearheaded this Thursday nights charity 90-minute ride at the Vanderbilt Planetarium and I think there are a few bikes still open. It starts at 7 PM and I know Tripp will be there so if you can support a great cause, please come. Almost like a road Tripp.

Constance Korol: The Power of the Ironman Mind

2011-04-27T14:04:00.003-04:00

I just wanted to add an introduction to this piece because after all this is my blog and in this case moderator of this piece written by Constance Korol. I love the idea of recognizing accomplishments of people we spin with. We in Tripp’s class have what I like to think is more than just camaraderie. We have a genuine concern for each other’s well being and because we are not competitive amongst ourselves we love to see our members excel in competition. And I would like to collectively for all of us congratulate Constance on her amazing accomplishment.

The Power of the Ironman Mind

There are no baby steps in Tripp Doherty’s mind. He is all in right out of the blocks and he takes you with him. His first multi-sport race was an Ironman triathlon. For those of us lucky enough to come along for the ride, there is no time to ask yourself “could I”? Alongside Tripp you will do better than you ever believed.

The first half of last year was a struggle for me. The demons of a re-occurring herniated disc injury hit me once again and couldn’t get out of my own way. At the beginning of last year, my goal was to run the More Half Marathon for my 40th birthday. My last long run of the season was in February in the desert heat of Arizona which felt GREAT at the time. Shortly after returning home, I tweaked my back and had to back out of not only the More race, but several other races and group fitness classes as well. This took it’s toll on me as these were activities that would help me keep my sanity with all the pressures of life. I couldn’t rely on Tripp’s heart and soul filled inspirational messages that I had become accustomed to hearing every Tuesday & Friday at 6AM. , I had to look deep inside myself to be reminded that I will get better in due time.

Finally in late June into the beginning of July, I began to see the light at the end of the tunnel as I found myself able to pop back into spin classes where I could once again hear the utmost excitement from Tripp when he spoke about his upcoming first Ironman race in Lake Placid, NY. Without a glimpse of fear, no aerobar, and no tri-bike, he trained and accomplished something that few can say they have done. You may have seen a 140.6 sticker on the back of a passing car. The number stands for a distance without fear. This means a 2.4 mile swim, a 112 mile bike ride, and a full running marathon (26.2 miles). I was happy to be able to give Tripp that well earned sticker for Christmas as a small token of my immense gratitude. Neither Tripp nor myself missed a single spin class during the holiday week, not even the ones held at 6AM on Christmas and New Years Eve. Inspired by Tripp, I found myself determined to make a New Years Day 2011 decision without fear, and I signed up for my first triathlon, The Mini MightyMan Triathlon in Long Island, NY.

I have heard many people try to describe Tripp’s class. One person went so far as to refer it as “religion”, while I would classify his unique & vibrant style as “remarkable”. His words, his caring nature, and his passion are nothing less than viral, and truly make people better each and every day. From the charity money that has been raised through Tripp’s outspokenness, to the inspiration that just pours out of his body and his mind, Tripp’s regular followers have made “first” decisions that have lead them to live their lives to their fullest. This is all thanks to the shining example of the role model that sits in front of them on the riser with a mike around his head.

Forget milk, the cross training that included biking, swimming, running and yoga did my body good. Learning how to swim was my personal “Ironman”. I met Tripp in the pool in Great Neck one cold January morning and I struggled to swim one length of the pool. I lacked an understanding of the form, the strategy, and the vocabulary. He encouraged me to practice swimming and showed me how to breathe after every four strokes. I quickly realized that there is a system to the whole thing and worked hard to master that system. With a dedicated swim coach, I continued to learn more and more, but not once did I stray from achieving my goal.

Then there is the cycle training during one of the coldest and snowiest winters we have had on record. Certainly no fear with access to one of the best spin teachers I have had over the 15 years of spinning. One could classify Tripp’s Woodbury 6am class a serious group. We all have a short time dedicated to working out and we want to rip it. We have defined the time slot and defined ourselves as people who strive for more out of life. This is much more than a one hour workout. We all want to feel high as a kite throughout our day just like Tripp. To call a Tripp class a challenge is an understatement. Accomplishment is a better phrase to describing it.

After months of learning, reading, working on cardiovascular goals and getting stronger, the day of the race finally arrived. Saturday April 24,, 2011 came with a blast of pouring rain, accompanied by temperatures in the mid 40s and wind gusts of up to 30 miles an hour. Friends of mine on Facebook helped me prepare for the day on paper by offering tips such as putting all of my transition items in a garbage bag to stay dry and giving advice on what to wear. The start of the race was slow and proved to be a big test of the mind. We had to get through over 300 people who were all waiting to jump into the pool at 5 second intervals. I watched the elite swim and like everything else that day, I learned from the experience. I watched how they would hit the wall then perform a streamlined diagonal turn into the next lane saving them time and energy. This was something that I implemented right away, as I knew that I needed help with my time in the pool. The first swimmers to jump out of the pool had finished the aquatic leg in less than 6 minutes. I grinned admiring their skill.

My first 50 meters in the water was a struggle, I hyperventilated and couldn’t catch my breath. However, I made it to the end of the pool and kicked my mind into gear. I was not going to quit, I took a deep breath, made that streamlined diagonal turn into the next lane and I began to find my stride. I was told later by my swim coach that this was the point that I began to pass people left and right. I had finally begun to win the battle waging within my own head. I was going to wear the number 269 that was written on my leg and arm in magic marker with extreme pride, there was simply no other choice.

I jumped out of the water after a little over 15 minutes, a personal best. I had conquered the pool but it was now time for mind game number two which involved mentally handling the elements. As I did most of my training in what some would consider “fair weather”, with my swimming and biking indoors, the inclement weather should have posed a serious problem, however it is determination that gets you through the trying times. I didn’t want to waste time in transition so I just threw a long sleeve shirt on hoping that it would keep me warm. I was conscious of the pounding rain on my frozen legs and I was cautious on the wet surface, but my body and mind were not ready to rest. I was in a state where I was only ready to excel.

As I jumped off the bike, one of the volunteers shouted out “Good job, it’s rough out there”. “Yup, I am fully aware of that thank you,” was my reply as I ran my bike to the stall, put on my running shoes and proceeded to become one muddy mess of a runner. Once again I was cold and wet but a strong body and mind helped me through. I completed the race with many people in my thoughts as I savored a hot cup of soup. One of those people being my husband who also braved the weather determined to support and cheer for me as well as providing lasting memories of my inaugural day with some great photos. Then there is the 6am class that takes me to places I never thought I could go. I am sure there are many people that accomplish many things by themselves but I am proud to say I am not one of them. Thank you to Tripp and the 6am class that inspires me to be more than I was yesterday.

Tripp Fever

2011-04-26T10:44:00.000-04:00

As we were only a few minutes in to the Tripp experience in the now famous 8:30, he plated “Night Fever” and instantly the title for today jumped in my head. How else can you describe him better? The take on this class as I have scribed for nigh on a year now is that it is recess. If you are looking exclusively for the technical side of spin and carefully orchestrated choreography, don’t take his class. Instead saddle with Kristen, Carolyn, Damian and Michelle. They would be my picks for a class with instructors that are par excellence. And make no mistake you will learn a lot from each and every one of them, all different. Each will appeal to the individual taste within you.

But you know Girls Just Want to Have Fun and so do us guys and if it is smiles, strong visceral felt sense and a helluva workout you’re after, spin with this man you will not always hear everything he says but you will walk out asking yourself: What just happened? I have never had anything but excitement each time I ride with Tripper, he is the embodiment of energy, inspiration and magic.

Night Fever, catch it because you won’t have to take a prescription. Just remember to look at the schedule and see when he is playing.

Super Conductivity

2011-04-24T22:39:00.000-04:00

What is now becoming its own phenomena within one is the 8:30 Tuesday session of Svengali. Tripp was saying just this past week that the type of energy that comes with each class cannot be something that is planned. It just happens and when Marcy and Stacy and friends broke out the tambourines a couple of Tuesdays ago who would have thought that it would set off a spontaneous eruption that should have made youtube.

Needless to say that no one including yours truly would ever think of acting up in KSC like we feel is perfectly natural in Tripper’s class, but that’s the fun of having the different personalities we are so lucky to have at our club.

Try not to think me too eccentric but I am starting to believe that it is becoming an undeniable fact that spinning in our group is bringing us closer together in ways that I could never have expected. It has me believing that we are entering a collective consciousness that is beyond words and that we are sharing in each other’s lives indirectly and enhancing our life in the other 23 hours.