Profile: Three Climbs…Love, Spirit, Freedom

This is a profile I led at the 24-Hour Indoor Cycling Marathon in Kolding, Denmark, in January 2017. It is a mind-body journey ride over three mountains. The intensity of the climbs ranges from moderate to hard, but the focus is more about discovering the inner emotions that lead us to taking on hard challenges.

For cyclists, climbing is undoubtedly one of the most challenging aspects of riding a bike, yet riding up high mountain passes has a great allure, despite the inevitable suffering on the way up. What is it that drives cyclists up those mountains?

That is what we discover in this profile. Use the lyrics of the songs to help you ascend this journey of awareness. Each of the three climbs focuses on a different emotional drive that fires us up, even when we are filled with doubt or grimacing through difficulties. The first one is love, the second is spirit or our inner soul, and the third is the freedom we seek at the top of a big climb or after completing our challenge.

You finish the ride with this quote by Andy Rooney:

 

Download the PDF of the profile below and the Spotify playlist. Please let me know in the comments how you enjoyed this profile! 

8 Comments

  1. In keeping with the title, Three Climbs, there are three things I love about these profiles: 1. very specific directions and cues that I can utilize and customize; 2. pre-made Spotify playlists; and 3. feedback/suggestions from other instructors. I teach a 60 min class where we are on the bike for 40 min (37 + 3 min spin down), so I always have to find ways to trim the profile down without losing the best parts. I used a lot of the songs in the suggested profile, and traded some out based on Diane Wiegel’s great suggestions. As I used this on Memorial Day weekend, I switched the final climb song to “Heroes” by David Bowie and swapped out the downhill/recovery, cool down/stretch songs to Memorial Day related music. As a result, I modified the title to Love, Spirit, Courage. Riders vocalized their enjoyment of this mind-body profile and holiday-themed music.

  2. Hi Jennifer,
    How do you space out the 3 Climbs? Warm up, 1st climb, enduarnce, 2nd Climb, …….., 3rd Climb, …………..?

  3. Jennifer,

    I used Deep Channel by Afro Celt for WU, Above blue man group after shorter version of Giv me Luv, used Believer american authors and Shivers Armin van Buren for 2nd climb and Electric Violin Daisy Lindsay Sterling and Who’s Afraid of 138 ? Armin Van Buren for 3 rd climb

    Diane W.

  4. Used this last night (Spinning Blade Ion) and plan to use it tonight (ICG7). Could you offer some advice on coaching by color? Happy to email privately!

    As I only had access to the shorter version of Give Me Luv on Spotify, the first climb was cut short, which worked perfectly as my classes are scheduled from 50 minutes start to out to the door.

    I think my group was really surprised and a little sheepish when I coached the Lesser Spirit aspect but I know I reached a few. The feedback I heard after was “phenomenal class”. Thank you, Jennifer!

  5. I also used this profile in my class yesterday. I switched Xavantes, Ramiro Musotto for Feel the Love, Rudimental. I had some really positive comments afterwards. Thank you so much for sharing.

  6. I switched a few songs, but used this profile with my group last night, was a fantastic ride. Thank you so much, Diane Wiegel

    1. Author

      thanks, Diane! What songs did you switch out? It’s always great to hear how other instructors modified a profile. =)

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