Electronic Stallion

Little droplets definitely expel from my mouth. But I’m all alone. No mask. No six feet distancing. It’s just me in my electronic stallion: the household ready stationary bicycle. I’m like a cyclist at the Tour de France. No I’m not. I’m a retired Marine with prescribed psych drugs that continue to challenge me, even in the early am.

But I’ve got an hour. This is no multi-thousand-dollar piece of equipment either. There’s no LCD screen with a passionate trainer guiding me through mountains and slopes. There’s no digital room full of other cyclists trying to tone, shape, and shed. Nope. It’s a simple contraption that features a screen that looks like one of those digital watches from the 1980’s. Does anyone remember? Because I’ve only seen relics of such devices (I was born in 1988). But that doesn’t stop me. The low-tech equipment fulfills a key role: it keeps me planted to the floor as my legs spin like a setting to a washing machine.

Sweat beads form at my temples. In time, my entire shirt is saturated in sweat. Again, Dad reminds me to breathe in through my nose and out through my mouth. I should have known better. As a medically retired Devil Dog, I received instruction on how to properly oxygenate myself. “Control your breathing” my drill instructor said.

And so with his voice and Dad’s swirling in my brain I time myself. Every minute, I increase the resistance. From 1 to 16, I put myself in the mode of a cyclist climbing up and down a mountain.

I employ my mobile device to ensure that I am down to the minute. My legs pump faster as the resistance increases. More sweat. More breathing. I get to the top of the mountain. But then I have to go down. No, sweat. Well, there’s sweat but it’s not a burden. I cycle with greater intensity. It’s like I could power one of those aircraft where the rider/pilot lifts the craft with just her feet. I’m there. I’m flying. The carpet seems to be floating away as I pump my legs in the basement. No television or artificial lights assist me on my journey. The sun’s glow slices through the tiny windows of the lower level.

I do this for an hour so I essentially go up and down the mountain twice. In that time, I inhale and exhale to the rhythm of the motion of the machine. The power built up in these legs is tremendous. I work the quadriceps muscle group the most. I’m like a winged thing flying at full speed. Never do I slack on this machine. I want the full workout no matter how tough the toll is taken on my body and psyche.

Thoughts of quitting do crop up. Like shadows lurking towards me, the doubts that I will be able to accomplish my daily (except for my off day) goal.

I invest more effort into keeping up with that hour setting that I strive for everyday (except for my off day). I focus and spend enough time like I’m the force behind a stampeding horse. It feels glorious to finally reach the goal.

I stand up from the stationary bike and wipe it down. It’s just like in the gym. I’ve got to keep it sterilized for Dad who also gets a great workout.

Some medical journals state that you should get at least half an hour of relatively intense exercise if you want to lose weight. In fact, they say that it’s better to do half an hour. For now, though, I double that much. I’m proud. This routine fuels my spirit and challenges my mind and physical makeup to always strive for the best.