By Kelly Xu — Slowest in class. Loudest breather. Kept showing up anyway.
Last updated: May 2026
My first spin class was humiliating. I could not keep up. My legs burned. My lungs burned. Everyone else was pedaling smoothly. I was gasping. Sweating. Dying.
The instructor said “add two turns” and everyone added two turns. I was already at max. I could not add anything.
I wanted to leave. But I was in the back row. Near the door. I could have left. I did not.
I stayed. Slower. Louder. Redder. I finished the class last. Everyone else was stretching. I was still on the bike, trying to breathe.
I went back the next week.
Why I Went Back
I kept going back for a dumb reason. I did not want to be the person who quit because it was hard.
That is it. Not discipline. Not motivation. Just stubbornness.
Week two was still hard. Week three was less hard. Week four, I could keep up. Not at the front. But I was not dying.
I am still not good at spin. I am still near the back. I still breathe louder than everyone else.
But I am not the worst anymore. And the person who is the worst? They are trying. Just like I was.
What I Learned
Being bad at something is temporary.
If you keep showing up, you will not stay bad forever. You might not get good. But you will get less bad.
No one is looking at you.
I thought everyone was watching me struggle. They were not. They were too busy struggling themselves.
The only person who cares about your speed is you.
The instructor does not care. The person next to you does not care. The only person judging you is you.
What I Am Not Saying
I am not saying spin class is for everyone. Try different things.
I am not saying you should push through pain. Listen to your body.
I am just saying: I was the worst person in class. I went back. I got less worse. That felt good.
The Bottom Line
I was the worst person in spin class. I kept going anyway.
Now I am not the worst. I am just slow.
That is not a hero story. But it is mine.
About the author: Kelly Xu still takes spin class. She is still near the back. She still goes.
This article reflects personal experience. Being bad at something is not forever. Keep showing up.
