Who Brought the POWER in January (2018)?

Amy and Mike Mason

Amy has been ryding with us almost since we opened in 2013. Just recently her husband Mike jumped on the Power Ryde bandwagon! It's actually a funny story...

Mike came to class one morning and my mom asked, "Are you Amy Mason's husband?" Mike quickly said, "Yes, but DO NOT tell Amy; I am going to surprise her." Mike wanted to master the bike and then join Amy for class one day and show her how good he was at it!

This plan was short-lived. The next day, Mike came back to class and I told him that I heard his being at Power Ryde was a secret from Amy. He said, that was the plan but he was so excited, he just couldn't keep the secret from her, so he told her the night before at dinner!

Anyways, since then, Mike has become a regular in our mid-morning classes and Amy, a regular in our early morning classes. The question is, will Mike every join Amy at 5:30AM?!

Keep reading to learn more about this Power couple (pun intended) and why they love ryding at Power Ryde!

What brought you to Power Ryde?

• Amy: I was recruited by Kim Emery to give this place a try over 4 years ago … I’ve been Power Ryding ever since!
• Mike: Amy has been coming for 4 years and I always thought that was crazy. But in September, my doctor was unhappy with my blood pressure levels and mentioned “spinning." I was about 40 lbs overweight and knew I wasn’t getting any younger (go figure…!) so I decided to surprise my wife and attend classes or at least see what they were all about. Amy was so excited when I let her know she could hardly stand it; she told everybody.

Do you remember your first ryde and how you felt after? What has kept you coming back for more week after week?

• Amy: YES, I’ll always remember my first ride! It was tough, and I remember hurting in places I never knew could hurt that evening! As I walked out I remember saying “That was really hard, but … I liked it! I’ll be back.”
• Mike: Oh my goodness, are you kidding…I called it torture. It was September 15th - the day before my 63rd birthday. I went to dinner with my daughter and her husband that night and described it as sheer agony. I had purchased the 3-Class Intro Offer. After my third class, and still dazed from Amy Szitanko brutalizing the class (well, at lease me), Meg asked, “Mike, that was your last class – we’re offering beginners 10 for $99.00 – can I sign you up?” Before consciousness had returned and blood started flowing back into my brain – I said, “uh ok…?”

Why do you ryde at Power Ryde?

• Amy: I love the friendly, family atmosphere and feel like Casey & Meg really do care. I ryde because it is a great workout, always fun and challenging, and always something different as each instructor has their unique approach.
• Mike: Despite my early feelings of exhaustion, I absolutely love it and now come 5 days a week; it’s a great workout. It has helped me drop weight, keep my weight down during the holidays and I have so much fun every time I come (sounds weird coming from me right?). Meg & Casey create such a warm and friendly atmosphere – how could you not love it?!

What did you do for fitness prior to Power Ryde?

• Amy: I was doing personal training, elliptical and treadmill in my basement, and hiking. I had just worked hard for 6 months to lose 35 lbs, with a goal to “go into my 60’s healthy” and make fitness a long-term goal for good. Power Ryde was a fabulous add to my plan!
• Mike: We have hiked for years, but some foot issues caused me to slack off hiking for over a year. Previously, I also ran 5 days a week.

What goals has Power Ryde helped you achieve?

• Amy: Power Ryde is a big reason I have been able to maintain a good weight and fitness level by doing cardio that is FUN…it is never boring!
• Mike: As I mentioned – my blood pressure is way down. I went back to my doctor in December and he was quite shocked – I had gone from 225 lbs to 199lbs. My blood pressure was way down. He cut my meds (in half), but he told me I would never go off BP medications completely. Along with smarter eating I have now lost 30 lbs. since my first ryde in September.

Do you have a favorite moment that you remember at Power Ryde?

• Amy: Wow, this is tough! I think my favorite was Kim Emery’s 50th birthday! We all dressed up and rode for Kim as part of a “50 Days of Kim” we did at work.
• Mike: One day when Casey was the instructor, halfway through a ryde, the sun started coming in the window (I ryde without my glasses) and I started seeing water coming down from what appeared to be rain or at least a leak in the ceiling. After a closer look with glasses on, it was “rain” coming down from Casey’s arms; unbelievable!!

What is your favorite music to ryde to?

• Amy: I like the older tunes as I grew up in my teens during the late 60‘s and 70s. But I also love the current. The 80’s music is what I call my music “lost years” as I was working, raising my two daughters and involved in too much to care about music (sad, huh?), so I really don’t know or especially like that era of music.
• Mike: Currently I love Julia’s “The Greatest Showman” tunes – Casey’s Adam Levine’s “Wait” is a favorite - and (believe it or not) Amy Szintanko always has to have a Taylor Swift song in her mix which I enjoy. But all of the instructors have upbeat, motivational music that is unbelievably appropriate.

Tell us a fun fact about your yourself.

• Amy: We are “Survivor Fanatics” and have made a social experience out of it watching the show since the 1st episode with friends and family.
• Mike: Until recently, we have been boaters (35 years). We built our dream home on Norris Lake in Tennessee. We recently sold the home and the boat got destroyed in a Tennessee Ice storm. We still think Norris Lake may be calling us to return…

What motivates you?

• Amy: I am highly motivated to be my best in anything I do.
• Mike: I have the most amazing, beautiful, energetic wife (please, please don’t tell her I’m saying this – she hates it when I talk like this). And, (believe it or not) she is only 1 year younger than me and we want to be healthy and enjoy life for many many years to come.

When you are not Power Ryding, what can we find you doing?

• Amy: hiking – my favorite activity! And working too much – not my favorite activity. I love to spend time with family.
• Mike: We hike, work and try to catch dinner and a movie as often as we can. Family is also an important part of our leisure time activities.

This whole write-up is simply amazing; YOU TWO ROCK!