I Write While in Spinning Class

The Writer’s Mind At Work While Exercising

Writers are always writing, it seems, no matter what task we are involved in. This mainly came to mind this week while I was huffing and puffing in my twice-a-week spinning class.

You may know the drill well if you also participate in such an exercise. I also do other classes using weights or even taking a Pilates class. But, spinning allows the best opportunity to write in my head.

Yes, I’m a jock. I also seem to drift off in class, especially in the cycling class, as it’s easy to do. Spinning doesn’t require much concentration as other exercise classes, especially weights.

So, I was, making my legs go faster, increasing the gears, and then up off the seat for an imaginary hill.

All the while thinking of the kind of research for a new book, how is the editing going on my new book with the publisher? When will I hear back from the publisher who asked to see my full manuscript of the book I wrote last spring? And on and on.

Then, I saw a guy running the track outside our spinning class, and I think I recognized him from his profile. Wonder how he has been? We used to take Boot Camp class together, but I haven’t seen him since the pandemic.

I’m also trying to set up interviewing a woman who lived and worked in San Francisco for the Peoples Food System. There were food wars back in the 70s over who would control food distribution. It got so intense that Earl Satcher, head of Tribal Thumb, and ex-San Quentin 6 member Willie Tate had a shoot-out in the parking lot. Satcher was shot dead, and Tate was wounded. Although the shock of the gunfight soon wore off, the Food System began to succumb to larger changes.

It was such a crazy time that I’m writing about it in my head no matter what else I’m doing, even exercising.

Let me know if you have the same experience about writing in your head while doing other tasks?