100 RIDES IN 82 DAYS | Brigid Towler

Meet Brigid – one of the happiest humans we’ve had the pleasure of getting to know who took on a personal challenge of completing 100 rides in 100 days. Brigid crushed her goal and became an integral part of the RIDE Ossington community along the way. Known for always smiling and knowing everyone’s names, we’re stoked to be featuring Brigid and her badass accomplishment.

100 rides in 82 days – tell us about your personal challenge!

I work for a great wellness company and as part of our culture we set personal wellness goals each quarter. I had set a goal of 100 classes in 100 days and within the first month found I was out pacing that. I intended to get ahead of schedule in case it was hard to keep up over the holidays. It wasn’t, and by the beginning of January I changed the goal to 90 days. Like a dog chasing its tail I wanted to beat that too. 82!

So…did you enjoy it?!

YES! Not every day, but that’s why it’s a challenge, right? I enjoyed it more than I expected, I loved the way it felt to get closer to the goal, and the community found along the way.

Who/what sparked the idea to do it?

When I joined RIDE in the spring there were these incredible riders doing a 30 rides in 30 day challenge. I remember thinking that was totally wild, “I could never do that. Why would I want to!?” I lost 20 pounds in my first 2 months of joining, then went on a dream trip to Kenya and South Africa. When I got back I couldn’t wait to get back on the bike, and it was the first time I had ever wanted to workout. There are books written on the mental benefits of exercise but to really witness that within myself has been fascinating. When the idea of 30 rides in 30 days seemed doable, I decided to celebrate that shift with something that felt a little more scary.

What was a highlight of the challenge?

I’m picking 2.
#98: Cat extended me the honour of riding podium with her for a full class. It was totally a dream come true and I went in to shock when she asked.

#38: I visit Vancouver often for work, and stay at a hotel near the Hamilton studio to RIDE at the original spot! For a team outing, my full department booked bikes and we had a blast in Rowan’s class. They have listened to me talk about RIDE a whole lot and it was really special to share that with my team.

How does your endurance/fitness levels compare from day 1 to 82?

There’s no doubt in my mind that this is the strongest I’ve been in my life! More energy, more focus, better sleeps.

When all you wanted to do was hit the snooze button – what kept you motivated?

Dani’s abs.

Having tried them all…if you had to pick a favourite instructor, who would it be and why?

No way, I won’t do it! You can’t make me choose; they are all awesome in their own style. But I will spotlight two classes with a special place in my heart:

Saturdays, 9:35 with Cat: My happy place. It was Cat who taught me how to RIDE and the instructor that first had me hooked. Her choreography feels like the release of a good yoga pose. I always leave having pushed myself harder than I thought I could that day, feeling grounded and bright.

Sunday, 10:40 with Matt: The highlight of most weekends. The room is filled with friends and we’re probably going to hear some Drake and Kanye. Plus, the dance moves are not to be missed. Guaranteed good time when Matt is grooving off the bike. And if he makes you run to “Fade”, don’t say I didn’t warn you.

Any fellow riders you want to shout-out for their support?

Jon, Ian, Tracey, Tania, Lindsey, Meg, Meg and Meg, Micah, Emily, Steven, Andrew, Marko, Alex, Tyler, Natty, Cole, Chris, Andra, Kelly, Reilly, Anum, James, Morgan, Amy + Steven, Adrian, and Ashley from Bond.

Now that you’ve got the challenge under your belt – what’s next?!

100 in 70, maybe? Ha! Not anytime soon. I’m really looking forwarding keeping my unlimited membership at RIDE, and exploring other workouts that support that. It’s been neat to have exercise goals beyond weight and I’m excited to try fun classes that will make me stronger on the bike. I’m stoked to check out Amber and Rachel at MISFITSTUDIO, Chris at Barry’s Bootcamp, and fellow rider Meg Coffey at YogaTree.

Anything else you’d like to add?

ASHLEY, Instructors and RIDE team, there is no doubt in my mind ya’ll are the best kind of people. Thank you for your early mornings, late nights, and constant fun.

And finally….what does RIDE mean to you?

Community. Accountability. Freedom. Growth. ?

Inspired to RIDE the 30 day challenge (30 rides in the month of May)? Sign up here.