I originally threw this profile together to use on election day in the US because I wanted to focus on happy things since we have all been under so much stress and get everyone’s mind off of the non-stop barrage of crazy news. But since the whole world is under a lot of stress due to the pandemic, this theme is for everyone everywhere.
As I was scrolling through some of my inspirational playlists in Spotify, I found a few songs about things that made me happy, and then another, and another. Hey, why not an entire playlist about things that make me happy? And if they make me happy, I’m sure they’ll make other people happy, too!
I used a profile template I tend to turn to a lot because it includes a variety of terrain in a nice structured workout and allows you to modify the intensity as needed. After the warm-up, the profile begins with a flat road with higher cadence that brings you to the base of a climb. After the climb, you recover (descend) and then you are back on a fast flat to the next climb. Repeat this structure three times.
In this version, the first two climbs are 10.5–11 minutes. On the third round, the fast flat is longer and harder, followed by a short climbing segment with hard attacks, and ends with a more moderate climb to the final summit.
The themes I used for things that make me happy are the following: being myself, mountains, the joy of being alive, riding a bike, vacation, sunshine, and setting and achieving goals. I also sprinkled a few songs about being happy and a cool-down song about breathing and being in the moment which helps you recognize happiness.
I live in the mountains, so loving mountains is perfect for my audience. But even if you don’t live in the mountains, their beauty certainly makes most people happy, don’t they? And indoors, we use them as a metaphor for overcoming obstacles—and that makes you happy, right?
If desired, you can replace some of the songs with other things that make you (and your riders) happy, such as songs about dancing, freedom, animals, family, the beach, and so much more. The sky is the limit!
This ride was so successful I decided to record it as a virtual ride for you.