Interesting....
Inside Alli's Soul Journey
22 hours ago .
You've seen her compete on The Amazing Race with Kym Perfetto — and now she's leading the L.A. pack, too! We chatted with instructor ALLI FORSYTHE about what brought her to SoulCycle, how she trained for the CBS show, and which mantra inspires her each day…
What first brought you to SoulCycle?
I needed something more exciting than the gym to cross-train for the marathon. A friend of mine in L.A. talked about it relentlessly. When I found out it was not only in NYC, but started there, I was like "how have I not heard of the place?" I must've been living under a rock. It was the best thing I could've done for cross-training and I use it now to prep for every race.
What was your first ride like?
My first ride was brutal. I was taking Melanie Griffith's class on my birthday with a couple friends and I thought I was going to have to walk out on the fifth song because everything in my stomach was going to come up.
Did you always ride bikes?
I've ridden a bike since I was 5 years old. My parents finally let me start riding to and from school in the 2nd grade. After school I'd meet my friends at the park and we would all ride around the neighborhood together. I still do the same thing in New York and Los Angeles today. I keep a bike in both cities because there is no better way to get around, in my opinion. I guess some things will never change!
What inspired you to compete on The Amazing Race?
I tend to say yes to 99 percent of opportunities that come my way even when I have no idea what to expect. I had watched a few episodes of the show a long time ago when it first came out and remember thinking, "They get to compete and travel around the world at the same time? and the prize is a million..whaaa?" I really love to travel and I am extremely competitive.
When I was asked to do the show I think I said yes before I even really processed the question.
How did Soul help you train?
HIIT training is my favorite because it kicks your butt and really builds up your fitness level! Kym does a really great job of teaching intervals. To keep up my cardio and build strength endurance, I was riding doubles with her four times per week. The rest of the training was kind of wild and not really fitness-related at all. We timed ourselves putting together IKEA furniture to see who was faster, raced down the street with textbooks in our backpacks and spent a night in the desert in the middle of winter with no tent and just an emergency blanket.
That is amazing. How did you get teamed up with
Kym?
She was asked to submit for the show with another female cyclist. Two days after a cycling race we were doing together — one that I actually crashed in and Kym spent six hours in the emergency room with me, then brought me home to take care of me —
she sent me a text asking if I wanted to do it. We travel a lot together and she knew I had no fear! Ha ha! We're best friends and work so well together. I couldn't have asked for a better teammate.
What have you learned through your experience on The Amazing Race?
In life, when something is more challenging than the other, as humans, we are inclined to take the path of least resistance. On The Amazing Race, you don't have that option: you've got one shot to rise up to the challenge or you're done. I learned to be completely fearless, confident and support my teammate when things were challenging.
Oh, and that goats milk combined with raw pig skin is the worst taste in the world and that sheep are more stubborn than I am! Beware!
How will the experience affect your teaching at Soul?
Teamwork is everything in this race. If you can't support, encourage and care for your teammate when you see they need it the most, it can ruin your game. There were times when Kym and I needed to be reminded of how strong we were and we had to really talk some sense, motivate and light a fire under each other's butt - I hope to do that for everyone that walks into my room.
Do you have a mantra or hero that motivates you?
I tell myself on a daily basis "Nothing lasts forever." I believe this to be true for the good and bad things in life. It keeps me fighting like hell for the things I want and it makes me really appreciate and soak up every special moment life has to offer.
https://www.soul-cycle.com/community/inside-allis-soul-journey/809/
