GRITCYCLE || Marisa Wayne

This week in part two of our feature with Marisa Wayne, we learn about the uber-successful spin studio she co-owns, GritCycle. She shares how she started the studio, the charitable causes GritCycle is involved with, what she likes to eat for energy before and after class, her favorite brands to wear, the benefits of spin and why you shouldn’t be scared to try it.

I was that person who was scared to try it about 5 years ago when she had just opened the studio, but with Marisa’s encouragement I went and felt better and better. The fun music, enthusiastic riders, amazing instructors and a weekly time to schedule bike reservations made it accountable and fun too! Unfortunately, I had an injury and had to stop the last couple of years…but this week I’m going to try jumping back in the saddle and I can’t wait! I’ll just ease back into it slowly:)

Introducing Marisa Wayne and GritCycle…

GritCycle has become a phenomenon in our area…and you are expanding again and again. It is so exciting to watch, and I’m so proud of you Marisa! How did you and your partner Matt Bourne come up with the idea for GritCycle?

We both met at YAS where we worked. We loved it there, but soon realized that we wanted a lot more freedom to teach classes with more variety. At YAS, you had to do their same sequence every time and could not vary your choreography or play Country music. I left after a couple of years and Matt left shortly after I did. Opening my own boutiques fitness studio was always on my horizon, but this time, the timing was right and everything fell into place to open Grit.

It seems like your clients are “addicted”, and I love your slogan #itsawething! You become part of a tribe. I remember when I was going a few years ago, I would set my alarm for Sunday afternoon and race to sign in and get my classes for the week! I love that you and Matt and your team have instilled such a passion for working out and make it fun! What are you all doing different that makes it so special? It seems like you have changed lives!

We are passionate too! We knew we didn’t want to be “competitive” with each other. We are a community who supports and motivates one another. We hire passionate instructors and staff and we promote encouragement and working together to get through that 45 minutes.

I remember that I loved how I felt …it was dark, great music and energy and I didn’t have to think about anything else for that 45 minutes. How important do you think it is to have the perfect music to get the crowd going and inspirational words in between? I enjoyed that part of it too. If I was feeling down or having a tough week, it really helped pick me up.

Good music makes all the difference in the world. It’s fabulous when you find a couple of instructors you click with musically. The music and the beat actually helps propel you on the bike!

Since you teach spin as well, what are your favorite motivating songs to use in your classes?

I play all kinds of music but I get the most requests for Country. My niece is in a Country band called Runaway June and they have a very cool song called “Wild West.” It’s not your typical spin song, but it’s my most requested song. I usually play one to two Country songs a class but we have done Stagecoach rides that are really popular. I love to mix it and keep it interesting. I’ll play Kendrick Lamar, Taylor Swift, Rihanna, Eminem and Jason Aldean in the same playlist and I might even throw in Missy Elliott or Salt n Peppa. I think it’s fun to surprise the class by playing something new and popular and then mixing in an older jam so everyone can sing along while they ride.

You seem like you have such a great team, including your business partner Matt Bourne. Can you tell us about them?

YES! Where would I be without them? Matt is such a hard worker. He is so inspiring and just has that “thing.” People love him so much, they set their alarms to book his classes. One person even pulled over on the 405 to make sure they got their bike on time! My other partner is Joe Pham. We originally partnered up with him for Grit Yoga, but soon after it opened, we amicably split ways and he turned it into EKAM, which is my favorite place to practice. When we were opening Monarch Beach, we reached out to him to see if he wanted to team up again, and he did and we are so happy about it. His full time job is running QSC audio (that’s why we sound so good!) so he’s not around on a daily basis but you can catch him a couple times a week when he rides in Costa Mesa.

Our Managing Director is Cassie Piasecki and she is the boss. We love the enthusiasm that she brings into headquarters every day. She has a fantastic attitude that trickles down through the whole company. Katie Frome is our Marketing Director and so much more. She helps facilitate almost everything from social media, to website, to event planning and she makes it look effortless, when we know it’s not. Katie Osumi is our Director of Instructor Development and she transforms our trainees into talented, polished professionals. Her classes are very popular too because she Rocks!

Each studio has a fantastic manager who keeps everything running smoothly and schedules and trains the front desk staff and of course all of our instructors are the best in the business. It’s a true team effort and everyone shows up and makes us proud.

What are the benefits of spinning? I know there are a lot of myths that have scared some people off and maybe you can shed some light on the facts!

It’s so funny! Indoor Cycling has so many benefits but what gets folks in is either to lose weight or improve physical endurance and strength, but what they keep coming back for is the benefits of mental health, and the other stuff becomes side effects. So many people come up and tell me that Grit keeps them sane. They are better at their jobs and at home because of the 45 minutes they get to ride. They sleep better and are more patient and happy throughout their day and as a side benefit, they lose some weight and become more physically fit.

What was your favorite or go to workout before you started spinning?

Tennis, hip hop dancing with Milo Levell and step aerobics! I used to teach classes back in the 90’s and I loved it so much.

What do you and your instructors like to eat before or after class- it takes a LOT of energy to complete a spin class and I always wonder what would be best to have the optimal energy!

I’ll usually have ½ avocado, apple with peanut butter or a hard-boiled egg. I’m currently on the Clean program so I make a smoothie with almond milk, protein powder, ground flax seed, frozen cherries or blueberries, spinach and cinnamon and a splash of MCT oil. I’ll drink half and save the other half for after class.

For someone who is nervous about going to spin because it seems too hard, what would you say to them? Are there different level classes or is there a way to go and not feel so overwhelmed? It is described as a high intensity, full body workout. It can be a little daunting to some people that want to try!

It is what you make of it. I do have all levels in my classes. If you are new, sit in the back and take it at your own pace. We are here to encourage you not yell at you! I’ve had all ages and all fitness levels from unconditioned to NFL athletes. People come up to me after their first class and say they can’t believe how intimidated they were because it was so fun and they wish they hadn’t waited so long to try. We do have Intro workshops though so you can always start there but you don’t need to.

I love that your daughter Carmela is loving spin like you do! She is such a sweetheart, so beautiful, and a little mini-me with your smile! When will she start teaching classes?

I hope in the next couple of years. She’s a terrific athlete and she has a fantastic personality that will make her very popular in the Saddle Room.

You have opened GritCycle in Costa Mesa, Monarch Beach, Long Beach and now Anaheim Hills is coming soon. You definitely have a business formula that is working. What is the secret to juggling so many studios, and how many more are on the horizon?

We’ll see! We are going from 2 to 4 studios so I’m sure there will be some growing pains, but like I said earlier, we have a great team. They can handle it! We are also looking to open in San Diego and Nashville in the next couple of years.

As we discussed in your previous AOBF feature, you are very invested in giving back to your community and do so with your monthly Karma rides, which is a brilliant idea. You donate the proceeds from the ride to various charity organizations that your riders are involved with. Congratulations on raising almost $1,000,000 to date with the annual GritCycle “Gritty UP” benefit, which is coming up on Saturday, June 2nd at the new Lido House Hotel that benefits the organization in honor of your late father, the John Wayne Cancer Foundation. That is an amazing feat! How did you come up with the idea, and how do you put it all together?

It’s like running your local 5K, or marathon, but on a bike, for three hours! The Gritty Up rides are the most inspirational, electric energy you will ever feel. Everyone riding in that room is so fired up to be making a difference and changing the outcome of a cancer diagnosis. There are so many emotions from sheer passionate hooting & hollering to tears of joy, sadness and grief. We thought the pre-party would be a good way to socialize with your fellow riders and get to know each other outside of the Saddle Room. It all just came together that first year and now, year 5 it’s grown into a legitimate force in this community. We just SOLD OUT 350 tickets to the party and the ride SOLD OUT in less than 10 minutes in Costa Mesa.

What has been the most exciting part of owning a business like GritCycle?

Changing lives for the better. There’s nothing cooler than watching someone transform physically and noticing their self-confidence improve too. I see it all the time and the icing on the cake is when that person confides in me how Grit helped them become a stronger person inside and out.

You have so many great products that you sell in the studio as well. What is your top selling product?

Our Grit branded apparel flies out the door. We are constantly trying to come up with new designs and different products. People love to represent!

What are your favorite exercise workout clothes and shoes to spin in?

I love so many brands, Goldsheep, Lululemon, Good Hyouman, Beyond Yoga, Glyder and Spiritual Gangster are some of my faves. As far as shoes, I have a pair of Pearl Izumi and another pair of Giro. I prefer the SPD clips because I started out with them, but LOOK Delta are a bit easier to clip in and out with.

How do you juggle running the business, teaching spin classes, being involved in your families John Wayne Cancer Foundation, and running a household with kids among everything else?

Lots of help! You should think of interviewing Cassie Piasecki and Katie Frome for one of your next issues. They run a tight ship and we are so grateful for them! It’s really fun bouncing from mom to businesswoman to spin instructor to cancer crusher 😉 As I said in part 1, some days you hit the mark and others you miss, but you do the best you can and rely on those who are capable to get the job done and done well.

What do you do to decompress after a long day?

Typically, I like to drink some wine and cook a nice dinner but I’m just about done with a 21 day cleanse so I haven’t done that in a while and it’s become a challenging part of the day. Lately, it’s been herbal tea and skin brushing, but, ideally, I love spending time at home with the kids and having the neighbors over for wine and snacks, and maybe a dip in the hot tub.

Do you have any advice for anyone who is feeling stressed or guilty at not being able to manage to fit exercise in their schedule? We all know it can be done, but for people (including myself) who don’t put it at the top of their list what do you recommend?

This is why I love group exercise, and especially at Grit, you need to sign up otherwise you’ll be at the end of a long wait list. This makes you accountable. When I tell myself I’ll go for a swim or a walk, I can always find excuses not to do it. If you book it and put it in your calendar as you would, say, a meeting, it will become routine. We have classes beginning at 5:45am until 6:45pm so there are plenty of options. You just have to make yourself a priority. You are worth it!

Thank-you for being such a great role model and inspiration Marisa! Xx CC