Larchmont Cyclist Opens "L Train" Spin Gym

by David Cruz

(November 29, 2006) A new exercise gym at 2005 Palmer Avenue is in full spin. Just ask owner and Larchmont resident Laurie Parkinson. The mother of four boys is set to open L Train, an exercise gym devoted to spin cycling, an exercise routine Ms. Parkinson has had a fondness for since her teen years. Now a fit 42, Ms. Parkinson leaves a steady job as an exercise instructor at Mamaroneck’s Equinox gym for the daunting feat of operating her own small business. She’s going in sans partners but all smiles.

Laurie Parkinson demonstrates the Schwinn Spin Machines at her new L Train spin gym.

But why have an exercise gym exclusively for a machine where the motion comes only from spinning one’s legs?

“There’s no other exercise where you can get a good cardio [workout]” explained Ms. Parkinson. “Anyone can try it and not feel intimidated.”

We sat at Larchmont’s Starbucks Café one Friday afternoon for an interview as residents familiar with Ms. Parkinson’s infectious enthusiasm streamed by. A gym student and a fellow cyclist stopped to chat. Indeed, Ms. Parkinson’s cycling pursuits are well-known in the community, including Chatsworth Avenue School, where she served as a bicycle coach for the school’s Bike Rodeo festival.

Before moving to Larchmont from Washington, D.C., Ms. Parkinson worked in marketing but kept up with her bicycling. Participating in several triathlons while in the capitol, she began entertaining the idea of coaching. That idea bore fruit in Mamaroneck, where she became a personal trainer for the relatively new Equinox facility. After one year of coaching there, Ms. Parkinson knew the time was perfect to open her own gym.

The gym’s singular specialty is a first for Westchester. No other facility is focused entirely on spin. For Ms. Parkinson, spin bike exercising is ideal for those with time constraints.

“If you’re not a big sports player it’s just the perfect kind of workout,” she said.

And Larchmont was a logical location for the studio. “I know a lot of people here so to me it was a natural place to work with,” she said.

At the new studio, gym students will have use of the Schwinn Spin Machines, the basic cycling machine. Easy listening music, specifically selected to create an energetic mood, will keep spinners moving while Ms. Parkinson own liveliness will help maintain the riders’ motivation.

“I want people who ride to feel stimulated because of the great music and energy of the room,” said Ms. Parkinson. “I want to have a place that’s nice and pleasant.”

The bottom line to Ms. Parkinson’s vision: “I just want to inspire the way biking has inspired me to open this gym.”

L Train, a symbol of ‘Laurie’s” propensity for “training,” opens December 2nd. The charge for a single class is $25; frequent spinners can opt for 10 classes at $200.

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