MyStryde Review featuring New Balance Fresh Foam 1080s

Hi friends! How's the week going? Is it just me or is it actually dragging for once? Oyyyeee. I guess I should embrace it since most weeks seem to zip-zip-zip on by. Right? Right!

Anyway, last Wednesday New Balance hooked a bunch of us Boston bloggers and media folks up with the opportunity to try the new Fresh Foam 1080s at the brand spankin' new MyStryde in the North End. I was a tad bit nervous at first because the thought of hitting the treadmill for a full 45 minutes seemed a little intimidating. I'm more of an outdoor runner than a treadmill runner but, I must say that the 45 minutes went by pretty fast and with all the hills, sprints, and slow-downs.. it made it a lot more fun (ah, and challenging). 

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MyStryde is situated at the end of Hanover Street in the North End... closer to the waterfront. Great location with an adorable studio. The front check-in area is warm and inviting with some apparel for sale off to the side.

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Sorry for the poor picture quality but, this is the setup of the room. Not pictured on the right is another set of 4-5 treadmills. The one with the lights around it in the middle is the instructor's treadmill.

And these, well these are the foamiest, loveliest little pair of Fresh Foams I've ever put on my feet. Between the full, solid layer of foam and the Woodway treadmills, it felt like I was running on puffy little clouds. If you've been following fff for a while, you know that I love the Fresh Foam family of sneakers so I knew I'd really like these, as well. The team from NB explained that these are engineered by studying runners' biomechanics, force patterns and wear tendencies. It has a substantial midsole with an inherently stable footprint, and a careful attention to the areas of flex. It is designed to accommodate various instep heights and foot volumes to wrap the foot securely. In simple terms... "so comfortable and stable".

Also, see those pants? Those are the most comfortable pair of running pants/yoga pants/workout pants that I have EVER put on my body. Not kidding, I could sleep in them. They are part of the new Trinamic Collection and are designed to support dynamic movements. It's super-duper soft and there are breathable holes in the "hottest" areas. A few members of the New Balance product development/engineering team provided all the info on our gear and when they asked if we had any questions, I raised my hand like a dork to make the statement that the pants are the most comfortable of my career. The Trinamic Collection will launch this Spring so keep your eye out for this collection! (The shirt was just as comfy as the pants, I am just extremely picky about pants so they stood out to me)

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That's Becca! She's been dreaming up MyStryde for four years now and she made her passion project happen. The class was awesome and never got boring. We had little cards that helped explain how we should treat the different levels in the class (3=jogging/outdoor run pace, 4=little more strenuous/harder to have a convo, etc). She moved us through different songs that took us up hills, through sprints, and in between. Before we knew it, the 45 minutes were up and we were dripping in sweat.

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Another perk to this class? Getting see my girls Athena and Monique! It was so fun to have these girls by my side during the duration of the class... we had a lot to catch up on and it is always motivating to do these types of classes together!

And finally, a sweaty group pic to close out the night! 

I hope you all have an awesome rest of your week! xo

New Balance, Kate Spade, Barry's and more!

Hey guys! Happy Thursday night! Everyone having a good week so far? Tomorrow is FRIDAY - whoo!
Last night, I met up with some of my favorite Boston fit bloggers to break in our new New Balance x Kate Spade Saturday sneakers at a complimentary Barry's Boot Camp classAthena, Caroline, Sarah and I were able to pick a date that we could all attend and I'm so excited that it worked out. 

Can you handle how friggin' cute these sneakers are? And honestly? I LOVE mine so much (the yellow ones). They remind me a little bit of the fresh foams, which, if you follow me on insta - you know that I LIVE in. I'd say these are a bit sturdier than fresh foams so I can use these running whereas the fresh foams I only use at boxing classes.

So, Kate Spade Saturday and New Balance are working together on this very adorable capsule collection, BUT, the good news is that these versions will be available In non- Kate-spade colors long after these sell out. Caroline and I are in the WX711's and Athena is in the WX811's. 

Let's cut over to class and get back to the awesome sneaks in a bit...

This is my lame attempt at taking a photo of us in the mirror - fail. Anyway, guys - the last time I was at Barry's it was HARD, but, this time it was REALLY FRIGGIN' HARD. The last time I went was for a charity event so I'm assuming that they might have taken it a teeny tiny bit easier on us. Last night, no sir, no sireee! We started with a 12 minute TABATA style workout with weights and then 12 mins on the treadmill then repeat, repeat. Wow. It was awesome. I must admit that the treadmill portion was the toughest part for me. Running on a 12 incline? Woof. Running backwards and side shuffling on the treadmill? Ask the gals - that was HILARIOUS. I almost ate it. I held on most of the time during that part - boy that must take some getting used to! The weights portion was tough, but, we do a lot of that stuff at PWG so I was able to hold my own and felt really strong during push-ups, burpees, chest, abs, and back. What felt awful for some reason? Holding a lunge and doing a back row. For some reason, I was shaking and my IT band was really acting up. The back row part was fine though. Weird. Must have been from that damn treadmill.

So, why am I giving you the play by play? First, I really enjoyed Barry's and I want to give a proper description of the class. Second, it's important to keep in mind that you can always push yourself harder and faster. You can always find new exercises that are challenging, no matter what kind of shape you are in. My classes at PWG are still the hardest thing I've done and the first week at PWG was the sorest week of my life, but, Barry's is just as hard, just in a different way. I REALLY liked it. Plus, the staff is incredible. Our instructor, Chad, was so hilarious, I was cackling during a few of the moves which made it so fun!

Back to the sneakers... (Do you guys watch "The Affair"? I feel like I'm writing this blog post the way the show goes back and forth between Alison and Noah. Anyway, if you don't watch it - it's SO GOOD). MOVING ON... So the two versions are a little different. Here's a quick description of both:

811 Inspired by Kinesiology taping techniques and the aesthetic it creates, the 811 provides bonded lightweight, strategically-positioned support for athletes. The versatile shoe can take women from studio and circuit training to cardio workouts without sacrificing style. The full CUSH+ midsole provides lightweight cushioning, and Fantom Tape technology enhances the mesh upper to deliver dynamic support to move with the foot. 

711 The WX711 features Cush+ technology, providing one of the softest midsole foams offered by New Balance designed to comfortably take you through your whole workout, whether in the gym or the studio. But its extra softness doesn’t mean sacrificing durability. Cush+ is responsive, offering extra bounce to help keep you moving. Forefoot flex grooves enhance flexibility, enabling you to move freely, while a minimal upper construction provides a contoured fit.

The 811's are Sooooo stylish and cute. I feel like I would wear them to the gym and definitely out and about in the city. The 711's are still super cute, but, they feel more like a gym shoe than a street shoe. Either way, they can both be worn either way and still look stylish and most importantly - Springy! I love wearing bright yellow shoes -- screw you snow!

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Back to the class! Of course, we didn't take a 'before' pic, but, who needs that anyway. Here we all are sweaty, energized and feeling great after class!

These girls are amazing and I feel so lucky to be part of such a great Boston-Fitness-Blogger-Community. They are supportive, fun, and just all around really good people. Also, I want to send a HUGE THANK YOU out to New Balance, Kate Spade Saturday, and Barry's Boot Camp Boston for making this all happen. You are all the best!

I hope you all have a great Friday and if you want to learn more about the class or the sneakers - just leave a note below or shoot me a message. Happy to share even more detail.

xo

Surprise!!!!!!

Last week, while I was still beaming from the last #NBGNO event that I hosted on October 8th, I got a call from New Balance that they were adding another event to this year's lineup - YAY! And the kicker? I'm one of the hosts again (elated)! This time, I'm Co-Hosting with the fabulous Caroline Earle, the voice behind The Trendy Trainer. You may also know her from the health & fitness section of Boston Inno or if you take classes at Turn Cycle Style. (she's pretty great!)

Your hosts!

This event will take place on November 4th at 6:00pm at the Westin Copley (10 Huntington Ave, in the Newbury/Gloucester Rooms).  I'm pretty excited about the event because the theme is "Staying Fit on the Go". We all lead such busy lives and it can be tough to fit in healthy eating and exercise, but guess what - it IS POSSIBLE.

The night will include your choice of a run with the Westin Run Concierges OR a Boot Camp Class, followed by tips from Caroline and me, and then apps & drinks, of course!

Here's the link to sign up (guys, this filled up in about 24 hours last time so act fast!): 
https://www.nbgirlsnightout.com/
(Click EVENTS then scroll down and click BOSTON)

(SOURCE: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/02/business/media/westin-lends-new-balance-gear-at-its-hotels.html)

So Westin Hotels & Resorts and New Balance actually have a REALLY COOL partnership. Did you guys know about this? Since 2010, they've had an exclusive, worldwide partnership to help hotel guests find time to exercise while they travel. Guests are able to borrow NB running shoes with new, disposable insoles for each use. They've worked together to create 3 and 5 mile running maps through the RunWESTIN program. I love this! I'm such a nerd that I always check to see what hotels have a gym before I leave on a trip (even on vacation). Anyway, this event is going to be a whole lot of fun. Most of my girlfriends already signed up because they enjoy going to them so much. Hope to see you there! xoxo