Want to Knock out Cancer with me?

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Because I seriously hate cancer and I'd like to punch it. And guess what? New Balance will be giving us that opportunity next Thursday the 15th at the next NBGNO!

As many of you know, my sister Stacy was diagnosed with the horrific disease last year. I am very happy to report that after a very rough year of surgeries, chemo, radiation, and hospital stays... Stacy is doing great and she RAN the Komen Race last week. She RAN it.

Dr. brastianos is pictured in the back row... third from the left.

I'll be back next week with the incredibly brilliant, inspiring, and kind-hearted, Dr. Brastianos. If you haven't already heard Dr. Brastianos speak, just wait and see - she is truly incredibly. As a side note, she really helped me with some tough questions I had during this event last year. NBGNO happened to fall during a week when Stacy was having a big set-back in her treatment; Dr. Brastianos was able to provide me with some key information that helped me relax a little bit. Anyway, I really appreciated her help.

This year, as the theme states... we'll be "knocking out cancer" with both Eliza and Susan from The Club by George Foreman. I'm especially excited about this as my main form of exercise is fighter conditioning classes. This event is going to be INCREDIBLE!

Per usual, there will be sips, apps, cocktails, juices, snacks and SWAG! Who is joining us!?

SIGN UP HERE TODAY! These events typically fill up in less than 12 hours.

See you soon! xo

Race for the Cure | Stacy Strong Recap

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I'm having a hard time figuring out where to begin with this blog post... wooooof. As most of you know, it's been a tumultuous week (to say the least). I'm just going to go ahead and jump over all of the ups and downs and tell you about the race and how incredible it was. Does that work? Ok? Ok good!

So for a quick recap: I started team "Stacy Strong" as soon as the Komen direct mailer landed in my mailbox. Together, with family, close friends, and friends of friends... we raised a total of $10,700 (actually the count is still climbing - somebodddyyy added another donation today). We came in 2nd place out of over 100 teams for our fundraising efforts. WOOT WOOT THANK YOU EVERYONE! YOU ROCK, YOU ROCK, YOU ROCK! We earned ourselves a very cool VIP tent (pictured below) which was, for some reason, so exciting! haha

More importantly, STACY MADE IT to the event AND walked AND crossed the finish line. My sister's will just continues to grow stronger. Man oh man. She's incredible. Seriously, I have no words because what she has been going through in addition to the difficulty of this past week... has been more than any person should have to deal with. In addition to that, my aunt Kathy D walked with her head held high and crossed that finish line! She was the very first person to show up to the event. It was extremely moving for our entire family because she was diagnosed back in 2010. We walked at this same race for her that year and she wasn't able to walk with us. She is lookin' and feelin' fine now (yay!). THEN, a neighborhood friend of my mom and sis, Janet B, was also diagnosed earlier in the year. She RAN and finished with her family. OMG. (If these women don't motivate you, I don't know what will.)

My heroes: Stacy & Kathy D!

Then, they had the survivor parade which was one of the most emotional moments I have ever experienced. But, really beautiful.

Then, we ran and spilled water all over ourselves.....
Haha... Anyway, it was so fun.... but HOT. 85 degrees hot. Here I am with my cousin, Jenn.

My favs. (just missing Janet)

Cousins!

My awesome fam bam.

Again.

And Jonathan, of course!

And here's the ENTIRE STACY STRONG POSSE. I think I count 74 here. That is how much strength and support is behind my sister and this doesn't even include all of the friends and family who live far away or couldn't make it. So moving. YOU ARE ALL AMAZING. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

If you're interested in supporting Komen Mass at another event, I'll be the blogger host leading the 3mi fun run at the New Balance Girls' Night Out event next week on 10/8. Info HERE (via boston.com).

Have a GREAT week. xo

#LaceUp365 at North End Yoga

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On Saturday, I was honored to join another #LaceUp365 event at North End Yoga with New Balance and Susan G. Komen. I've been lucky enough to participate in two of these events in the past... at Barry's Boot Camp and at The Handle Bar. 

As a refresher... the #LaceUp365 program celebrates the 25 year Anniversary of the partnership of Susan G. Komen and New Balance. Every day, a new survivor story is published on the New Balance website... HERE. You can dedicate your workout to a survivor with the hashtag #LaceUp365 on any social media outlet. I love this program because it provides breast cancer awareness 365 days a year, instead of just in October. Join us by taking a photo during your next work and sharing it with the #LaceUp365 hashtag.

This class was different than the past two #LaceUp365 events. In the last two... my thought process was focused on pushing as hard and fast as possible... "this is just a workout - what some people go through is much harder than this 1 hour workout". I haven't taken an in-studio yoga class in a really long time... I forgot how reflective and spiritual it is.  Our instructor, Joanna, spoke to us in the beginning of class about her dear friend who recently lost her battle with cancer. She explained that she was very much an inspirational and positive person that she really admired and learned a lot from. We dedicated our workout to her. This class felt to be more of a group dedication to those who are are survivors, those who are fighting the battle, and those that have lost the battle. Each movement was for them. All three classes that I've attended have been moving in a different way... just another reason why I love this program.

On a lighter note, the physical benefits of the class were AWESOME! I had been dealing with some serious muscle soreness and really tight IT bands and hamstrings (I know, I know... I NEEEEED to foam roll and partake in yoga more often). By the end of class - I was feeling MUCH better. I had a dull ache in my left hamstring (where I tore it 2 years ago) for about a week and it was even hurting on my ride over. It is now gone. There are so many physical and mental health benefits to yoga. I need to figure out how to fit in a real in-studio class back into my schedule. My at-home yoga videos just aren't enough.

After class, a few of the representatives from New Balance spoke to us about the partnership with Susan G. Komen and showed us some new items in their line. Here I am sporting some of them (I know - sweet selfie). Everything is SO comfy. 

Here we all are at the end of class. Shout out and thanks to Joanna who guided us through the whole thing. 

... And of course... a big thanks to New Balance and Susan G. Komen for putting together such an amazing program. Hope you are all having an awesome week! Remember... #LaceUp365 xo

 

PS: I was not monetarily compensated to write this post, however, New Balance did provide me with the awesome gear and a pass to this class. As always, opinions are honest and my own (and always will be :))