Happy Wednesday, friends! No workout for you again today, but I do have a new workout and studio review for you AND a review of some sweet new sneakers and clothes the nice people at New Balance sent me, so let’s get to it.

Have you guys ever heard of such a thing as a “treadmill gym”? I had only heard a few things around social media regarding this new gym/workout and I have to say I was super intrigued. The gym is called MyStryde and it is located at the end of Hanover street near Atlantic Ave in the North End.

MyStryde was created because the founder/owner, Becca, was tired of running on the treadmill for her winter training runs so she decided to take a spin class. As the class went on, she realized what she needed to help with treadmill run motivation wasn’t a spin class. It was a treadmill class! So ultimately, they are the same types of classes with sprints, hills, push pace, etc., but instead of doing it on a spin bike, you’re on a treadmill!

When you walk in, you’re greeted by a cute, little front desk and “store front” area before you walk into the room where the magic happens. And by magic, I mean ridiculous amounts of sweat and heavy breathing 😉 There are 12 WOODWAY treadmills (which, by the way, are WAY BETTER than running on a normal/traditional treadmill. They feel sturdier and more supportive and just generally more like running outside. I’m a huge fan!) around the room set up so that everyone can see the instructors treadmill. Don’t worry- they don’t do the entire class with us… that would be crazy!

There are various types of classes on the schedule, but the one I was able to try out as part of the event I went to was the Endurance class, which meant that we were focusing on keeping a good pace while tackling some hills  for longer intervals and then just a few sprint intervals. You can learn about their other classes here. I would LOVE to get back there to try a bootcamp class because that sounds like more my style!

They have a “MyStryde Guide” on each treadmill which helps you figure out what pace you should be running at. Based on what my “flat road” or comfortable/easy pace is, I was at the intermediate level so I stayed between 7 & 9 the whole class. I found this VERY helpful!

I will admit that I was nervous going into the class. Most of the time I feel confident in my fitness ability knowing that I can probably handle whatever is thrown at me, but running is a totally different story. I have days where I feel like I could run 6 miles, but I also have lots of days where it’s a struggle to finish 3. I was praying for the former as I went into the studio 😉 45 minutes  and nearly 5 miles later, I’m happy to say that I not only survived, but I kind of enjoyed it! Sure, it was very hard and I pushed myself WAY MORE than I normally push myself on a treadmill, but isn’t that the point of taking a class? To push your limits? To get comfortable being uncomfortable? Becca’s class certainly achieved both of those things and I was so happy to have the {silent} support from Athena and Sherri who were running in the same row of treadmills as me!

Yes, I realize I am a sweaty beast! I sweat A LOT when I run!

Know what else made me happy? Getting to try out some new gear from New Balance! They sent me their newest Fresh Foam 1080’s as well as a ridiculously comfortable outfit from their new Trinamic collection, which is coming out officially in mid-February.

Here are some details about the sneakers & outfit:

• First thought? Wow these are SUPER cute! Second thought? AND they’re crazy comfortable! They are supportive and cushiony without feeling bulky or heavy.
• They’re 8.9 oz. with a 8MM drop and retail for $149.95
• I learned that every detail of the sneaker has a purpose- from the Fresh Foam midsole to the Ortholite Sockliner to the Bootie Construction to the mesh forefoot, every piece of the shoe was engineered by combining brilliant designers and extensive data collections to make the best shoe possible. NB hand-selected very specific runners to test their biomechanics, force patters and wear tendencies in order to help NB create a shoe that had a cushioned underfoot in a singular platform that didn’t feel big and bulky.

I couldn’t believe so much testing went into creating the shoe, but after running in them, I could tell they were incredibly well-made. Sometimes it takes a bit to “wear in” new sneakers, but I was able to run nearly 5 miles in brand new shoes with zero problems. In fact, my feet felt great after the run!

Trinamic Performance Compression Collection

• The Trinamic collection was created to make the base layer more adaptive and comfortable to allow for enhanced performance and movement. Usually your base layer is tight and restrictive, but the Trinamic collection, although tight, was not restrictive in the least bit!
• Features 3 elements: Superior stretch (utilizes NB Flex X technology, a new fiber featuring 3D stretch innovation that enhances comfort, it supports dynamic movement and provides an adaptive fit), Comfort (smoother fiber provides a softer feel) and Breathability (strategically placed “breath hole patterns” help optimize breathability where it’s needed most). For instance, the women’s tops we wore had extra “breath hole patterns” on the chest whereas the men’s did not. Similar with the sneakers, they tested people’s sweat patterns through various activities and gave the garments extra breath holes where needed the most. I just noticed the ones behind the knees on the pants!
• The Trinamic fabric is unique because it gives the unique ability to stretch further with less resistance, yet it pulls back to its original fit when back in the relaxed position. Sherri said it best when she said she noticed how the knees didn’t get bunchy on the pants. She’s totally right! I wore them when I taught a class where we did squats and kicks and jumps and all sorts of stuff that required knee-bending and I never once had “saggy knees”.

Overall, it was such a great event and I think that MyStryde is a really neat concept/studio. If you’re a runner (or at least enjoy running) or are training for a race and don’t want to run outside (or just want to be challenged), it’s a great option for you. I am also totally in love with the NB products we all received and have already worn them multiple times. For someone who is in workout clothes a lot doing all sorts of weird movements requiring good stretchability (I made that word up), the Trinamic collection totally fits the bill. And the sneakers- even if they weren’t crazy comfortable I’d still wear them since they’re super cute 😉

Questions for you: Have you been to MyStryde before? Do you like running on the treadmill? What is your favorite shoe to run in?