I Found My People Through Peloton

Watching your Bike or Tread screen flick on for the first time is exciting—especially when you see all the robust community features, including high fives, a live Leaderboard and Tags. Even if you’re not usually a social butterfly, those features can make you a stronger athlete. Here’s how Member Kirsten Q. found her Peloton people, even in the midst of a major life moment.

The Bump and the Bike

“We bought our Bike in January 2020, and I found out a week later I was pregnant,” Kirsten says. “I was happy to have an at-home workout tool, but with first trimester headaches, I couldn’t ride the Bike at all.” She was finally able to start riding in March, but as a former gym junkie, she was used to sweating solo, not needing much motivation to stick to her routine. “I didn’t really think finding a community within Peloton would be necessary,” she says. “Any time I worked out, I kept to myself, did my routine and left. What was the point of building a community if I didn’t actually know the person or if they had different goals than I did?”

Finding Friends in Trying Times

Kirsten stumbled upon Peloton’s Facebook groups while troubleshooting her Bike setup. “At first I just had basic questions—like ‘Do I really need a mat under my Bike?’ and ‘How do I connect it to Facebook?’—but after looking at the Official Peloton Member Page, I discovered the Pelo’s Preggos & Postpartum Mamas group,” she says. “It’s been such a blessing, because being pregnant during a pandemic has been extremely isolating. Joining this group has given me a space to ask questions without judgement that I would have asked during pre-birth classes, which are not an option during quarantine.”

The group also helps hold each other accountable when it comes to keeping up their workouts. “We have a weekly ride that all Members are invited to, and I love seeing names on the Leaderboard of those I’ve chatted with. It’s really helped to foster a feeling of connection during this time,” Kirsten says.

Reconnecting With Old Friends

Kirsten quickly discovered that she would rarely be lonely on a ride. “When I connected my Bike to Facebook, I started noticing friends in my social network I had lost touch with,” she says. “I found one friend in particular who had moved away, and I joke that she is my Peloton mentor. We ride together every Saturday, and she encouraged me to join a challenge.”

Thanks to a little boost from old friends and new, Kirsten is signed up for a Power Zone Pack Challenge and is 10 rides away from hitting her Century Ride, all while pregnant. “Getting ready to hit this milestone and even thinking about doing a challenge is proof that I can push myself to become a better athlete with the right people behind me, whether I know them in real life or not,” she says.

Keeping an Eye on the Tags

Even if you’re wary of social media, Kirsten says it’s possible to find a group every time you ride thanks to Tags. “I feel an immediate camaraderie when I get on the Bike and see tags about where I live (#Nova) or related to my job (#PeloLawMoms),” she says. “I like to compete with those riders’ outputs and support them with high fives. Seeing how many people I have similarities with helps me remember that I’m not doing this alone.”

Ready to build your community? Explore more Tags here.