Members Mary R. and Joan A., who have been together for 22 years and married for 11, started their Peloton journey in 2014. They were app users at first—but it wasn’t long before they were hooked and ready to upgrade.
Joan was the one who originally suggested getting the Peloton Bike, despite the fact that they already had a basement full of exercise equipment. “I really didn't think I was going to use it that much,” Mary says, noting that she felt Joan was the more “athletic one.” But she was pleasantly surprised to find that the Bike gave her a chance to be more consistent with her workouts. “I really started to like it,” she adds.
Found Family
But it was the unexpected community that the couple found that took their Peloton experience to the next level. Mary and Joan started traveling frequently from their home in Connecticut to take live classes in the New York City Peloton studio with Jenn Sherman, who had quickly become one of their favorite instructors. “We became active on Jenn’s Facebook fan page. Once on her birthday, a bunch of women went to the studio to ride with her,” says Mary. “They were women we got along with really well. We’d then come in for Home Rider Invasion [now called Peloton Homecoming] and stay in the same hotel and go out for dinner with them.”
Jenn‘s magnetic energy was the catalyst for creating this dynamic friend group that now includes over 20 women. They have tons of fun together: Pre-Covid, the ladies reserved Bikes together for in-studio Peloton rides. They’ve traveled to places such as Colorado and rented out houses to celebrate birthdays. Most Sunday mornings, they all do Jenn’s ride together. And they joined together for some of Mary’s extra special milestones: her 700th ride on her 70th birthday, and her 1,000th ride on her 71st. (And yes, she got a special shoutout from Jenn.)
The group members have got each other's backs during the tough stuff too, messaging regularly in a group chat. “We have women in Louisiana and Alabama—they're constantly in a tornado or hurricane. We try to support each other that way,” Mary says. “During COVID, we were all there for each other. We have a midwife in the group and other professional women that are dealing with their communities, their workplace, working from home and their kids.”
Stronger Than Ever
Mary and Joan also appreciate the many health benefits of working out regularly with Peloton. Three years ago, for example, Mary had knee surgery for a meniscus tear. She was sure it was just a temporary fix, and a knee replacement was imminent. But staying consistent with her riding and walking classes has prevented her from needing that replacement just yet. “My knee doesn't even bother me anymore since I'm strengthening my legs,” she says. “For somebody who's older, it's really a good thing.”
Joan, however, did have a total hip replacement. She was advised by her doctor to get her core and glutes strong. “I did Jess Sims’ core workout every single day for three months before my surgery,” she says, “and my doctor said I'm having a ‘remarkable’ recovery.”
Naturally, the couple’s Peloton friend group supported them through Joan’s surgery, showering them with gifts, cards and helping hands. A week after the procedure, a hurricane was forecasted to hit their town on the Long Island Sound, and Mary and Joan were concerned about flooding. “Four of our Peloton friends drove over two hours to help us prepare the house, help us pack the car and move us to an inland hotel,” Mary says. “They also drove back to help us settle back into the house three days later.”
A Bonding Experience
This past summer, Joan and Mary attended the wedding of two Peloton friends from their group. “There were 12 of us there from Peloton,” Mary recalls fondly. “It was beautiful. We had our own table—and we were the rowdiest ones!”While Mary and Joan have been fortunate to forge new friendships and elevate their health with Peloton, the experience has also strengthened their own relationship. “I think a lot of couples that are really close don't have anything in common,” Mary says. “We don't like the same books. We have some different friends...Joan likes to fish and is more athletic...but Peloton really gave us something in common to do together. It really connects us, and now we have this super close group of friends. Peloton enhanced our lives in so many ways.”
Read on to discover how sweating together can make your relationships stronger.
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