Home Rider 500 Milestone Live Ride in NYC Studio: Recommendations for a Positive Experience

I found out that my Christmas present from my husband was to go to NYC to ride my 500th ride live in the studio. I was so excited that he wanted to do this for me. He bought my bike two years ago this February for my birthday, and I love it. I am always talking about the classes, instructors, and online community. I did my 300th ride in the showroom in Troy, but there is nothing like going to the "mothership." I highly recommend doing a milestone ride in the studio; however, as with any ride, you are not guaranteed a shoutout. The Peloton family has become huge, and it's just not possible to get them all in, especially with a popular ride. The experience is quite thrilling. It was quite fantastic to get my "LeadPositive" shoutout with just 6 minutes left in the ride. Shoutout or not, here are some things to help if you are considering planning a trip to the live studio.

1) Create a studio account: studio.onepeloton.com. They recommend that you use the same credentials as your peloton account. I do as well. Keep it simple. Watch the schedule for the type of ride(s) and instructor(s) that you would like to do. The schedule comes out before the booking sign up which comes out one week prior. Check throughout the day often to try and get a good bike.
2) Know your numbers and settings. Make sure you know your account login and password. Know your seat and handlebar settings as well.
3) Also know your shoe size. Don't bother bringing your shoes. It's much like a bowling alley check in. They have tons of shoes that they issue you when you sign in for  your ride.
4) Use the studio map to have an idea of what bike you want. If you don't book as soon as it opens, you will not get the front row. If you are traveling to do a ride in the studio, do the front row! Take in the entire experience. Don't worry what you look like. I rode bike 1 for my first ride as the center front rows were full; however, I enjoyed having this different view of both the instructor and the studio riders. Bikes 5, 6, and 20 are probably the closest viewing experience as the bike.
5) Get there early. Sign in, check out the retail side, and enjoy the lounge. You might even be able to get a photo with an instructor from an earlier ride.
6) The studio gets very hot with no fans or movement of air. Grab an extra towel and water. You do not need to bring water. They have complimentary water bottles there.
7) The locker room has restrooms, showers, lockers (small but large enough) with spa-like supplies to use--including bath towels. The locker rooms can get crowded with a popular ride. There were also a lot of staff members in and out, adding to the tight quarters.
8) If you are also going to try to do any free afternoon walk-in rides, get there at least 30 minutes early.
9) Most of the instructors will stay after the ride to take pictures with riders. Line up by the iPad at the door entry between the check in and the lounge.
10) Pick a type of ride and instructor that you have done before or feel comfortable with doing. For example, if you don't like to ride out of the saddle, pick a low-impact ride. You will want your "training" from your at-home rides to match the ride you pick for the best match and possible PR.

Other recommendations:

• The Hilton New York Fashion District is a great location.  It is just down the street and right around the corner from the studio. They have a roof-top bar with an amazing view of the skyline. It's just a little over a mile away from Times Square. The "Rare" restaurant has good food and friendly service. It's also really close to other great places to eat. The rooms are a little on the small side, but that is typical for the city. The only downside was the noisy street, so ask for a room higher up or in the inside if noise is an issue. We also didn't have a mini frig which can be convenient. 
• Change your location on your profile to include "home rider" and the number of milestone ride. 
• Don't worry about bringing your heart-rate monitor as there is no bluetooth connection for it. 
• Take in the experience. Enjoy the ride, and share your pictures on the Facebook group. 

2019 One Word: Inspire

For the last several years, as I have really contemplated my WHY in education: why I teach and why I lead. The verb "to inspire" always comes to my mind. Whether teaching or leading, I have always been passionate about pushing not only others but myself to do our best. I am a firm believer that learning, like life, has an outcome of the input. We get out of it what we put into to it. I want the most out of learning (and life), and I want that for others as well.

It wouldn't be a new year with new goals without really thinking about who and what I want to inspire and breaking in down to fit my leadership (and life) vision.  I want to continue to inspire positivity in myself and others. I also want to inspire (and be inspired to) taking risks and trying new things in all aspects. Lastly, whether it's through mindfulness, diet/exercise, professional development, or family commitments, I want to not only be the best version of myself (it's a long road), but I also want to be a part of a movement to inspire, encourage, and support others to do the same.

The positivity goal, while not easy, is the more natural one to me. Since 2015, I have been on a mission to not only focus on the positivity but also lead and help others do the same. It doesn't mean that I do not have personal and professional setbacks or trials, but my compass dial is set on the destination. I work hard to remind myself to find the positive even in times of disappointment, discouragement, and failure. I hope to do an even better job at this, this year. It's actually quite interesting that I have learned a very valuable lesson this week while ending 2018 and entering 2019.

While trying to stay positive about our family holiday vacation to the cold and snowing Vermont for a ski trip for our son, I was forced to practice what I both preach and expect from others. To give some background, this year is our first non-tropical/Disney vacation for the holidays since the kids were pretty much born. Summer is my favorite season, and I really dislike the cold. I also enjoy a December break from it. However, my husband and more importantly, our son, loves to ski, so it's to Vermont we went. While my son has been on the slopes from 9 am to 4 pm without eating almost everyday, I have been exploring different possibilities around the resort (and mountain). Due to a ton of rain before we came in, all of their cross county trails (the only skiing that I have attempted) are closed. However, I have done both hiking and snowshoeing, and I have learned that with the proper apparel and equipment the cold is not so bad, and I have had a lot of fun. This includes seeing some amazing sites and doing some activities that I would have never tried if it weren't for this trip. We just need to have the "proper equipment" and people to be the bet version of ourselves. I hope to be that person for myself and others. To really be the best version of myself, that means being well-rounded and trying new things, and more importantly pushing myself to explore my own possibilities. There might even be some downhill ski lessons in my future....maybe. 

Being the best version of ourselves can mean a lot of things. For me personally it's about my health and well being, but it's also about the roles that I play. While I will continue to work on my health and fitness, I want to really work on my relationship fitness this year. This includes my family since those members (my husband, children, parents, and sister and her children) have suffered the most while I have worked on my professional learning, career development, and work fitness. While trying to take better care of those who have been my support network, I will work to encourage others around me to do the same. We cannot be the best versions of ourselves if we are not fully focused on the relationships of those who love us the most.

I hope 2019 is a year that inspires everyone to be and do better. That's my personal vision for 2019.