Kathy found out about this opportunity late last week - one of the Peloton instructors was going to be at the Natick Mall as the Peloton space at the mall celebrated a grand re-opening and relocation.

At first I said, “No thanks” - I’d been interested in attending a book signing a year or so (maybe more?) ago by one of the instructors I use often, but this didn’t sound like something I’d want to do.

Rebecca Kennedy is the instructor, and I don’t know - wait in a line just to get a picture? I felt like that wasn’t worth it.

Then a couple of friends said they would go too, and I figured, OK, if we’re making a night of it, why not try the New Thing.

And the more I thought about it, Rebecca is one of the instructors I spend a lot of time with.

She does strength classes that are part of the marathon training program I’ve used on and off for five years, so she’s played a big part in the work I’ve done training for these races. Even when I haven’t done the entire program, I’ve jumped ahead to these strength workouts twice a week throughout training.

She also does a lot of standing core classes, which I’ll often do before I go for a run and if I’m too lazy to bring out my mat and lay down for a core workout.

So I figured, OK, if there’s chit chat time I could at least share those things.

Dinner with our friends was very nice, and then the meet and greet at the mall wasn’t the hard sell I was worried it might be. As we waited in line (after Rebecca spoke on the mic for about 15 or 20 minutes - I’m not quite sure because we showed up a little after it started), we got to test out the newer version of the Peloton Tread and see the other products. The newer tread is very nice - it is much softer than the original, in case you were wondering. Much easier on the legs.

Kathy and I took a picture together with Rebecca, and then individual pics. I had a chance to say thanks for the strength help with marathon training.

The new space in the mall isn’t anything worth shouting about - it’s just a showroom-type space for the tread/bike/rower.

And this does not count as my goal - that’s to take a class in New York, not to meet the instructor. That’s a different type of instructor meet and greet…and if it doesn’t happen in the next month I’m certain it will happen in 2026.

As for this event - I’m glad I agreed to go along.