A photo posted by @mystryde on Jan 3, 2016 at 4:44am PST
I'm going to come clean right off the bat here: I am not a big fan of running on a treadmill.
But if anything would get me to do it – and dare I say ... maybe enjoy the experience? – it would be a studio with high-end equipment, top-name instructors and a location in limping distance of Ernesto's Pizza.
So it is that MyStryde, New England's first treadmill running studio, opens to much anticipation this weekend in the North End, located at 456 Hanover Street.
"We are a running studio offering classes on the treadmill for all levels," founder and owner Rebecca Skudder told me. "Imagine a spin studio, but replace the bikes with treadmills."
The only other treadmill running studio, she said, is Mile High Run Club in NYC.
MyStryde's classes – the first is Saturday, Jan. 9 – will be capped at 12 people and run along themes like Powerwalk, Stryde, Endurance and Bootcamp. In addition, they'll offer special Race Training Packages for those training for the Boston Marathon and other major events.
"We have hired six amazing instructors who are the top instructors and runners in Boston," said Skudder, a Boston resident of five years who's been keen on opening this studio for the past four. "Many of them are well known instructors who already teach, and many of them are well known in the running community and already coach runners and compete in a number of races."
Each treadmill will feature a suggested pace card, showing targets for beginner, intermediate and advanced runners ranked on a scale from 1 to 5. "That way," said Skudder, "you can run at your own pace and get your own workout in without worrying about having to keep up with the group or if the group will keep up with you."
The studio will feature showers and bathrooms and a small retail space selling running accessories. If you go, be on the lookout for one particularly unique installment.
"We also have a huge clear box on our wall where we will collect used running shoes," said Skudder. "If you bring in your used running shoes you'll receive 10 percent off any class package or retail item and once the box is full of used running shoes, we'll be donating them to charity."
Images via MyStryde
