Andrea has been a valued member of the Echelon community since September 2020. Hailing from the United States, she has embraced her fitness journey with determination and enthusiasm. Her transformation from a swimmer to a spinning enthusiast inspires us all, showcasing how a commitment to fitness can lead to new passions and accomplishments.

In this Q&A, Andrea shares her fitness story, her favorite Echelon classes, and how the community has kept her motivated.

Q&A with Andrea

Q: Who is your favorite instructor?
A: Jama

Q: How did you get started with Echelon?
A: I needed workout equipment during Covid once we found out my husband needed to receive chemotherapy and a gym was not feasible with our family situation.

Q: What is your favorite part about the Echelon Community?
A: The family I gained.

Q: How has Echelon impacted your life?
A: I have made working out part of my daily life.

Q: What keeps you motivated?
A: The instructors and the friends on the leaderboard.

Q: What tips do you want to share with other members to achieve their fitness goals?
A: This is a true family. When you are down, we are there for you.

Q: What makes Echelon different than our competitors?
A: The instructors are genuine and the friends that I have made around the world.

Andrea鈥檚 journey from 鈥淪wimmer to Spinner鈥� is a testament to the power of dedication, community, and finding joy in movement. Her story reminds us that it鈥檚 never too late to discover new passions and set new goals. We鈥檙e so proud to have Andrea as part of the Echelon family!

I'd been given an ambassador athlete bib by IRONMAN to attend this triathlon, as a female age group triathlete and one that has a neurological condition in the form of epilepsy. As you can imagine, not only would this be a hard day out for anyone, but doing it whilst juggling this condition was really going to test me.

I'd not got really into fitness until after my later-life diagnosis in 2012, before that I didn't really do very much apart from the occasional aerobics class. I began by taking part in a triathlon to raise money for an epilepsy charity, and it is safe to say I was hooked ever since. Triathlon for me brings almost a mindful meditation, because nothing else can enter my head, other than what I'm doing in the present.

In the run up to the event I'd been training both indoors and outdoors, when I'd have seizures, I'd turn to indoor training on my Echelon Connect or Stride, to help me achieve my training in a safer environment. It was always hard to find balance with completing workouts but having plenty of rest and recovery too.

Before I knew it, race day had arrived. I was about to do the hardest thing I've ever done, swim 2.4 miles in the sea, ride 112 miles in the heat and wind and run 26.2 miles along to the famous Energy Lab and back. I was determined and my ultimate goal was to simply cross that finish line. Time didn't matter because I had no frame of reference, it was about completing not competing.

The thing about any race we train for we can never predict race day. That could be anything from change in weather and the conditions, but also things that might pop up along the way. My day became a problem solving exercise because I'd had some big issue along the way. I had two flat tires and my brake went. I could have given up (especially after the second flat), or I could try to push on and do the best I could. I changed my first inner tube, got going but then it went again. You know that sinking feeling we get sometimes? That happened then! I'm sure you can imagine how I was feeling, but it was here I realised my brake had completely gone as well and you definitely need a working brake! Was I going to have to pull out the race, I thought.

Luckily bike support came along to help me, but I'd lost over 30 minutes, so I was playing chase the clock to ensure I got to the various cut off times and get back, so I had plenty of time for the marathon. Thankfully with some hard riding, I managed to make the cut off and was on to the run, but because I'd been holding on harder to the side where the brake was working, I'd lost feeling in my hand and it had swollen, so you can probably imagine trying to tie my trainers up was proving difficult!

Regardless, I was through and on the run, I was going to do this I thought. Keeping this run extremely steady and completely ignoring my original faster pace I'd planned for, simply because I didn't want to run hard and blow my chances of a finish line altogether. This is when I always say you need to smile, hi-5 and thank people, and it made my run better but also my race experience even better.

I could hear the echoes of the YMCA along the Alii Drive, it was the finish line. There were loads of finishers walking the opposite direction as I was running in, but I didn't care, I'd had my own race battle and I was still getting this done despite all of it. That finish line was incredible, the atmosphere was electric, hi-5's, waves, cheers. I couldn't believe it. I'd done it. I'd completed the IRONMAN World Championships and even better, absolutely no epilepsy issues, just those other hurdles I had to over come.

As I sit and write this post and after this incredible journey I've been on, I need to say a few things to those on their own fitness journey or about to do a race. It's not just about being physically fit, we often need mental resilience, granted, we don't need it always, but when things feel hard, or you don't think you can push through, you need that emergency cord. We all have that strength to push on inside us, we just need to bring it to life sometimes. You know you can do it, you want to do it and because of that mindset, you will do it.

A huge thank you to the incredible support of the Echelon team who have supported me on this once in a lifetime journey.

How did you hear about Echelon? What got you started?听

I听heard about Echelon in a round about way. It was 2019, and I had just been told I needed total knee replacement due to my right knee being bone on bone, with several bone spurs under the knee cap and the knee tracking to the right. I was also 220 pounds. I was told if I didn鈥檛 want surgery, I could try to ride a bike and make my quad stronger to pull my knee into the right spot. A bunch of my friends had [a stationary bike] and I tried one out. I had taken one spin class in my life and hated it, but I liked the [stationary bike]. I did not like the price tag. I researched and found Echelon. A few hours after I tried the [other stationary bike brand], I went to a home gym equipment store, saw the ex-5s, and in the span of a few moments, had plunked $1,500 down on what everyone thought would become an expensive clothes rack. The bike arrived December 18, 2019.听 I took my first class December 19th. The rest is history.

Why did you stay with Echelon? What makes Echelon different from other programs/companies/communities?

I stayed with Echelon and stuck with a consistent routine because of the community. 100% the instructors and folks I met on the social media page are the only reason I stayed. The equipment and class offerings on their own would never have been enough to keep me engaged and accountable. Covid hit a few months after I bought the bike, and by then I had made a sizable group of contacts with other home riders. It was so amazing to have these people I had never met before jumping on Zooms and getting to know each other during lockdown. It was great for the social isolation and also for my sanity, since I am a nurse and got to experience Covid in a way most thankfully did not.

Also, I connected with the instructors very quickly. The Miami studio did not exist when I joined, so it was the Chattanooga folks. I remember messaging some of them when I first joined and being star struck and stunned when they replied. Then, I came up to the studio in February 2020 and got to take live rides and meet everyone. I met Megan Hanewald, Amber Harper and Nicole Griffin within the span of an hour. I was worried I would feel judged or not enough for being so out of shape, but that couldn鈥檛 have been further from what happened. I met almost every Chattanooga instructor on that first visit, and soon the instructors were reaching out to see when I was coming back. My friends who rode [a different stationary bike] didn鈥檛 have that experience. They couldn鈥檛 talk to their instructors. They didn鈥檛 have actual friends they had made from the community. It was such a unique community.

Echelon is different because of its community. Not the products. Not the programming. The community. Without the community, I am confident I would not still be active with it.

How did Echelon impact your life? Any significant changes to your life?听

Oh where to start with this one鈥�.When I got the bike, I was the heaviest I had ever been in my life. I was in a crumbling marriage that had been an ambivalent roommate situation longer than it had been a marriage. I was miserable, depressed and felt like I had no way out. Echelon gave me an escape. It also gave me a community of people who made me genuinely feel like I could succeed and that I had more to experience in life than my current situation. If Covid wasn鈥檛 bad enough, try doing social isolation with someone you have wanted to divorce for years, who now works where you work. 0 of 5 stars. Do not recommend.

The instructors (Eden, Megan, Amy and Brian) were letting me come up and crash with them in their homes (negative covid test provided, of course). Over this time that I was escaping to Chattanooga, I was taking multiple bike classes a day. There was no rower, stride, reflect and fitpass did not have all the offerings it currently does. I was starting to lose weight. It was the first time in my life I had ever stuck with a workout program longer than a few weeks. I felt empowered. On my second visit to Chatt, Janet Adams point blank looked at me and said, 鈥淟et me know when you are ready to move here. I know a bunch of people in the hospitals around here and we can get you a job.鈥� I thought she was nuts. I had a job and spouse in Atlanta. I was not moving to Chattanooga. Plus, she had just met me. Why would she put her neck out to get me a job? I kept coming up to Chattanooga and soon found myself getting upset when I had to go back to Atlanta at the end of the weekend.

Finally, in May 2020, I got up the courage to file for divorce. The community of riders and instructors were there for me in ways I can鈥檛 even describe. From listening to me on phone calls to taking up a collection so I could finish redoing my kitchen so I could sell my condo鈥t was unexpected. A few weeks after I filed for divorce, I lost my job due to Covid budget cuts. I texted former instructor Megan Hanewald that I had just lost my job. Before I could blink, she had called me and invited me up for the weekend. I realized Chattanooga was the place where the next chapter of my story was going to start.

I moved to Chatt in August 2020. I was in close to the best shape of my life and firmly embedded in one of the most supportive communities I had ever experienced. By October 2020, Eden had convinced me to give the world of triathlon a try (which I had sworn I would never do), and I signed up for a Half Ironman. So many of the instructors helped to shape my training program off the bike (Marsha, Megan, Amber, Eden).

While I was training for my first Half Ironman that was going to take place in Des Moines, Iowa in June 2021, I connected with a home rider from Los Angeles named Daniel. We had commented on each other鈥檚 posts before, and he was coming to Chattanooga to visit. Several home riders told him to reach out to me to get planning tips since I had become the unofficial Chattanooga Echelon tour guide. We started chatting on the Facebook page, which led to messaging about his trip. Long story short, I asked him if he wouldn鈥檛 mind chatting with me in real life on the phone while I was trying to drive a long distance after a 12 hour shift. Since he was on the West Coast, it made more sense to ask him than a friend who would be asleep on East Coast time. What should have been a 30 minute conversation lasted 4 hours鈥nd hasn鈥檛 really stopped since then. We got engaged in September 2022 and I moved听in June to Los Angeles.

From a fitness perspective, I have completed a handful of 70.3 Half Ironman races, which is something I would have never been able to say without having the influence of this community. I truly do not know where I would be without the Echelon community, but I know it wouldn鈥檛 be somewhere as positive and uplifting as I am now.

So, by joining and sticking with the community, I have:

• 听 听 听 Gained real friends in the community, both riders and instructors
• 听 听 听 Been able to get in the best shape of my life and learn how to exercise/train across several modalities.
• 听 听 听 Gain the confidence to get out of a bad relationship and take the risk to move to a new place
• 听 听 听 Found my fianc茅
• 听 听 听 Joined the world of triathlon
• 听 听 听 Wrote a book about all of the above, with a focus on the last part

What would you say to someone new in the Echelon community?听

Welcome! You have found the most supportive, inspiring place you can be. The leaderboard place doesn鈥檛 matter. What matters is showing up for yourself consistently. Find accountability buddies and get involved in the community through social media. The more you are involved, the more amazing this community becomes. I have made many friends and been lucky enough to meet dozens, maybe more, home riders from all over the world in person. Show up even when you do not feel like it, because you will never听regret the workout, even if you need to make it a recovery effort versus an all out effort.

Anything else you want to share?听

I was inspired to write a book about my journey from completely out of shape to a complete triathlon rookie trying to get herself to a place to complete a 70.3 mile race. Since I would not have even considered doing a triathlon without the results I saw with Echelon and the good/bad influence of Eden getting me to sign up, I can safely say I blame Echelon for this book existing. It was a blast to write. I hope it can serve as inspiration for someone to know they can do hard things, and that they can do things that seem impossible at this moment. It is called 鈥淕ood Luck on Your Marathon: My Journey from Excellent Couch Potato to Average Triathlete,鈥� and is available in paperback and e-book everywhere books are sold. If you live outside of the US, I would recommend the e-book as the physical book takes awhile to ship.

If you see La La on the leaderboard or in our Official Echelon Community on Facebook be sure to reach out and say hi! Big thanks to Laura for sharing her story with us!听

Yvan has been a dedicated cyclist and runner since the age of 13. As a member of Echelon for the past two years,听he has been able to tailor his training to fit his goals and maximize his performance. The Echelon membership gives him access to cycling sessions with varying degrees of difficulty and intensity and allows him to practice his cycling regardless of the weather or time of day.听

In preparation for the Tour Stage 2023, he not only took part in long road rides, ranging from 75 to 100 miles but also increased his stamina on his Echelon bike. This entailed pedaling in both the standing and seated positions with a load of 55 to 70 pounds while pushing his limits day by day.听 Yvan is now 鈥渁ddicted to this training as [he] can feel the effects and the sessions pass quickly鈥�.听

Although the heat was overwhelming and caused more than 5,000 dropouts, out of 16,000 cyclists, Yvan still enjoyed every moment of the race. 鈥淚t was incredible to see 92 nationalities, a well-organized team of 120 bikers, and the enthusiasm of people cheering us on from all over the course. I am already eager to participate again next year, and am confident that it will be even more exciting than the last.鈥�

Yvan, 46 years old, lives in Ar莽onnay, a small village in the northwest region of France, with his wife of 24 years and their three daughters.听

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Abigail | Team Florida: Triathlon

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What is your full name and Echelon Leaderboard name?
Abigail Adams, @Abigail the Advocate on the Echelon Fit庐 app

How many years have you been competing in Special Olympics?
14

Other interests and hobbies
Music, fashion, makeup, stand-up paddle boarding, working out, spending time with my family, friends, and boyfriend. Advocating for people with special needs. Being a positive influence and uplifting people on social media: Abigail the Advocate on听 and听.

Other sports and/or activities within Special Olympics
Fundraising through the Torch Campaign, fashion shows, Cheerleading, Gymnastics, SUP, Swimming, Triathlon, Gold, Athlete Leadership, Open Water Swim, Ambassador Polar Plunge 2020, Inspirational Athlete 2018.

What does attending the 2022 USA Games mean to you, and what do you look forward to the most?
It is special because I was picked to compete and represent Special Olympics Florida. I am looking forward to competing in the race and being with my team.

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Matthew | Team Tennessee: Golf

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What is your full name and Echelon Leaderboard name?
Matthew Drumright, @CoachDrummy on the Echelon Fit庐 app

How many years have you been competing in Special Olympics?
31

Other interests and hobbies
Photography, High School, College & Pro Football, Coach for local high school football team for 23 years - Brentwood Bruins, music - Oldies

Other sports and/or activities within Special Olympics
Special Olympics TN (SOTN) Global Messenger, SOTN Athlete Leadership Team, SOTN Special Olympics Health Messenger, SOTN Volunteer & Fundraiser, Member of the SOTN Young Professionals Board, Young Athletes Volunteer, and Participant in SOTN Flag Football, Basketball, Powerlifting, Swimming & Unified Golf.

What does attending the 2022 USA Games mean to you, and what do you look forward to the most?
I am so excited to go to the USA Games and compete in Unified Golf. It is an honor to represent Tenessee and all the athletes in Special Olympics. I have been training in multiple sports and that will help prepare me for the USA Games. I look forward to traveling, meeting new friends from around the country, seeing old friends, and competing in a national event. My two best friends are also going to USA Games and that will be fun to be at the Games with them.

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Ben | Team New Jersey: Swimming

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What is your full name and Echelon Leaderboard name?
Benjamin 鈥淏en鈥� Miller, @BenMiller on the Echelon Fit庐 app

How many years have you been competing in Special Olympics?
6

Other interests and hobbies
Video games, hip hop dancing, talking to friends

Other sports and/or activities within Special Olympics
Bowling, swimming, volleyball

What does attending the 2022 USA Games mean to you, and what do you look forward to the most?
It is amazing to be part of the 2022 Team New Jersey. I am looking forward to seeing the other athletes and coaches and making new friends.听

Follow & Support Our Members!

Check in to see how Abigail, Matthew, and Ben are doing in the USA Games and send them 鈥淐heers鈥� to support through the 2022 USA Games app (available here for听 and the听).听

New to Echelon?听Join our community and find Abigail, Matthew, and Ben on the Leaderboard!

Can you introduce yourself?

Hi, my name is Richard Wilnes 鈥� formerly Wilson, but I officially became Mr. Wilnes after my wedding on November 21! You can find me on the Leaderboard by searching @RICHARD .

I鈥檝e been with Echelon for just over a year and now own two bikes 鈥� the听EX-5s &听EX-7s 鈥� the听Row, and the听Reflect Touch fitness mirror.听

What motivated you to join the Echelon community?

I decided to join the Echelon community when the gyms closed for the second time due to lockdown. I looked at what bikes were available and what I considered to be extras, which was the community and the interaction with the groups that are out there.

Before Echelon, I would make a trip to the gym four to six times a week at 6 am; I now have the luxury of going to my personal gym anytime, not [sitting] in a car waiting for opening time.听

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Why did you decide to create this home gym?

I had the听EX-5s and [rode it] four to five times a day and decided very soon I wanted a space for the bike other than just at the end of a bed. As we are lucky to have the [extra] space, the decision was made that I needed a gym. I decided the best space was one of the spare bedrooms that was used the least.听

The decision to give away the bedroom furniture and create a gym was actually made while on a ride. From that decision to completion it took around a week to complete the makeover. The longest process was the time-old problem of waiting for paint to dry!

My now-husband also uses the space. It now feels like we鈥檙e working out in a private gym; we purchased the second bike so we can do live rides together.听

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What was the process of creating your home gym?

As I mentioned before, the space was originally a spare bedroom and we are lucky enough to have the space to sacrifice a room 鈥� although I wouldn鈥檛 say it was a sacrifice, it鈥檚 a gain to both of us.

I feel the essential part of a great home gym is an individual鈥檚 personality and stamp on it that will inspire them to use it and others to want one. I find I wouldn鈥檛 work out as much or as often if I didn鈥檛 have this space, and the fact it鈥檚 across the hall from my bedroom is perfect.

To help personalize it, we decided to make a mural to reflect the branding on the equipment and make the space as much a real-looking gym as possible. I wanted a space I could immerse myself in and feel it was a real workout space.听 The other quotes on the wall were given to us by some of the Echelon instructors; I told them what I was doing and asked them for a couple of taglines.

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Do you have any advice for people who want to build their own home gym?

Research, research, and research on what would work for you. Don鈥檛 look at other people's gyms and carbon copy it; make your space yours. Look at what equipment you would use and rate things that are essential and those that are just a wish list. And before you buy, look at your wish list again. Has it changed? Finally, let your imagination run wild! It鈥檚 your space; put your stamp on it.听 Oh, and a great fan 鈥� invest in a good one!

听

We love Richard鈥檚 passion for Echelon and how he was able to translate that into a motivating fitness space. We know that not everyone can afford to sacrifice a bedroom or paint custom murals, but that doesn鈥檛 mean you can鈥檛 create your ideal workout space. Check our blog post听Home Gym Ideas to Perfect Your Echthetic to discover how you can make a great home gym 鈥� regardless of the size of your space or your budget!

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鈥�

New to Echelon? Join Richard and the rest of the Echelon community with an听Echelon Premier 91快活林 and discover why people love Echelon!

The Beginning

As a single mom of two kids, Angela was one of many who struggled with the school closures and general upheaval that came with 2020. The best fitness routine she could manage was walking to the refrigerator and back. But she struck inspiration after seeing the passion a friend had for cycling. The idea of connected fitness spoke to Angela 鈥� she knew she would need the support of a community and the thrill of live classes to keep her motivated. Most importantly, she wanted to find a group of 鈥渞eal鈥� people that would be relatable to her. She found those people at Echelon.

The Roadblock

With her limited savings, Angela decided to buy an听Echelon Connect Bike. She immediately joined the听 Facebook group to connect with other people who could help encourage her on this new journey. While waiting for her bike to ship, Angela met the 鈥渁verage Joes鈥� and 鈥渨orking moms鈥� that she hoped to find and knew this was her place, her people.

But her excitement was cut short. After an emergency visit to a vet for her cat and a very expensive bill, Angela had to call customer service to cancel her order. When she finally made it home, she took to the Facebook group to share the news. Angela was devastated to end the relationships she had already fostered, but she didn鈥檛 seem to have a choice.听

The Community听

Other members read her story and were equally devastated to lose their new friend. One member, Jim, wasn鈥檛 content to give up. He knew that Angela deserved the chance to ride and the Echelon community, and set up a donation page that he then shared with other members. Less than 24 hours later, they raised enough money for Angela鈥檚 new bike.听

Angela was overwhelmed by the kindness of people who had so recently been strangers. She had found the supportive community she had been searching for, and resolved to make new members feel welcomed.听

The Cheerleader

Angela鈥檚 bike arrived, but that was just the first time that the community was there to support her. She鈥檇 had a difficult year, including the pandemic and a divorce, but she could count on her Echelon friends to be her rock. And those friends know they can rely on Angela, as well.听

One of those friends is instructor Marie Manalo. Marie was nervous for her first day 鈥� she had never taught in front of a live audience of that caliber before. This class also happened to be scheduled on Angela鈥檚 birthday, so Angela took to the Facebook group to rally her friends. She filled Marie鈥檚 class with supporters to cheer her on, and Marie knew she too had found the community she wanted to belong to.

The Next Chapter

Angela鈥檚 is one of many incredible stories in the Echelon community. We are proud to have members that care so deeply for each other that they go above and beyond to support one another. Echelon isn鈥檛 just about reaching your fitness goals, it is about the journey along the way.

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鈥�

New to Echelon? Join Angela, Jim, and our other amazing members on the Leaderboard with听Echelon Premier 91快活林. And even if you don鈥檛 have equipment yet, you can join the听. You may just find people who will change your life.

Echelon member Amber puts it well: 鈥淗ave you ever met someone on social media, and just been like鈥� that鈥檚 my people?鈥� She is one of the many听members who clicked with another Echelon member through social media 鈥� without even meeting her in person.听

Amber has dubbed fellow member Michelle her Eche-bestie. Despite living in different cities, these Eche-friends maintain a close relationship and sometimes even coordinate workout outfits. Additionally, the two hold each other accountable for commitment to workouts. Michelle frequently sends Amber motivating messages before it鈥檚 time to exercise (often as a reminder to wake up!)听

鈥淪he鈥檚 an amazing accountability partner,鈥� Amber said. 鈥淓specially with her 鈥楲ook alive!鈥� messages first thing in the morning!鈥澨�

Having an accountability partner can be hugely beneficial to your wellness routine, and is another great reason to join the Echelon community. When another person is counting on you to get things done, it creates more incentive to be motivated and commit to your goals. Additionally, an outside perspective can help you see the solutions to challenges you thought you couldn鈥檛 overcome or the bright side of a difficult workout. Plus, it鈥檚 always more fun to celebrate hard work with others!

Amber considers Michelle one of her personal cheerleaders and notes that she takes on this role for many Echelon community members. But being an Eche-friend is a two-way street, and Amber has plenty of words of encouragement for Michelle, too.

鈥淚鈥檝e watched her transformation from the start, and in such a short time she鈥檚 done amazing things,鈥� Amber said. 鈥淪he鈥檚 amazing, she鈥檚 inspirational, she鈥檚 motivational. That鈥檚 my Eche-person, my Eche-bestie, my Eche-girl, Eche-fam.鈥�

Amber and Michelle鈥檚 friendship is special, but not at all uncommon. The personal relationships that develop within the Echelon community are some of the best parts of being a member. Tens of thousands people come together on Facebook to celebrate Motivation Mondays, welcome new instructors, and cheer each other on.

With #echefriends on Instagram, members share their successes and real-life meet-ups with long-distance friends. One member even drove six hours to Ontario in order to meet her fellow Echelon community members for the first time.听听

Thank you for being a part of our community! We would not be the same welcoming and inspiring space without you. If you haven鈥檛 found your Eche-friends yet, they鈥檙e waiting to meet you in our official or Facebook groups, on our , or听in person听at one of our Member Events.听

New to Echelon?

Join the community with an听Echelon Premier 91快活林. This monthly subscription gives you access to everything the Echelon community has to offer. Browse thousands of live and on-demand classes, compete on the Leaderboard, and meet new people in member-exclusive Facebook groups. It鈥檚 time to find your own Eche-friend!

During our photo and video shoot, we had the opportunity to chat with Jennifer about her experience with cancer and how fitness helped her through her treatment and recovery. This is her story.

An Unexpected Diagnosis

In December 2003, Jennifer found herself facing a battle that she never saw coming: breast cancer. With no family history and at only 38 years old, cancer wasn鈥檛 on the young mom鈥檚 radar. Nonetheless, she found herself speechless as her doctor urgently scheduled an appointment with a breast care specialist.听

Today, Jennifer is a Leaderboard leader, wife of 31 years to her husband Kirby, and a mother to two grown daughters. She proudly shares the joys of her life now because this is the future she thought she might never see.听

She explains, 鈥淲hen I was first diagnosed and thinking about my future, I had that short moment 鈥� just like everybody else, you know 鈥� a cancer diagnosis is a death sentence and that's what I thought. And then [eventually] I actually started thinking about it, I realized that I just had to take it one day, one step at a time.鈥� For Jennifer, it was about truly living while she fought to survive: 鈥溾�楨njoy the moments. Be present.鈥� And that's what I decided I wanted my future to be...the day that we have is the day that we need to enjoy and to be present.鈥�

A Decision to Keep Moving

Despite her desire to stay positive, Jennifer realized that much of her life was now out of her hands, 鈥渃ancer is definitely something that is not in your control. I wanted to be able to be there for my husband. I wanted to be there for my girls and our future.鈥� Jennifer knew that if she researched too much about breast cancer, she could get lost in her fears. Instead, she read all that she could about how to fight cancer, including lifestyle changes to accompany her double mastectomy and chemotherapy. After discovering that there were actions she could take to improve her prognosis, she stated, 鈥淚 grasped onto what I could control: what I ate, what I did to exercise, and what I did to rest.鈥�

She believes that exercise, in particular, helped her physically, emotionally, and spiritually. There were days that she didn鈥檛 want to exercise but even doing something helped: 鈥淛ust moving... that really helped me through my process to be able to feel as good as I could feel.鈥�

A Life of Fitness + Wellness

Breast cancer treatment is exhausting on the best of days. By the end, Jennifer was relieved but tired in every way. After being officially declared 鈥渋n remission,鈥� she had the choice in front of her: do I continue this active lifestyle? For Jennifer, it was an obvious choice. She states that she 鈥済ets charged鈥� from working out, especially cycling and HIIT and that it continues to help her physically and mentally.

The lifestyle Jennifer discovered during her cancer treatment was about more than exercise. Fitness is one aspect but there is also wellness. 鈥淔itness,鈥� she believes, 鈥渕eans continuing to be active and moving.鈥� This is a complement to wellness 鈥� a true way of living that involves a choice to be well. In her own life, this meant choosing nutritious food and to do things that made her feel good. One such behavior was the choice to not wear a wig. She celebrated her baldness instead of wearing the wig that her daughter said made her look sick.听

As she continued to heal, Jennifer also reveled in the small victories that many of us take for granted. During treatment, sometimes her workouts would barely last five minutes so when she completed her first 20-minute class it was a huge victory. That was a 鈥渂ig ah-ha鈥� moment where she realized her gaining strength.

A Step Towards Prevention + Survival

While not every case of breast cancer is preventable, Jennifer鈥檚 belief about choosing fitness and wellness is not just anecdotal. Susan G. Komen has gathered research that extolls the benefits of physical activity relative to breast cancer prevention and survival.

According to their website, women who are moderately active for 30+ min. a day have听a 3% lower risk of breast cancer听than women who are not active. Additionally, breast cancer survivors who were moderately active for听 compared to less active survivors.听

In 2021 there will be an estimated听 of invasive breast cancer in women and听 in men. For those who will face this diagnosis, early detection can help increase survival rates. Jennifer was diagnosed with stage one in her right breast and stage two in her left. She noticed a lump and brought her concern to her doctor.

Susan G. Komen has resources for women and men to learn about the听, what to do if you听 and about overall听.

An Inspirational Photoshoot

Throughout our day of shooting content for the new Susan G. Komen product line, there was a lot of conversation around cancer but there were also a lot of laughs and fun stories. Jennifer鈥檚 daughter joined us behind the scenes and shared a genuine pride in her mom.听

The eldest of Jennifer鈥檚 two girls, Sydnee is a spitting image of her mom in more than just appearance. After watching her mom promote physical activity throughout her life, and especially during her cancer treatment, Sydnee was inspired to pursue a similar lifestyle. She is a lifelong athlete, including playing lacrosse at university, and now joins her mom on the Echelon Leaderboard.听

鈥淚t is so cool to see my mom get to celebrate her survival by promoting exercise,鈥� Sydnee exclaimed. 鈥淪he is such a rockstar and I hope that others can be inspired to take action in their own lives.鈥�

You can join Jennifer and Sydnee on the Leaderboard with the听Echelon听Premier 91快活林 and show your support for breast cancer research and awareness with our new Susan G. Komen x Echelon product line.

Meg 鈥� a published author, Instagram influencer, and content creator 鈥� seeks to 鈥渋nspire women and mothers of all kinds, shapes, colors, and sizes to find the strength and courage to embrace life, love endlessly, and live intentionally.鈥� Part of that mission is spreading her belief that fitness should not be exclusive but something everyone can participate in. Her story of embracing her body and a desire to spread the message inspired her book听.

Meg embodies our belief that health isn鈥檛 about shape and fitness isn鈥檛 only for the elites. We are inspired by her story and want to spread her message. Here is Meg鈥檚 story.

Journey to Self-Acceptance

While Meg is known for her body positivity, . In 2015, her gynecologist told her she most likely wouldn鈥檛 have a healthy pregnancy. Says Meg, 鈥淭his was not because of anything other than the number penciled on my chart. The number labeling my weight.鈥� She began working out every day and 鈥渢ried diet after diet.鈥� Meg lost almost 100 pounds noting, 鈥滻 kept getting smaller. But I wasn鈥檛 feeling happier. Until I got pregnant in the spring of 2017.鈥�

听that during her pregnancy, her body 鈥渘aturally gained back all of the weight I had forced it to lose.鈥� After the birth of her daughter Maci, she had a life-altering revelation that completely changed her mindset and focus on life. 鈥淚 was going to give it all I had to begin learning to love my body as it is while still focusing on my health with a positive approach,鈥� says Meg. 鈥淚 started powerlifting and completely ditched the idea of intentional weight loss.鈥澨�

Wanting to share her journey, Meg began blogging two months after Maci was born, and on , she now shares 鈥渁ll things motherhood, marriage, fitness, self-love, style, health, and life.鈥澨�

Move in a Way that Makes You Happy

When Meg decided to accept her body, she was then free to enjoy fitness and focus on how being active made her feel instead of exercise being a source of stress and anxiety. She describes this approach to as

Meg practices a variety of workout styles to keep fitness interesting and 听This is one of the reasons she loves her Echelon Row-s听and the versatility it provides. 鈥淚f you're looking to add more to your workout just rotate the 22" touch screen to take one of [Echelon鈥檚] off-equipment classes like Pilates, Barre, and kickboxing,鈥� .听鈥淵ou can even go on scenic rows as well; my new favorite way to warm up. There are so many options available.鈥�

Empower Others

We thank Meg for sharing her story and her empowering views on fitness, motherhood, self-love, and living life to the fullest. Her positivity, confidence, and desire to mentor others is a true inspiration to us all.听

If you want to learn more about rowing, read our post The Versatility of Rowing or check out Echelon鈥檚 Row and Row-s. Together we strive to enjoy being active and moving in a way that makes us happy.

Here is Melissa鈥檚 story in her own words.

Childhood Heart Failure

I was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy (an enlarged heart) when I was two and a half. My pediatrician heard a heart murmur. From that point on, I was seen yearly by a cardiologist. At age seven, my heart was so large that it began to not work properly, and I went into heart failure.

I waited for five weeks for my first heart. During that time, I was not allowed to leave the hospital because I was hooked up to IV medications that were keeping me alive. I think the waiting part was most difficult for my family 鈥� my mom couldn鈥檛 work because she was with me in the hospital 24/7. My dad was working, but it was hard for him not to be with his sick child.

As a kid, I didn鈥檛 understand the reality of things.

My life was dependent on an organ donor. I received my first heart from another child named Bridget, who was only eight years old at the time. In her final hours, it was her mother who said 鈥測es鈥� to organ donation.

Growing Up with Someone Else鈥檚 Heart听

During my time with my first transplanted heart, I was a competitive cheerleader in high school and college. Still, I could hardly engage in strenuous cardiovascular activities such as running and biking.

Doctors have always told my family and me that a heart transplant is not a cure; it is a trade-off for one medical problem that a person can no longer live with for another that can be managed medically.

My first heart transplant lasted 18 years. Over time, my valves began to leak, and my heart muscle became stiff. My heart was not pumping blood adequately, and therefore blood flow was reduced. This is common in long-term heart transplants, and I was lucky enough to receive a second heart.

A Life on Hold

As a kid waiting for a heart transplant, I knew that my heart was not working properly, and I would need surgery to replace it. I waited at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, and all the doctors, nurses, and Child Life Specialists there did an amazing job at making the experience a fun one. I know it was stressful for my family, but I just remember the fun and games I played while I was there.

As an adult, my experience waiting for a transplant was very different. I had just begun my full-time teaching career, and I was in the middle of getting my master's degree when my life was put on hold.

This time I knew the reality of things. I remember thinking, "someone who was alive at this very moment will die and donate their heart to me." That was a scary thought, and at times it felt so unfair. I can remember just wanting my life back. It was hard to watch my peers getting married, starting to have children, and furthering their careers while my life was in limbo.

I waited for eight months.

My Second Heart and New Opportunities

I wasn鈥檛 strong enough to walk up the stairs or even stand in the shower on my own. I was just weeks away from dying.

After waiting and worrying, I received my new heart from Chrissy. She felt so strongly about donating her organs that she made sure her family knew her wishes if anything were to happen to her. In her final hours, when doctors asked her family about donation, they could answer without hesitation.

Chrissy鈥檚 heart gave me a chance to experience fitness like I could not before. When my heart failure was at its worst, I couldn't walk upstairs without feeling short of breath. So after my second heart transplant, I knew I wanted to pursue new physical activities that I wasn't able to do before. I think this is the reason I fell in love with spinning.

My Life Now

About eight years after my first heart failure, we discovered my brother also needed a heart transplant. It was then that we learned a genetic mutation caused my cardiomyopathy. My husband and I are currently pursuing IVF to avoid passing on my gene mutation to our children.

It means the world to me to be able to engage in cardiovascular activities and to be able to keep up on the leaderboard. I can thank my donors and doctors for this. Every time I can feel my heart beating strongly, and I can take deep breaths while working out, I think about my amazing donors who have made this possible.

What I Want You to Know About Organ Donation

If you are an organ donor, make sure you have that conversation with your family. One organ donor can save up to eight lives and enhance the life of 75 other individuals through eye and tissue donation. There are over 107,000+ Americans on the national transplant waiting list right now, and 17 of those people will die each day waiting.

I am thankful that Chrissy鈥檚 heart beats strongly inside of me now. I never forget that it is thanks to my two organ donors that I can race you all on the leaderboard. See you there!

If you are interested in learning more about organ donation or would like to locate your state鈥檚 registry, you can visit organdonor.gov.