When you join inMotion, you become part of a group that walks together, moves together, and encourages each other towards their wellness goals. What started in five cities is now in 53 cities nationwide. Find one near you.

During our pilot of the inMotion program, people signed up for all kinds of reasons – to improve their daily routine, to prepare for an upcoming event and just to tap in to experts who could provide trustworthy answers to their training questions on the fly. To get a sense of what the experience was like for participants and fine tune it for future classes, we asked attendees to fill out a survey and then spoke to several individuals directly. From our group in Sarasota, we heard about three attendees who banded together during the program and helped each other stay motivated all the way through to the particularly hot and humid final day of the class. We followed up with them via email to hear a bit more about what their goals were in joining and what they took from the program.

Deb Studebaker is a multi-year veteran of the Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure. As an alumna and leader of a walk team, Walking In Sunshine, part of her responsibility is to prepare new team members for the grueling but exhilarating challenge of taking on 60 miles in three days, rain or shine. Deb always leans on alums to help train the new walkers, but this season she joined inMotion to expose new team members to New Balance's experts from the start. She found that having a group of new walkers attend at the same time meant that they all got access to the right answers first-hand.

“Usually our first concern with new walkers is equipment,” Deb explained, “the right shoes, socks, dry wick clothes (especially in Florida) and the all-important hydration pack.  New walkers often have no idea what they are ‘walking’ in to. Most can't comprehend the extreme of walking 60 miles, and it is the team's mission to make sure they walk it happily and safely. Komen gives us a great training schedule, so while still in the short training walks, we can spend time discussing what they must do and what they might need to do.

Questions during inMotion were very similar to every new walker's questions–the advantage was that I knew everyone there got the answer– not just the person along the walk. My new walkers were like sponges when it came to the inMotion experts. Which was the second reason I thought it would be great for my new walkers. New Balance always has clinics for 3-Day walkers, but always after we are well into training. This time, my new walkers had a chance to learn about health and safety issues before having them first hand.”

It's easy to tell from a quick exchange with Deb that her enthusiasm is infectious. When she told Susan Thomas, one of the walkers from last year's 3-Day team called “Save The Sweater Puppies,” about inMotion, Susan was excited to give it a try. She found the program helped her stick to her current (and future) routine.

“If I hadn't done inMotion, I'd probably be struggling to make myself walk. I walk the Ringling Bridge, which is our only mountain here in Florida, about three days a week with a former walker and I also walk with a former inMotion walker at a park on Saturday mornings approximately three miles.”

Cheryl Track joined inMotion to challenge herself and her fitness level in new ways. She reported that the program enhanced her daily walking practice and improved her pace.

“Instead of my usual morning walk with the dog, I was able to challenge myself by increasing my pace for one to two minutes at different intervals during my walk and to be in touch with my breathing as well.  I also used the useful pedometer provided by NB to push myself further each week. I really enjoyed the weekly exercises to add to my fitness program. Just another way to mix things up to avoid a boring routine. Most of us like routine, but with an exercise program I like to keep it different to stay motivated.”

Each of the participants mentioned the added motivation and encouragement they derived from walking together with each other and Team New Balance. Cheryl recalled, ”Most of us participated as a group in a 5k walk/run that NB sponsored on one of our Saturdays. Boy, was I motivated by seeing Team NB in action! I am not a runner, but just seeing their energy together put a little spark in me! I think that has a lot to say about doing an activity together.”

Although none of the three were a fan of the heat and humidity of the last day of the program – especially not while training extra hard in rock&tones – the elements they did appreciate most were access to equipment and expertise, the warm-up exercises and the guest speakers. Just as her passion for fitness tends to draw others in, Deb found the group’s progress most gratifying. She reflected, “As a training walk leader myself, I must say my favorite part of inMotion was watching the group grow, learn and enjoy walking. There is nothing more satisfying than seeing new walkers find their pace and the enjoyment of moving.  It's a great program.“

Members of the Sarasota program, including Susan Thomas (left) and Cheryl Track (middle). inMotion helps them stick to a routine and improve their pace.

Are you a part of a team working together to achieve a fitness goal – whether as a part of inMotion or otherwise? We'd love to hear your stories in the comments below.

Find and sign up for an inMotion program in your area with this handy program locator.