If one thing is certain about Kate, it’s that she’s hardcore and badass (no fake sweat was added in the filming of this video).  A yoga teacher, spin instructor and Union Square ambassador – Kate is an inspiration. Check out some of her favourite things and learn a few fun facts about her.

I love these shoes for two reasons:
1) They remind me of our Atlanta Flywheel opening – I received them as a gift from a Flywheel fan and, more importantly...
2) They’re the best running shoes I’ve ever put on my feet. Too bad I found them late in my running career, I’m pretty sure I could’ve won several of the races I was in! I love the color and the brightness – can’t help but look down and smile!

I certainly don’t lose socks on purpose – it just happens, but I take the same amount of care for these socks as I do my favorite pair of jeans. They’re the perfect thickness and height around the ankle – the colors and designs are pretty fun too!

What started as a functional tool for teaching quickly turned into a fashion item for spin enthusiasts. The Flywheel bandana is a staple in my teaching wardrobe – I tie my headset into the bandana so it doesn’t move when I teach, plus it keeps my hair tucked out of the way, absorbs my sweat and looks pretty badass!

Originally from Texas, I’m a huge Texas Longhorn fan. I love wearing this hat – of course it keeps the sun out of my eyes, blocks the sweat and holds the hair back but this particular hat reminds me of home and it never fails – every time I wear this hat I’ll run into a fellow Texan or get the UT sign. It’s an instant smile!

I easily own 20 of these tanks, the teal one happens to be one of my favorites. It’s the universal tank in my opinion, perfect for running, yoga and FlyBarre. And it has the perfect scoop neckline – easily doubles as a casual tank under a jacket or sweater with jeans!

I love the simplicity of this bra – it’s the perfect amount of coverage and support for teaching and taking various classes. The straps are nearly invisible and I love the combination of the Flow Y bra and the Cool Racerback – I’m normally in basic colors but love the pop of a bright orange, yellow or pink bra under a solid racerback tank

I wear stud earrings and sometimes a watch but other than that I can’t stand jewelry— Except for these fair-trade bracelets! They were a Christmas present from a client last year – they’re actually made out of recycled flip-flops. I can sweat in them, shower in them and they’re just a fun addition to my otherwise pale white wrist.

On May 17^th 2012, it’s your sports bra’s time to shine…

the itsy-bitsy-teenie-weenie bikini fear
Last May, as summer was approaching, I was overwhelmed by my annual beachwear anxiety. You know, that moment when you realize bikini season is right around the corner. Usually, I’m filled with dread but this particular year, there was a fire inside of me to change how I felt about myself. As a fitness instructor, I needed to own up to my role as a leader so I encouraged my riders to step out of their own comfort zones by facing a fear. I set a private, personal goal for myself to face my biggest fear of revealing my midriff. Why was this so scary? What was I trying to hide? I challenged myself to teach one of my SoulCycle classes wearing only a sports bra. When the class was over and I was still wearing my lame, gold jacket (yes, this class was Rihanna-themed), I was not only disappointed in myself but I felt like I had let down those riders who looked to me as someone who practices what she preaches.

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the midriff movement
At that moment, I realized that I could not face this challenge alone, I needed the support of my peers. The only way I was going to be able to overcome my biggest fear was if an entire class would join me by riding in their sports bras too. A simple, personal goal quickly turned into a small movement when two of my personal heroes, NBC'S The Biggest Loser Season 11 finalists Olivia Ward and Hannah Curlee got on board. On July 29, 2011 we bared it all in a class and stories from women across the country  who participated in their own mini Sports Bra Challenges came pouring in.

turn your dreams into plans
That July, I became an ambassador for the lululemon Union Square store. Through a goal coaching session (which includes the terrifying task of writing down my goals and discussing them) it became clear to me that I was not through with The Sports Bra Challenge. I wanted to continue to challenge, support and help women and men all over the country feel comfortable in their bodies and to embrace who they are. I decided that I was going to recreate The Sports Bra Challenge on a much larger scale and make it more accessible to people all over the country. That’s when my dream started to become a reality.

putting a spin on it
What started out as an event quickly turned into a foundation. In January 2012, I created S.E.A.K. Foundation; a non-profit organization that empowers people to be confident in who they are through educational programs and events focused on physical and emotional health. The Sports Bra Challenge is now an event that provides the funding for SEAK to implement after-school programs for teenage girls in New York City to develop their sense of self-esteem and self-worth.

the 2012 sports bra challenge
On Thursday, May 17, SEAK Foundation presents The Sports Bra Challenge 2012. This one-day outdoor fitness event will consist of two large-scale SoulCycle classes, a Vinyasa Yoga class and a (free, kids-only) signature Pound Class through Crunch Fitness. All proceeds from the event will benefit City of Hope's Positive Image Center and SEAK Foundation.

Come one, come all and get ready to grin and bare it. Registration for the event starts today!

I am an athlete and I live for the endorphin high from a great sweat and workout. I'm also a food and wine ‘over-indulger’ (come on, isn’t that why we work and work out so hard?!). Here are the things I love:

Websites:

http://www.keepitchic.com
http://www.elementsofstyleblog.com/
http://www.goop.com
http://www.whowhatwear.com
http://rebeccapacheco.com/omgal/

Workout accessory: Garmin Forerunner 110. This magical watch tells me everything I need to know when working out.

Items to work out in:

- lululemon’s Flow Y Bra
- a Cool Racerback in a bright and fabulous colour
- Wunder Under or Run:Inspire Crop

Way to sweat: A spin class at Flywheel in NYC or Aerobarre at Aerospace in NYC (a workout that combines jumping rope, boxing, weights and some ballet).

Yoga move: Legs up the wall (Viparita Karani). I am constantly on the go and this helps me reset.

Place to run: My all time favourite place to run is along the coastline in Victoria, BC. This is where I really fell in love with running, and the thought of the fresh ocean air brings a smile to my face.

Current obsession: Shoes! I recently purchased the ‘Sissy Suede Sandal’ from Tory Burch and I also dream of the Swedish ‘Hasbeens’ high heel jodhpur: love, love, love!

Magazines: Vanity Fair, Vogue, Dwell, New York Magazine

Place: Fisher’s Loft in Port Rexton, NL, Canada. Breathtaking.

Restaurant: Neptune Oyster Bar in Boston, MA. Best lobster roll of all time.

Way to get motivated: When I look at the vision I have created for my life and think about what I am doing today to get there. I consider this my 'jump out of bed' factor.

Place to unroll yoga mat: On the fresh summer grass at Bryant Park with hundreds of other New Yorkers amongst the skyscrapers and craziness of all that life in New York brings.

A photo from the Barefoot in the Park event at Bryant Park

Way to celebrate: I want to say red wine and dark chocolate, but that means I celebrate most evenings. Aside from my every day celebration, I would say I celebrate by going to dinner at a great restaurant with great friends.

Book: The Art of Racing in the Rain. If you love dogs or have a dog, after reading you will remain in constant wonder about why your dog has come into your life and what lessons they are here to teach you.

Inspired by: Greatness. I love watching athletes cross the finish line of a marathon or ironman because of what is involved in getting to that point.

Spin classes have a reputation of being for super athletic and highly in-shape individuals, but what I have always loved about spinning is that it truly is an all-levels workout. Everyone gets to choose their own intensity, speed and resistance. No matter what your fitness goals are, spinning is an excellent choice for a workout.

Billie's spin class about to ride to their favourite tunes!

If you ever talk with someone who loves spinning, they will tell you that it's all about the music. Do you have any idea how much time your instructor spends finding motivating music and putting together a challenging ride that every level of athlete will enjoy?

I've been taking spin classes for over seven years, and this year I decided to become a certified spin instructor. I've found that I spend a lot more time putting together my playlists and ride profiles than actually teaching the class, but I know that I need to invest that time to ensure that I’m creating a unique and engaging ride for every class.

I know I've succeeded every time I catch someone in class singing along to the chorus of "Living on a Prayer" or "Spirit in the Sky". If there is a song or style of music that you are dying to spin to, ask your instructors if they are open to suggestions. Most likely they will be grateful for your recommendation and add it to their playlist before the next class!

Time to sing along to the sweet songs in class.

My personal favorite spinning tunes right now:

"Pump It" - Black Eyed Peas
"So Fine" - Sean Paul
"Kodachrome" - Paul Simon
"Reggaeton Latino" - Don Omar
"Paper Planes" - M.I.A.
"Calabria" - Enur
"Smoke on the Water" - Deep Purple
"Bad Romance" - Lady Gaga
"Krazy" - Pitbull

Just imagine all this, baby. It’s enough to make you go krazy!

Please leave a comment with your favorite spinning song(s) so other instructors and I can incorporate them in our future rides.<-->

When I started wearing lululemon clothes, I thought of them as mostly running and yoga apparel. Since beginning working here last year - low and behold - I have discovered some gems for cycling wear.

The run line is an ideal match for spinners and cyclers. The moisture-wicking, flat-seemed garments often include either Silverescent (anti-stink/anti-static) or quick dry and zip or back pockets.

I put our clothes to the test.

The Carlsbad store hosted a private yoga and shopping event with the San Diego Velo Bellas cycling group.

I rode with them before yoga and showed off the Run: Activa Vest and Flow Y Bra, explaining that I was testing the garments for cycling efficiency. While not wind resistant, the back zipper pocket fits my camera and cell phone, and the back pocket of the Spin Babe shorts fits chapstick and my lens cloth. I could have fit Gu, gum and my car key if I wanted to, but it fit in my bike's seat bag.

Jackie, my riding buddy, exclaimed that of course the vest worked - she didn't realize it wasn't a "real" cycling vest.

After the ride, we hosted yoga for the Bellas and invited them to a private shopping event in exchange for design feedback.

After a few months of testing our products in various saddles, here are the winners (please note, not all are currently available in stores):

- Spin Babe Short - have worn spinning and cycling. Lightly padded in the bum.
- Tri Babe Short - see above, plus more moisture wicking
- Run: Sprint Singlet - wore this in a triathlon
- Run: Activa Vest - wore this on a 2 hr ride
- Run: Power Crop - spin class
- Persist Jacket - to/fro bike rides and races
- Hot Yoga Bra - triathlon
- Flow Y Bra - spinning and cycling
- Brisk Run Arm Warmers - made for cold-weather running - and ideal as cycling sleeves.

That being said, lululemon is not best in the world at making cycling gear - yet. The more feedback you give us via our blog, Facebook, twitter, online, and at the store level, the more the designers will hear it and implement changes.

What else have you worn spinning or cycling and loved?