gratitude yoga

Get Your Rear in Gear 2014

by Cassandra Hoo on January 29, 2014

Posted in: Cancer Awareness,News/Events

Get Your Rear in Gear 2014

I am so excited to be running 4 miles in honor of my mother at this year’s Get Your Rear in Gear – Philadelphia. She bravely and triumphantly fought Stage IV Metastatic Colon Cancer several years ago and has luckily been cancer free for 2.5 years (which is a medical miracle). I participated in GYRIG Philly’s 2013 event for the first time last year and proudly trained and survived the 10k run. I have never run that far or trained so hard in my life. Running through the beautiful city streets of Philadelphia during training was so exhilarating. However, my mind loved the experience much more than my feet and knees did!

Although the run is much shorter this year, I am going to still train hard and try to get my minute/mile time down from last year. Unfortunately, training outside in the winter is going to be a challenge this year (the Polar Vortex is intense!). However, any pain and suffering that I might endure will not hold a candle to what my mother went through. She never let cancer defeat her will and spirit. I will try to not let this unbearable cold hinder my performance and drive.

My mother was treated at the Pennsylvania Hospital and the Joan Karnell Cancer Center in Philadelphia. The surgeons, doctors, and nurses that cared after my mother were all amazing and I truly thank them for helping my mother beat cancer. I am thrilled that the money raised for the Philadelphia Get Your Rear In Gear event will be benefiting the local community where my mother received her treatment, because I hope that everyone will be able to have the same type of stellar medical care. Her miraculous story was featured in the article that I wrote for Get Your Rear in Gear’s Faces of Blue series. Please click here to read it.

Last year, I was amazed by the outpouring of support that I received at the exercise related events that I organized at Gratitude Yoga, Dig Yoga, and T Cycle X!  In just several months, Team Bonded Forever managed to raise $1,435.00! I hope I can match or beat the amount this year! I have some exciting fundraising events coming up in February.  Stay tuned!

During the month of February and March, Bonded Forever will be donating a portion of its proceeds to Get Your Rear in Gear Philadelphia.  Please shop to support!

If you would like to make a donation directly, please go to Bonded Forever’s GYRIG Team Page.

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Get Your Rear in Gear Training – Week Five

by Cassandra Hoo on March 11, 2013

Posted in: Cancer Awareness

Bonded Forever Week 5 Training for Get Your Rear in Gear 2013

 #getyourrearingear

My fifth week of training was very exhilarating.  I had such a surge of energy at the beginning of the week that I was able to set a new record for myself.  On March 4th, I took a spinning class with the full intention of running as far as I could afterwards.  During the whole class, I had my eye on the prize and couldn’t wait to jump off the bike seat so that I could go for a run in the great outdoors.  I ran all the way to the Philadelphia Museum of Art and back as fast as I could.  My phone unfortunately died 1/3 of the way in, so I’m not exactly positive on the exact distance or time.  However, I estimate that I probably ran about four miles in 35 minutes.

Since I was so upset about not being able to accurately record how far I ran on Nike Plus, I decided to wake up early the next day and run until I thought my legs would fall off.  I ended up running 7 miles in just a little over an hour.  I managed to see both the Schuylkill River and the Delaware River during my journey — which is quite a feat, because I literally ran from one side of Philadelphia to the other!  The urban scenery that I passed by over the course of my run was absolutely breathtaking (literally).

I spend the rest of the week recuperating.  I took a lovely yoga class at Gratitude Yoga with my sister in New Jersey on Wednesday that challenged my strength, balance, and coordination.  My triceps burned from the overabundance of chaturangas and arm balances.  The teacher also flowed through each sequence in a very unique way.  I really had to utilize my core in order to steady myself in each of the balancing postures.

I ended my week off with my Get Your Rear in Gear Fundraiser at Lofts 640.  NaTasha Threadcraft, the owner of T Cycle X, helped me organize the event.  I really enjoyed the Zumba class and the relaxing Hatha yoga class that followed it.  Exercising for a great cause with a bunch of people that exuded positive energy was absolutely amazing!

If you would like to sign up to be on my Get Your Rear in Gear team or donate, please visit my team page.

Please follow me at @bondedforever on instagram and twitter to stay updated on my progress.

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Get Your Rear in Gear Training – Week Four

by Cassandra Hoo on March 5, 2013

Posted in: Cancer Awareness

Bonded Forever Week 4 Training for Get Your Rear in Gear 2013

#getyourrearingear

I’m really proud of my fourth week of training for the Get Your Rear in Gear 10k! I was able to run a 10k in under an hour (I ran 6.61 miles in a hour, to be exact), which is a feat that completely blew my mind. I joked to a friend that the full moon must’ve given me Forrest Gump-like distance running abilities, because once I hit the 3 mile mark, “I just kept running.” I literally felt light as air and if I could continue running forever. However, after I realized how far I had managed to run away from my home, I made the wise decision to start heading back… instead of ending up in another state or city.

For the rest of the week, I kept my training simple and smart. I took a challenging Vinyasa class taught by Yoganonymous founder, Dan Wilf, at Dhyana Yoga the day after my long run to recuperate. The rest of the week consisted of short runs mixed in with cardio classes and Pilates. I finished the week off right with a sweaty Get Your Rear in Gear fundraiser class at Gratitude Yoga.

If you would like to sign up to be on my Get Your Rear in Gear team or donate, please visit my team page.

Please follow me at @bondedforever on instagram and twitter to stay updated on my progress.

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Get Your Rear in Gear Fundraiser at Gratitude Yoga

by Cassandra Hoo on March 4, 2013

Posted in: News/Events

Team Bonded Forever’s first fundraiser event for Get Your Rear in Gear Philadelphia was very successful. I was able to raise $150 and spread awareness about Colon Cancer to a very tightly packed room of yogis. The event was held at a popular and charming donation based yoga studio in Princeton, NJ called Gratitude Yoga. Gemma Farrell, the owner of the studio, taught a wonderful and inspirational class. She truly imbues happiness, mindfulness, thoughtfulness, and tranquility with every fiber of her being. I am thankful that she graciously hosted my fundraising event at her studio and I appreciate her generous donation.

Gratitude Yoga has become my go-to yoga oasis whenever I go home to visit my family. The classes are always top notch and all of the teachers teach a practice that is challenging, playful, and alignment based. I always leave feeling refreshed, happy, and better than I did when I arrived. It is also so nice to see that my hometown now has a growing yoga community filled with talented, passionate, and fun-loving people.

It is always such a treat to be able to practice yoga next to my sister. Yoga is a shared passion for us and we always try to take a yoga class whenever we see each other. I’m glad that we were both able to be at the event together to honor our mother and support Colon Cancer awareness. We had a great time after class as well. The weather was so great and we were able to walk around Princeton, each yummy frozen Greek yogurt and health conscious pizza, and catch up on life.

I have two more fundraisers coming up. Please read, Get Your Rear in Gear 2013 Fundraiser Schedule for Team Bonded Forever, to learn about my other events. If you cannot attend one of these events and would still like to donate or sign up for the run/walk, please go to Bonded Forever’s team page.

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Get Your Rear in Gear 2013 Fundraiser Schedule for Team Bonded Forever

by Cassandra Hoo on February 23, 2013

Posted in: News/Events

GYRIG 2013 Fundraiser Schedule for Team Bonded ForeverBonded Forever has teamed up with Gratitude Yoga, T Cycle X, and Dig Yoga to help raise money for the Colon Cancer Coalition’s 2013 Get Your Rear in Gear Philadelphia run/walk event on March 17th.  The suggested donation is $15 for all three events.

Bonded Forever will be raffling off a Hope Collection Stay Grounded Supporter Bracelet at all three locations.  Please remember to sign up for the raffle when you arrive!

My favorite vegan/gluten-free bakery, Sweet Freedom, will be donating some yummy treats for Dig Yoga’s event.  T Cycle X’s classes will both have a live DJ.

If you cannot attend one of these events and would still like to donate or sign up for the run/walk, please go to Bonded Forever’s team page.

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My Global Mandala Yoga Fundraiser Class

by Cassandra Hoo on September 30, 2012

Posted in: News/Events

Instagram picture of Roland Dela Cruz and Cassandra Hoo at Gratitude Yoga 

My sister is the one responsible for encouraging me to practice yoga seriously.  Yoga has become a special shared activity that we love to talk about together when we are far apart and do together when we visit one another.  We have taken so many wonderful and meaningful yoga classes together over the years and it is always a blessing to be able to practice yoga next to my big sister/best friend.

Roland Dela Cruz's My Global Mandala PosterLuckily, during my visit to New Jersey last week, we were able to attend a benefit yoga class together to help raise money for the National Breast Cancer Foundation, Inc and ICanServe Foundation Inc.  The event was hosted at a beautiful yoga studio in Princeton, NJ called Gratitude Yoga.  Gratitude Yoga is a donation-based yoga studio that operates on an honor system.  Although the suggested donation amount is $12, yogis can anonymously pay what they can afford for every class.  The sustainable business model has served the owner, Gemma Farrell, very well.  Her classes are always packed with limber and eager learners week after week.  My sister had been telling me about this yoga studio for a while and I’m so happy that I finally got a chance to practice there.  I will definitely be back the next time that I’m in the area.

The yoga class that we attended was taught by Roland Dela Cruz.  He is the co-owner and yoga teacher of Bliss Yoga, which is located in the Philippines.  Yes, that’s right — the Philippines.  Roland left his country on September 17th, 2012 to embark on a 50 day journey around the world.  Traveling lightly with only a backpack of the essentials, a camera, and a yoga mat, he is on a mission to raise money for Breast Cancer victims, increase cancer awareness, and spread love and peace through his gift of teaching yoga.  To further educate and spread cancer awareness, Roland is documenting his journey on his blog, My Global Mandala.  I highly encourage you to subscribe to his blog so that you can live vicariously through his amazing trip.

I really enjoyed Roland’s class a lot.  His class was playful, challenging, and dynamic.  I was able to work up a sweat and also find moments of calm and stillness.  I’m thankful that I was able to attend his class and support his wonderful cause.  His 50 day excursion was motivated by his sister’s fight and survival (yay!) of Breast Cancer.  Since my own company was also inspired by a loved one’s fight and survival of cancer, I felt that Roland was a kindred spirit that I could relate to and root for.

I attended another cancer charity fundraiser last week as well.  Stay tuned to read more about it!

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