Photo & Video recap of the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer in SF

Skimble guest writer, Ariana Vanrenen:

This past weekend, July 9-10, I walked a total of 41.9 miles for the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer SF with my best friend Ariana and boyfriend Sameer.   We woke at 5am on Sat to get to Fort Mason for opening ceremonies and began the walk at 7am, along with 2,000 other walkers. For the next 10 hours we walked through San Francisco all the way up to Corte Madera in Marin county — a total of 26.2 miles, a full marathon!

We signed up for the walk way back in December – when Sameer suggested we go to an introductory meeting where we ended up registering for the walk. We all decided to do it in memory of my mom, who died of breast cancer when I was 9, and to honor Ariana’s Aunt Karen, who is a survivor. For all of us, breast cancer was something that hit close to home and a cause that we wanted to be involved in.

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On Saturday, the day and miles went much quicker than we had imagined, with the support of others walking with us, cheering stations along the way, as well as rest stops with water, snacks and lovely porta-potties. However, around mile 20, we started to slow down a bit as walkers spread out more and pain began to set into our feet, shins and knees. Yet, we continued on and were eventually greeted by a field of cheerers and bright pink tents at the Wellness Village in Corte Madera. It reminded Ariana and I of Harry Potter’s visit to the Quidditch World Cup, but without the fabulous magical tents ;p

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After camping out in the Wellness Village for the night, we began again at 7am to walk the remaining 15.7 miles. The second day had the option of doing a half marathon and taking a bus, or adding a few extra miles to walk directly to the finish line at Fort Mason. We decided to finish strong and walk all the way to the finish line – where we had friends and Skimble family waiting for us!

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The entire Avon event was very well organized, from the rest stops that provided us with fuel to continue, to the cheering vans blasting music and helping us to keep walking (or dancing…), to the meals provided by Project Open Hand at the Wellness Village. 


Walking almost 42 miles was a challenge to say the least – the time and strain on your body definitely was both physically and mentally enduring. However, it was for a great cause and the weekend helped us to feel connected to a sea of strangers supporting the same cause while remembering the ones we have lost (my mom) and the ones that we still have (Aunt Karen). It felt great to be a part of that community. For me, it was also much more. It was a time to remember my mom in a setting where it’s ok to cry and it’s ok to be moved by other people’s stories of loss or hope – and where I have the time to do this without worrying about work or my busy schedule. I could never have done it without the support of Ariana and Sameer at my side, having them there made it amazing beyond words. 

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After such a positive experience, we want to continue to be involved with the Avon Walk. Next year, we are planning to volunteer for the San Francisco walk and hopefully the following year we can travel to a new city to participate in the walk.  Think about something you feel strongly about, it will bring you strength and courage at your toughest of hours!

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Skimble gets with the Rock Health accelerator program to help you mobilize your fitness this summer!

Team Skimble is rocking out today!  We’re thrilled to announce that we will be as part of the inaugural Rock Health program this summer in San Francisco.

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Our mission is to enable and empower an entrepreneurial cure for the relative lack of innovation in the health sector. The world of patient care and healthy living is foreign to the technological creativity found in social media, games and other verticals. Rock Health directly targets the gap between these ecosystems, enabling high-impact innovation. – Halle Tecco, Managing Director of Rock Health

We’ve been fortunate to grow organically thus far and lead with top free Healthcare & Fitness apps.  We’re pysched to continue to spread our active wings with the support and encouragement of the health and fitness community at large!

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Rock Health partners include Mayo Clinic, Nike, Accel Partners, NEAAberdare Ventures, Mohr DavidowHarvard Medical School, Microsoft and Qualcomm to name a few.

We’ll also have access to an incredible support team along with rockstar mentors such as Linda Avey, co-founder of 23andMe, Frank Moss, MIT Media Lab director, Michael Abbott, VP of Engineering at Twitter, Ron Gutman, founder of HealthTap & Wellsphere, Dave Morin, co-founder of PathEmily Chang, co-founder of IdeacodesLee Byron, interactive information designer at Facebook, and Charles Huang, co-founder of GuitarHero.

And, we’re in great company!  Skimble will have the pleasure to bunk with these Rock Health startups over the summer program: Activate Health, BrainBotCellScopeGenomeraHealth In ReachHeart BeatOmada HealthPipetteWeSprout

A few articles: AllThingsD/WSJ, TechCrunchMobileHealthNews, FierceMobileXonomy

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The program begins in two weeks.  Stay tuned for more updates including that of the Rock Health Startup Launch Event at our new office space!

Photo Recap: Workout in the Park SF, supporting Breast Cancer with SELF Magazine & Biggest Loser’s Ali Sweeney

This past weekend was Self Magazine’s Workout in the Park event in SF.  Skimble was on site to join the fun, taking part in sweat-inducing outdoor fitness classes such as Masala Bhangra, Cardio Tai Box and laBLAST with ABC’s Dancing with the Stars‘ dancer and choreographer, Louis Van Amstel.  The momentum was unstoppable with a field of strong, inspired women making high-impact moves for Breast Cancer!  Here are a series of heart-warming pics from the day’s fit events:

Skimble‘s Maria and Lombardi Sports’ Ilana keep it cool and work out in shades:

Many partners came out to play including Popchips, ClifBarZico, Hint Water, Puma, AsicsReebokAthleta, LucyJockeyNiveaGarnierCrunch & more.

What a beautiful day to get out and work out at Crissy Fields!

There was even a guest appearance by the lovely Alison Sweeney, host of NBS’ The Biggest Loser and author of The Mommy Diet…perhaps you remember her from her role in Days of our Lives?! 🙂

Fitness Fair: free exercise classes. Climb with Skimble at Lombardi Sports. Yoga, dance, Zumba & more for NotForSale & LiftingUpLives.

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Join us for Fitness Fair this weekend, March 26-27th, and enjoy a ton of free fitness classes!

Last fall, we held Fitness Fair to raise awareness for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Back by popular demand, Fitness Fair will help support two great causes, Not for Sale and Lifting Up Lives. The two-day event will be held at Lombardi Sports and will feature an ensemble of trainers and exercise gurus from gyms and fitness centers around the neighborhood.  Free classes include Zumba, yoga, free-runs, urban bootcamp, boxing, rock climbing and more!

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Skimble is getting psyched to teach you to climb on Sunday…just bring your positive self and we’ll supply everything else you’ll need to get started. Here’s the schedule:

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Saturday, March 26
9am – Run Club
10am – Boxing
11am – Spring Training
12pm – Good Form Running Clinic
1pm -Yoga
2pm – Zumba
3pm – Hip Hop
4pm – Yoga
5pm – Zumba
6pm – Yoga

Sunday, March 27
11am – Partner Inversion Yoga
12pm – Rock Climbing
1pm – Zumba
2pm – Personal Training
3pm – Zumba
4pm – Yoga
5pm – Dance Yoga

See you this weekend at Lombardi Sports, located at 1600 Jackson St. San Francisco, CA 94109.

 

Social Media Week: JUMP with Zozi, 500 Startups & House of Air

Yesterday was JUMP night at House of Air – an evening of getting “social while back-flipping like Trekkies in Captain Kirk’s space simulator“!  The fabulous JUMP event was presented by Zozi500 Startups and House of Air to celebrate Social Media Week in San Francisco.  Of course, Skimble was psyched to head over and join in the jumping fun.  Jumping, you say?..yep.  Take a look:

Here’s TJ Sassani (founder/CEO of Zozi) and Maria Ly (co-founder/Chief Skimbler of Skimble) getting ready to ‘flip out’:

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Maria goes for the back tuck:

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TJ busts out a toe-touch:

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Intrigued?  All this outrageous fun can be yours at House of Air, the new trampoline park built in an old airplane hanger along Crissy Fields in SF.

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More pics can be found on Zozi’s Facebook page, courtesy of @photo:

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   Bouncy backflips not your style?  Discover some other adventures at Zozi.com.  They’ll help you discover sweet deals on vibrant things to do…things like rock climbing trips, dessert expeditions and group windsurfing lessons!

Rock the Steps! SF events for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation with Lombardi Sports, CrunchGym, Lululemon, YogaWorks, JBodyworks, RedBull, Skimble & more

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Rock the Steps is a series of SF events developed to help raise awareness and funds in support of Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.  These events are spearheaded by the Conquistador Climbers, an SF community-based team of personal trainers, fitness enthusiasts and location businesses.  Join Skimble founder Maria and step it up at these local events:

Sept 9th, 6:00pm-8:00pm: Happy Hour @ SOM Bar

    There will be a drink special where the proceed go towards CFF.  There’ll be a basketball hoop / arcade machine and the people who throw a certain amount of points within a time frame will have a round on Red Bull‘s tab!  

    Sept 11th, 9:00am-1:00pm: Fit-Fair @ Lombardi Sports  

      The day begins at 9:00am with a Run Club and continues with a 10:00am-1:00pm Lombardi‘s rooftop fitness day including some amazing classes including Yoga, Bootcamp and Kick Abs with live DJ sets.  There’s also going to be a raffle with lots of gear & service prizes to be won!

        Sept 11th, 8:00pm-late: Rock the Night @ Skimble  

        It’s Maria‘s Bday fundraiser and Rock the Steps’ Fit-Fair after party.  Think music, video, cupcakes, cocktails, props, prizes & more!

        Sept 18th, 8:30am-12:00pm: Cystic Fibrosis Climb for Life @ One Sansome Skyscraper

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          The Conquistador Climbers will climb 40 flights of stairs to the top of One Sansome Skyscraper in downtown San Francisco.  Our team goal is to raise $10,000 for CFF.  Please help by donating now.

          Thanks!