Want to get fit and give back at the same time?

You can help put an end to Multiple Sclerosis (MS) by participating in the Rona MS Bike Tour. Join 100s of people on Sunday September 13th and ride 30km or 55km for MS. This Tour is a perfect fit for cyclists of all levels. Centrally located in Centennial Park in Etobicoke, you will cycle along scenic bike trails and city streets before returning to the park for a barbecue lunch. Bring the whole family or make it a company outing. 

Since 1989, the RONA MS Bike Tours have combined fun with fundraising as cyclists of all ages and fitness levels ride to end MS. The Tours include food and beverages, rest stops, cyclist support vehicles, first aid, basic bike repair services, and a finish line massage and barbecue.  

In order to participate, you must raise a minimum of $250 in pledges to be eligible for a variety of prizes based on amount raised.  A registration fee for the event also applies. You can also sponsor participants online by visiting the official Rona MS Bike Tour Blog, GearingUp.ca

Multiple Sclerosis is an unpredictable illness that can cause vision and speech problems, extreme fatigue, lack of balance and coordination, and even paralysis. The physical, emotional, and financial effects of MS last a lifetime. Currently, there is no cure.

Why participate in the RONA MS Bike Tour? Because you can, while many Canadians effected by Multiple Sclerosis cannot.

Visit the official blog GearingUp.ca, and sign up for the Toronto Tour. 

This entry was written by a volunteer for the MS Society.

For years I have been reading about all these cool fusion workouts I could be doing if I lived in New York or L.A. Things like the Skinny Jeans Workout or Body Architect Xpress just don’t seem to be classes offered in the Toronto area. But I thought my luck may have changed when a friend mentioned this place called Spynga to me.

What is Spynga?

According to their website, Spynga is Toronto’s first spinning and cycling studio and is run by two childhood friends (why can’t I ever do something like this with my friends?). Their trademark class is a spinning/yoga combo called Spynga (spinning + yoga = spynga). You climb on a spinning bike for 25 minutes and then jump off the bike and start to do yoga for the next 25 minutes. This class was definitely appealing to me. I get to sweat and stretch at the same time. I also was convinced that this workout was as close to L.A. as I was going to get in the next 12 months. I had to try it.

So, one dark and dreary December night after work I made the trek to St.Clair West to try this out. Getting there was, to be honest, kind of scary. Not a big fan of walking down Bathurst in the dark. I arrived at the building and was a bit confused as I wasn’t sure I had the right address. There seemed to be a lot of offices in there dealing with unemployment and career placement. Turned out I was in the right building, so I made my way to the studio (Tip: Don’t try to walk up the stairs to the 3rd floor studio as you can’t seem to get past the 2nd floor. Just take the elevator).

If I didn’t know that I was in the right place I knew that I definitely was when I arrived at the 3rd floor. The music was pounding. Excellent. I love loud and fun music while taking an exercise class. Upon arrival, I signed up for the Spynga flow class. I don’t think I have ever been this excited before taking a class before.

Then the class began and my excitement levels dropped. I don’t know if it was just the class I was taking, but it just didn’t really work for me. Both the spinning and the yoga portions of the class were mediocre. I’ve had better elsewhere. I actually felt like the instructor didn’t really know how to explain yoga. Best part of the experience was the adjustment at the end with some aloe/lavender cream. The other reviews of this place have been great, but I think like me everyone is getting caught up in the novelty of this workout and not the actual specifics of it. I’d be curious to meet someone who is a regular there. To be fair I may have just gotten the wrong instructor.

Where to find Spynga: 1415 Bathurst Street (just south of St. Clair Ave) Suite 302 Toronto, Ontario M5R 3H8 Canada