Double Trouble Play

 

This Saturday! Come PLAY!!! You get DOUBLE TROUBLE as Maria Whitley teaches 5 Stages and Martha Randall teaches Nia - both classes focusing on PLAY!

This month, as we focus on Choices for Health & Happiness, let's start the month off with how PLAY can enhance you Learn, Move & Energize your Nia practice!

See you Saturday!!! No Foolin'!!!; 8:45am Nia 5 Stages and 10:00am Nia Classic (Central US Time).

Hello everyone! Just a heads up that for Martha’s 10am class on Saturday she will be starting class by 10:10 am CT.

Maria will engage you with playful conversation post 5 Stages!


Our playlist for the morning is to the music of Cirque du Soleil.

Hope to see you on the dance floor via zoom!

When you sign up for a class you are automatically sent the Zoom link for class. The link is the same each week.

You are welcome to attend either class.

And, when you’re able to attend both classes, something magic happens! The entire Nia 5 stages class is like a rich 60 minute introduction to the 10am Nia class, a beautiful compliment and super preparation.

In this gentle, self discovering, potentially healing Nia 5 stages experience

  • your body gets to settle into and taste the Nia class focus

  • your mind can learn new and novel information,

  • your heart may open to receive more with fascination up and frustration down

  • your spirit could be tickled and curious to experience more

Embodied Authentic Healing Retreat

Our 5th Embodied Authentic Healing Retreat is coming up this month and we’d love you to join us.

Registration is now open for 2023 Embodied Authentic Healing Retreats. Each retreat is limited to 12 guests. Sign up now to secure your place and receive Early Bird Pricing Discount.

Embodied Authentic Healing Retreat
from $499.00

"The body is merely the visibility of the soul, the psyche, and the soul is the psychological experience of the body. So it is really one and the same thing." C. G. Jung

This special retreat is for curious souls wanting to go deeper into their own authentic self through:

Meditation, Dance, Moving in and through Your Body, Journaling and Sharing.

We’ll be exploring the archetypes outlined in the “Hero Within” The Classic Guide, Updated for Our Contemporary World

A modern classic of Jungian psychology, The Hero Within has helped hundreds of thousands of people enrich their lives by revealing how to tap the power of the archetypes that exist within. Drawing from literature, anthropology, and psychology, author Carol S. Pearson clearly defines six heroic archetypes—the Innocent, the Orphan, the Wanderer, the Warrior, the Altruist, and the Magician—and shows how we can use these powerful guides to discover our own hidden gifts, solve difficult problems, and transform our lives with rich sources of inner strength.

Very special rates have been created especially for this retreat.

Rates are per person and include all meals.

OPTIONS

Stay and enjoy all the wonders Soma Ranch has to offer

Each residential option is a fully inclusive of Dinner, Breakfast and Lunch, classes, workshops and all amenities (Sauna, Hot Tub, Pool, Donkeys, Teas, Coffees, Water).

  • Dormitory QUAD Large spacious heated/air-conditioned room with 1 queen bed, 10 Twin Beds. SHARED BY 4 PEOPLE. Share 3 bathrooms.

  • Semi Private Room with 2 Full Beds SHARED BY 2 PEOPLE

  • Private Room with 1 King or Queen Bed private bathroom.

All accommodation and retreat rates include a $100 non refundable deposit.

Rock STARs at Soma

We had a GRAND time hosting Rock Star teachers at Soma Ranch. More stories will unfold over the next few weeks. For now we hope you enjoy these photos which capture several special moments.

April Challenge of Choices for Health and Happiness

 

Each month for 2023 we feature a New Fun Challenge (See full list below).

For the month of April welcome to our focus of "Choices for Health + Happiness"

Focus: 3 stages of practice: Learn, Move, Energize

Intent: Move to Heal and Condition Your Soma

Sign up: https://www.somaranch.com/booking/nia-challenge

All 30 classes are provided online via Zoom.

The “challenge” will provide a variety of modalities including Nia, Moving to Heal, Feldenkrais, Ageless Grace, 52 Moves, Move IT, offered by a stellar team of teachers, Helen Terry + Rock Stars and Special Guests.

How to give gratitude for being able to move, feel vibrant, healthy and well, from an abundance of choice and variety.

Would you like to join us? Gain support and encouragement from a lovely welcoming community? Be inspired to develop a daily practice of self care through movement.

https://www.somaranch.com/booking/nia-challenge

When you sign up for the April 30 day challenge by March 28th you can bring a friend for FREE!

Receive 30 classes that include: 30 mins, 60 mins, Nia, Nia 5 Stages, Feldenkrais, Fabulous Rock Stars and Saturday Special guests.

Program includes Support, Coaching, Education, Community, Connection and lots of laughs along the way.

All for $99.

When bringing a guest for free for the month thank you for completing the following form. The only information required is your Name and Email address and your Guest’s Name and Email address, the other information is optional (helpful when available), then scroll to the bottom and click submit.

Happy and Sad News

Good morning.

How are you? I hope all is well in your world. I'm in San Diego, heading to RLP in the morning. Here's the website if you'd like to check it out https://rancholapuerta.com.

Today I have both happy and sad news. After a successful weekend with our team of teachers getting together at Soma Ranch, 2 Nia friends have died. Micheline Rosenfeld and Liz Gans. They were both dear friends, who i’ve known for decades. They were integral members of the NiaMoves studio and each had a special place in my heart. I’ll share more about these incredible women next week.

With the death of dear ones I’m yet again reminded of the preciousness of life. Although my heart aches and I think likely, if you knew them, yours does too, I see their smiling faces from heaven, pain free full of glee, dancing with angels. I believe what they wish of me and you is to dance, live life fully and truly make a difference while on this planet.

Big thank you to Kellie Chambers, Choreographer of Bloom, who is teaching Saturday morning classes on my behalf. She’s teaching Bloom with the focus BASE. Today is a great day to ground and dance.

Thank you to the team of teachers who are covering classes this week. Kelly Marie Harris is teaching Monday and Thursday at 10am and Maria Whitley and Martha Randall are teaching next Saturday.

I wish you a blessed day,

Helen

The Base with Bloom

 

Kellie Chambers leads both Saturday morning class this week; 8:45am Nia 5 Stages and 10:00am Nia Classic (Central US Time).

Focus: Base: connect to the sensation of our foundation,

Intent: to root our energy and stimulate movement and growth from underneath and behind.

Routine: Bloom

We hope you’re able to enjoy her “debut” to the Saturday morning “double scoop” experience.

When you sign up for a class you are automatically sent the Zoom link for class. The link is the same each week.

“We will move to connect with our base as a powerful, dynamic and grounded foundation to stimulate movement variety for our whole body”
— Kellie Chambers

You are welcome to attend either class.

And, when you’re able to attend both classes, something magic happens! The entire Nia 5 stages class is like a rich 60 minute introduction to the 10am Nia class, a beautiful compliment and super preparation.

In this gentle, self discovering, potentially healing Nia 5 stages experience

  • your body gets to settle into and taste the Nia class focus

  • your mind can learn new and novel information,

  • your heart may open to receive more with fascination up and frustration down

  • your spirit could be tickled and curious to experience more

The BASE: with feet, like hands, that touch the earth
— Nia 5 Stages

Feeling lucky and blessed

Hello! Happy St Patty’s day. Joe and I feel incredibly lucky and blessed. We appreciate you, how you show an interest in Soma Ranch through these news updates and also all the lovely people who come to stay (or share their desire to visit “Soma Sometime Soon” ;-).

Today we have Nia teachers and trainers coming in from all over the US and Canada for our “Rock Star” weekend retreat. These wonderful women are part of our 30 day movement challenge, the program we offer every month.

This weekend is the first time we’ve got together. Connecting in person here at the ranch, whether it be enjoying a conversation over lunch, a giggle in the pool, an exhale in the sauna or sharing a tip about playlists or teaching, is extremely moving. These very special nuggets of time spent together are truly delicious.

We’d love you to join us at any of the public classes, Helen is teaching Lauren Daigle “look up” at 5pm Friday, Inno 10am Saturday. Jams are taught by at team of teachers.

we have 4 regular classes included and 3 additional special event classes: The zoom links have been emailed to Newsletter recipients, is posted at https://www.facebook.com/groups/helenterry and if need be email info@somaranch.com to receive the link.

 

REGULAR classes:

8:45am 3/18, Saturday Nia 5 Stages

10:00am 3/18, Saturday Nia

10:00am 3/20, Monday

Use class pass or pay here

Special EVENTS:

Friday 3/17, 5pm Move with Helen

Saturday 3/18, 5pm Move with Supa Stars

Sunday 10am 3/19, Move with Rock Stars

Make a donation, Attend Class.

in the last 24 hours we’ve enjoyed local Tex Mex, team taught class, visit Deer Lake Lodge, checked out Margaritaville and had a boat load of fun :-) Now getting geared up for our “official” beginning at 3pm.

Special Events during Rock Star Retreat

This year Helen Terry shifted from a “me to a we” bringing a team of teachers together to lead the monthly 30 day challenges. This special weekend retreat is getting the team together for fun, support and coaching. During this “Fabulous Rock Star” Retreat March 17 - 19, you are invited to attend some special classes and events.

“Master Teachers” are fellow trainers and upper level teachers who have VAST experience.

“Rock Star Teachers” are fabulous Nia teachers with less experience and wonderful talent.

Some members of the team are returning and others it will be their first time here. We hope you can join a class and meet these fabulous teachers.

These opportunities are available hybrid, that is both ONLINE via Zoom and in person at Soma Ranch.

All experiences are part of our annual St Jude fundraiser.

Make a donation to our NEW 2024 St Jude Fundraiser with the link below and enjoy as many classes as you would like March 17 - 19.

Congratulations Nia Green Belts

Congratulations Nia Green Belts. What an honor to share this experience with you at Soma Ranch, for friendships to deepen and opportunities to open.

Dreams come true and deep long lasting friendships are often fostered during a Nia Training at Soma Ranch. Certainly the case for this group who manifested incredible connections and camaraderie together, not to mention effervescent giggles in the hot tub, under the stars!

This was Alice’s first time to visit Soma Ranch.

She returns to Williamsburg MA, inspired to continue to share Nia with her local community.

As an already practiced, trained and successful teacher Alice appreciated sharpening her skills and learning new ways to learn and develop Nia Routines.

 

Dawn has visited Soma Ranch several times. She returns to Dallas TX, feeling “light, grounded, refreshed and inspired”.

She teaches both Moving to Heal and Classic Nia classes and feels she now has the drills and skills to take her classes to the next level where she can relax, listen and dance to the music and enjoy the experience even more.

 

Lovely to see Ines again (for her 3rd visit to Soma Ranch)

Ines returns to New Jersey, happy and keen to return to her well established classes.

As a very experienced and knowledgable Nia Practitioner and teacher, Ines enjoyed picking up things she didn’t catch the first time she attended her green belt.

 

Jane returns to Colorado inspired to explore the possibility of teaching. She’s part of a lovely, caring local community.

Her teacher back home is already encouraging Jane to take the next step and teach a song in her class. Support and encouragement at its best!

 

Kelly Marie returns to Cut-N-Shoot ,TX, inspired and ready to take her teaching to the next level. She’s feeling more confident and especially competant with regards cueing and sustaining her ability to deeply listen to the music and sense her body as she teaches.

As part of the “Fabulous Rock Star” Soma Teaching team, serving the 30 day Challenge program, Kelly is delighted by how her practice and teaching skills are developing.

 

Congratulations Nia Green Belts! YOU inspire, support and encourage us to keep on keepin’ on at Soma Ranch. Now, as we say in Texas “y’all come back and see us soon now, y’ah here!”

Soma Class Rates
from $20.00
  • $20 | 1 class

  • $75 | 5 class pass (3 month expiration) ($15 per class)

  • $130 | 10 class pass (3 month expiration) ($13 per class)

  • $99 | 30 Day Journey, 30 Classes, ALL 8am + 10am ($3.30 per class)

  • $75 | Day Retreat(click for more Info)

  • $25 | Lunch or Dinner

  • $96 | 60 min massage

  • $145 | 90 min massage

30 Day Hero‘s Journey Benefits:

  1. unlimited 10am + 8am Classes for 30 days

  2. bring a “new to the journey” friend to class for a month

  3. enjoy before and after class conversations and nuggets

  4. receive automatic 24HR replays via email

Congratulations Kinga

Kinga attended the first Nia White Belt in Hungary, Budapest, 13 years ago with Helen Terry. She’s since been on an amazing journey, taking many more Nia trainings, hosting Helen Terry for annual trainings in Budapest and other fellow Nia trainers for special events, retreats and much more.

Kinga has crafted a beautiful studio, with a wonderful community, she's put in the work, she's dreamed big and not given up and now all of these important factors have come together.

Saturday, March 12, Kinga started her 1st Nia White Belt with an amazing group of 17 participants (curiously the same number who attended when Kinga was taking the course for the first time.

Dear Kinga,
Congratulations!!
like your wonderful supportive family,
I’m so proud of you,
your accomplishments, your resilience,
your determination and dedication,
how you dream big and never give up.
— Helen Terry

Here’s 3 lovely photos of the training “set up”, “dance”, “Celebrate” photos as they step into this historical moment in time for King, Hungary and Nia Technique.

The Voice of Mobility and Stability

 

Natasha Villeneuve leads both Saturday morning class this week; 8:45am Nia 5 Stages and 10:00am Nia Classic (Central US Time).

Natasha brings a beautiful relaxed presence, with a grounded approach, her voice and phrases are delicious, she moves wonderfully and brings wonderful joy to the experience. We hope you’re able to enjoy her “debut” to the Saturday morning “double scoop” experience.

When you sign up for a class you are automatically sent the Zoom link for class. The link is the same each week.

The Body’s Way demands simultaneous Mobility and Stability
— Nia

You are welcome to attend either class.

And, when you’re able to attend both classes, something magic happens! The entire Nia 5 stages class is like a rich 60 minute introduction to the 10am Nia class, a beautiful compliment and super preparation.

In this gentle, self discovering, potentially healing Nia 5 stages experience

  • your body gets to settle into and taste the Nia class focus

  • your mind can learn new and novel information,

  • your heart may open to receive more with fascination up and frustration down

  • your spirit could be tickled and curious to experience more

Dynamic Ease in Stability feels like you are “on top of the world”
— Nia 5 Stages

Rock Star Natasha leads a Somatic Double Scoop

Natasha Villeneuve has been part of the Soma Ranch Rock Star team since January 2023., leading fabulous 30 minute classes that are part of our monthly 30 day Challenge.

This weekend Natasha steps into teaching her first "Saturday Double Scoop". This is where she will lead both a 8:45am (Central US time) Nia 5 Stages and a 10:00am Classic Nia Class. These are Public Classes, that means you can experience these classes even when you’re not part of the 30 day challenge! Come check out what all the fun is all about.

The focus for both classes is Stability and Mobility. The 10am class will be the Nia routine called Sacred. Natasha shares

"For the past few months I have had the honour to be part of a NIA teaching team with some of my amazing peers and trainer Helen Terry. So far the classes I've taught have mostly been for members of Helen's 30 day monthly NIA challenge. This Saturday March 11th I will be teaching two online classes back-to-back: 8:45am CT NIA 5 STAGES (a healing/movement meditation class) and 10:00am CT Classic NIA. Both will have a focus of Stability and Mobility. These classes are open to the public and I'd LOVE for you to join us! ....

It would be super fun to move and groove with you!"

“For the past few months I have had the honour to be part of a NIA teaching team with some of my amazing peers and trainer Helen Terry.
So far the classes I’ve taught have mostly been for members of Helen’s 30 day monthly NIA challenge.

This Saturday March 11th I will be teaching two online classes back-to-back: 8:45am CT NIA 5 STAGES (a healing/movement meditation class) and 10:00am CT Classic NIA.

These classes are open to the public and I’d LOVE for you to join us! .... It would be super fun to move and groove with you!”
— Natasha Villeneuve

For more information about our monthly 30 day challenge visit https://www.somaranch.com/booking/nia-challenge

To drop in to a class online sign up here, https://www.somaranch.com/booking/soma-class-rates you'll automatically be sent an email with the link for the zoom class.

To contact Helen at Soma Ranch email helen@somaranch.com or text 832-567-4550.

For more information about Nia click www.nianow.com

Monday Cuppa, 11am March 6

Yes! we begin a new annual FundRaiser for St Jude. For the 2023 race we raised over $8000 for St Jude. This 1st Monday Community Cuppa will be our first event for the new 2024 race Fundraiser.

Let’s get together, celebrate, connect and kick off our fundraiser in a GRAND way.

Next “Cuppa” is Monday, March 13th.

Yes! our “Monthly Monday Coffee” connections are WONDERFUL…

Every month, (most often) the first Monday, we meet up after 10am Nia class to connect, enjoy a cuppa and have a grand time.

Coffee, tea, kombucha, snacks and time to hang, get to know each other better, help and support.

This is one of our community events where 100% donations collected go towards St Jude, our “Soma Selected” charity of choice.

Our goal is to raise $8000 for St. Jude. We collect donations at our monthly “Monday Coffee Connection”, Soma Faith classes and Special Events throughout the year.

On Monday entertain 10am Nia Class, then connect with our lovely community with coffee, teas and snacks. We hope you can join us.

We have a great time listening to each other’s thoughts, challenges and successes. We provide support and offer prayers.

Consider enjoying a “double play” with

  • 10:00am Nia

  • 11:00am 1st Monday Cuppa

Happy Month of Variety

Happy March and welcome to our month of Variety! This month we focus on variety, including the 9 personalities of Nia (Martial Arts, Dance Arts, Healing Arts) with an array of talented teachers and some fabulous opportunities.

  1. Helen Kicks off the month with Nia Classes and more

  2. Enjoy Special classes during NIa Green Belt

  3. Explore Special JAM events during our Rock Star retreat

  4. Experience Guest teachers (or come to Rancho La Puerta with Helen!)

 

Each month for 2023 we feature a New Fun Challenge (See full list below).

For the month of March welcome to our focus on variety. We are including a feature of all the 9 personalities of Nia. How we draw from the wisdom of Martial Arts, Dance Arts and Healing Arts.

Explore how variety can be the spice of body and life. How we can sustain motivation, be stimulated through engaged content and meaningful connection.

Our intent is for everybody in the monthly challenge group to feel lucky/blessed, to be both stretched and supported. For us to enjoy and celebrate all the variety we can experience for our Body and our Life.

The “challenge” will provide a variety of modalities including Nia, Moving to Heal, Feldenkrais, Ageless Grace, 52 Moves, Move IT, offered by a stellar team of teachers, Helen Terry + Rock Stars and Special Guests.

How to give gratitude for being able to move, feel vibrant, healthy and well, from an abundance of choice and variety.

Would you like to join us? Gain support and encouragement from a lovely welcoming community? Be inspired to develop a daily practice of self care through movement.

https://www.somaranch.com/booking/nia-challenge

When you sign up for the March 30 day challenge by February 28th you can bring a friend for FREE!

Receive 30 classes that include: 30 mins, 60 mins, Nia, Nia 5 Stages, Feldenkrais, Fabulous Rock Stars and Saturday Special guests.

Program includes Support, Coaching, Education, Community, Connection and lots of laughs along the way.

All for $99.

Inno: An Adapted Movement Experience

10am Sunday, March 5, during the Nia Green Belt we are offering an extra class (ONLINE via zoom and In PERSON at Soma Ranch.

INNO is a movement experience created by Helen Terry, adapted from the Nia Routine Bloom.

An Adapted Movement experience is where Helen plays with the choreography from an Original Nia Routine (Bloom) and adapts the moves to the new music. The new music in the INNO experience is a playlist that evolved from Helen’s quest to find music for the “Return to Innocence” Archetype experience, one of the sessions/features in the Soma Ranch, Authentic Healing Retreat.

Thank you fellow Nia Teachers for your fabulous suggestions for “return to innocence” songs. I hope you like this playlist.
— Helen Terry ~ Soma Ranch

Nia teachers out there, are encouraged to replicate/play with the experience.

  1. Let the choreography from the first 2 songs of Bloom blend into the first song of “Inno”,

  2. The rest of the tunes adapt well, song for song, all the way through Warm up, Get Moving and Cool Down

  3. In the Floorplay cycle, improvise your way to stepping out ~ “take it home”!

In Nia Technique we have a wonderful system called 8BCs where we can decode music with a system of counting, noting and distinguishing patterns in the music. Here’s some examples of the bars to this movement experience.

 
 

FYI The app Helen uses to decode the song, and structure these bars, was created by her daughter, Liliana Terry. It’s an excellent brain training and music app called “Map My Song” that can be used to decode music and create “bars”.

Available for download at the apple store: https://apps.apple.com/bg/app/map-my-song/id1448811230

The Voice of Spine, Flex, Extend, Coil, Uncoil

 

We'd be thrilled if you'd like to join us ONLINE this Saturday morning.

Our focus is Spine. How we Flex, Extend, Coil and Uncoil

The spine is an incredible architectural design.
One of the strongest parts of the body,
A tremendous amount of force is required to injure the spine.
Our spine is flexible, agile,
mobile and stable,
designed to bear weight and absorb shock
— Nia 5 Stages

With the intent to go deeply into loving our body, sensing our spine and imagining

Nia 5 Stages 8:45am CST with Helen Terry

Part of the learning methodology of Nia 5 stages lessons, to bring a greater holistic fascination when learning about the body, through utilizing different approaches: Look, Listen, Imagine. For example

LOOK at the 4 curves of the spine cervical, thoracic, lumbar, sacral, how each move differently based on their shape and design.

LISTEN to the voice of spine: my unique sections reveal how i’m designed to move in several ways, flex, extend, coil, uncoil and rotate

IMAGINE Your spine as a third arm, with your sacrum and coxyx at the bottom like a third hand.

Nia 10am Class with Helen Terry

Focus: Spine

Intent: Sense variety and freedom of movement

Step in to this wonderful Nia routine Bloom as we step in to a new month sensing movement variety of the spine, how we can flex, extend, coil and uncoil.

When you sign up for a class you are automatically sent the Zoom link for class. The link is the same each week.

Get a Free Taster

Two Free Taster Classes here for you. What better way to test drive our 30 day challenge!

30 day challenge of Variety. Enjoy 30 classes in 30 days with education, entertainment, love and support. Click here for more information

Enjoy these 2 free sample classes (30 min class and 60 min class with Helen Terry) .

These are copies of the email that gets sent out each day, including your daily class recording, during your 30 day challenge

—————————————-

RECORDING DAY 1

FOCUS: Sensation

INTENT: Taste Variety

ROUTINE: A-G Helen Mix

MUSIC: https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/h-r-varietyag/pl.u-06ov69WT0xWK4

TEACHER: Helen

COMMENTS: Welcome to a New Month. Thank you for all the lovely introductions, great to get to know you and hope you enjoy flavoring a taste of our group and what is to come...

RECORDING SPEAKER VIEW: https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/uEoMdgGR6waaqe23pIZDd2yO1arEGjSD96Cl6X9wHCG9U2-liwNp0sHlQHzbS6bY.V_RT-UyOxTVyiQ2I

NATURAL TIME SIGNATURE OF THE DAY: (go to www.13moon.com to find the color of the day, in summary the rotation is Red, White, Blue, Yellow. Today is a blue day, and tomorrow will be Yellow.

Kin 27: Blue Magnetic Hand Your Galactic Affirmation is: I Unify in order to Know Attracting Healing I seal the Store of Accomplishment With the Magnetic tone of Purpose I am guided by my own power doubled

———————————————

March, "Variety" RECORDING DAY 2

FOCUS: 13 Joints

INTENT: open your gates and sense movement personalities/energy moving through you

ROUTINE: Helen's Simple Kata Formula

MUSIC: Nia Routine Deep Dive

TEACHER: Helen

COMMENTS: Welcome to our exploration of variety, including the 9 personalities of Nia that I introduce today: Tai Chi, Tae Kwon Do, Aikido, Jazz, Modern, Duncan, the work of Moshe Feldenkrais, Yoga, Alexander Technique

RECORDING SPEAKER VIEW:

https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/J7PCH5QE6yzMpfQr15hPHwPO-uZN2y-5Iwcco-uv55MIe3JmPzPI_rFp0xsIz_0g.NEJ8gaLGB4CePfEb

NATURAL TIME SIGNATURE OF THE DAY:

Kin 28: Yellow Lunar Star
Your Galactic Affirmation is:
I Polarize in order to Beautify
Stabilizing Art
I seal the Store of Elegance
With the Lunar tone of Challenge
I am guided by the power of Universal Fire

We did it! $8000 for St Jude

Thank you everyone who donated. Together we crossed the finish line and raised more than $8000

As one of St. Jude Heroes I promise to raise a minimum of $5000 every year, and I hope to do this for as many years as possible. Ideally until the year I die!

Like previous years, this run was a moving and emotional experience.

  • I sense y’all, the donors with me, and feel your support

  • I imagine friends/donors at home tracking on the app, cheering me on

  • I think of my dear friends who have died from Cancer.

  • I smile and wave at all the supporters cheering

  • I deeply appreciate my husband, Joe, “the donkey”. He accompanies me to the starting gate, carries all my gear, waits “on call” at the finish line to congratulate me,

The race is through the streets of Vegas (it's the one night they close down the traffic) We run down the strip with amazing lights, fabulous cheers from the crowd and live bands playing all along the course!

I love supporting an organization who is committed to research and ensuring families with children with cancer don't have the added financial stress of bills while their little loved ones navigate treatment.

I love the idea of y’all running with me,
together we crossed the finish line.
Raising $8000+ for St Jude
— Helen Terry, St Jude Hero

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital is an organization very close to my heart. Growing up I had a friend die from leukemia. When I moved to Houston a dear friend, called Liliana (who I named my daughter after) was at MD Anderson for an experimental research project in the hope she'd win her battle with cancer. The program gave her 2 years of joy, including our fast and furiously fun friendship. Unfortunately she then declined suddenly and died from cancer..

I finished 36 out of 468 for my age group!. My time was a personal best at 2:05. Close enough to the 2 hour mark I am inspired this year to train more specifically, with the aim to run below a 2:00 HR 1/2 marathon next year. https://marathonhandbook.com/sub-2-hour-half-marathon-training-plan/

I could never put into words what St. Jude means to our family,” Katie says. “They saved my baby boy not once, but twice. The care, dedication and love that are in the hospital are phenomenal. St. Jude will forever hold a special place in my heart.
— Katie Bruce, mother of Ryan

Thank you to the following who have already donated (updated list coming Saturday)