Girls Came Out to Play aroundLA with Personal Trainer Chris Hollis
She’s cute. She’s fun. She’s fit. Is she you?
That’s the tagline I came up with back in 2020 when I launched my first blog merch item, thee aroundLA rider cap.
It was the product of encouragement and inspiration from one of my closest, long-standing girlfriends from back home in Louisiana. Talking regularly, Taylor knew about my lil’ blog idea and decided “my girl, YOU ARE A BRAND! Ouuu, uhnt uhn, I’m getting you hats made.” She bought a few hats from one of her fav discount stores that only she has the energy to sift thru, then got #aroundLAwithTK across the front. She mailed them to my brother’s place in New Orleans, as I was there a few months recharging while Los Angeles had completely closed down in response to the sudden spread of COVID-19. After my stay in thee original LA, I returned to L.A. reinvigorated.
Related: Starting is hard. Being consistent is even harder.
I am a brand. Hmm.
Wearing my boldly branded cap, others that believe in the idea began saying they want a hat too, that I need to make hats to sell.
Hmm. Okay. Y’all want that? I gotchu.
Made the hats. Sold the hats. And as I began to share more of my experiences aroundLA, people began suggesting I physically take folks aroundLA. When I came up with the name of my personal lifestyle blog, it was just a cute figure of speech that rhymed, aroundLAwithTK, to host my writings. Nowhere in my brainstorming notes did I have anything about organizing in-person situations. It was solely the idea of a virtual experience. I’d only meant it figuratively, they wanted it literally as well.
Hmm. Okay. Y’all want that? I gotchu.
Three ladies pause along the girls group hike at Griffith Park to take in the views.
Two years later, we’re here. aroundLAwithTK had its very first meetup!
Girls Group Hike + Calisthenics at Griffith Park
Being that my preferred mode of transportation is a bicycle, a few people had asked if/when I’d lead some sort of bicycle tour aroundLA. For aroundLAwithTK’s first active meetup though, I wanted to do something different, bring y’all something better.
I partnered with certified personal trainer Chris Hollis, Athletic Coordinator at Pasadena City College, to put on a group workout session at one of L.A.’s most scenic locations.
We set the meeting time at a specific spot for 9:45am and our feet were moving by 10am.
We started with a quick dynamic warm up where we met, then began heading up the hill. Some girls forged ahead, some girls dragged behind, wondering “how much farther?”, but we all ended up having a fulfilling time.
Related: aroundLA Is A Lifestyle
Chris kept an eye on all of us, not letting anyone get left, lost, or hurt. We took necessary pauses along the trail, making sure everyone was feeling good. When we reached the top, we lined up along a wooden fence and the trainer led us in a calisthenics workout, doing exercises using our own body weight. Then, we continued on to the tippy top, Tom LaBonge Panorama, which as the name suggests, has awe-inspiring panoramic views. Of course, we had to flick up at this highest viewpoint, and bask in the glory of getting there.
Though it was a tad tough at points along the hiking trail, the ladies that participate in the girls group hike were all smiles when we reached the top.
As we headed back to where people had parked, the girls gave me that feeling of encouragement and inspiration that Taylor had given me with the hats two years ago.
“This was so great. You have to do this again.”
“This is your first time doing this? Wow, what a great turnout!”
“I want to do more stuff like this.”
“I wasn’t sure about this at first, but I enjoyed it so much.”
The satisfaction poured from their lips. A few of them expressed how they’ve wanted to go hiking at one of L.A.’s many beautiful hiking trails, but they don’t want to go alone and don’t have any friends that want to go. This organized group activity gave them, the ones that had been thinking about it, the opportunity to go’on ‘head and do it! Then a couple that hadn’t thought about it told me how even though this isn’t something they’d seek out on their own, when it’s prepared and put in front of them, they’ll be up… and they like it. A lot!
The girls gave rave reviews of the trainer Chris as well, asking me how I found him and saying how helpful and cool he was.
The infamous Hollywood sign is visible in the distant background as three ladies kickback on a picnic table at this hiking trail’s peak, Tom LaBonge Panorama, a space maintained by the City of Los Angeles Recreation and Parks Department.
I’m very thankful for every person that came because my little feelings would’ve been too hurt had I organized this and no one showed up. [inserts crying laughing emoji]… I’m laughing, oh but I’m crying.
I’m even more thankful that everyone thoroughly enjoyed themselves and did something good for their bodies!!
And then, the camaraderie of it all! We chopped it up, chatting, laughing, and we were there for one another, making sure everyone finished. Doing it together, it feels more like hanging out than working out.
This first aroundLAwithTK meetup was such a success, it definitely won’t be the last.
Watch a video recap on TikTok or Instagram.
See y’all on the next one!
I’m encouraged. I’m thankful. Y’all make me me. The girls that came, yes, but I’m talking to you right now, you that’s reading this. Other writers have readers, I have riders. Thank you for riding with me. Follow the blog on Instagram @aroundLAwithTK, and enter your email address below to join the mailing list, to find out about future activities you can join!
She’s cute. She’s fun. She’s fit.
She’s aroundLAwithTK.
Is she you?
