Continuing our years-long support of Boston Marathon runners, we partnered with Heartbreak Hill Running Company, the leading community connector for all things running, to deliver the “Head Check / Heart Check” series. A weekend of events curated to provide the tireless runners with support throughout their entire journey, we transformed our 18 Newbury location into a space for runners to mentally prepare for their run, and celebrate the flood of emotions after crossing the finish line.

For years, we’ve collaborated with the running community to lend our space and resources as a hub for runners before and after the Boston Marathon. Keep reading below for more details about the weekend’s festivities. See you in April 2022!

HEAD CHECK MEDITATION WITH REBECCA PACHECO AND ANNA STROMER:

Friday before the big race, we transformed our 18 Newbury Street location to host a powerful meditation and visualization session to focus and align the runner's mind & body with Rebecca Pacheco. Runners were given the space to mentally prepare themselves for their moment and visualize success step by step. Along with a guided meditation, moments of quiet were amplified with the musical stylings of renowned violist Anna Stromer.

Rebecca is a nationally renowned meditation teacher and author of the new book Still Life: The Myths and Magic of Mindful Living (HarperCollins). She has worked with Olympic swimmers, the Cleveland Cavaliers, & other professional athletes seeking peak performance in the playoffs and beyond.

Violist Anna Stromer, who’s performed for President Barack Obama and Conan O’Brien and worked with artists including Eminem, Wyclef Jean, Michael Buble, Josh Groban, and many more. She has played with the Boston Ballet and is a graduate of Berklee College of Music. Both Rebecca and Anna have a deep love for their respective passions, however both also admit sneakers come in a close second.

HEART CHECK PORTRAIT SHOOT WITH PHOTOGRAPHER HAL OCASIO:

Elation, joy, relief, accomplishment. The flood of emotions following completing your first or tenth Boston Marathon never wavers. Portrait photographer Angel “Hal” Ocasio set up shop just after the finish line at our 18 Newbury Street location to capture the full color expression of emotion. Hal is a portrait photographer based in Boston, who specializes in creative portraits. He also serves as a tour photographer for musical acts around the country.