Week 3 Recap – Community, Creativity & Cardio Power
- joy stalteri
- Jul 16, 2025
- 3 min read
From uphill jogs and post-run peanuts to pizza picnics and powerful punches—Week 3 of our summer Juniper Kyz session was all about movement, connection, and trying something new.
Tuesday – Steady Progress at Adinai Park
Back at our usual meeting spot, both beginner and intermediate groups took on new challenges with strength and focus.
Beginners: 9 sets of 2 minutes running, 1 minute walking
Intermediate: Warm-up jog + 8 x 1-minute fast intervals, with 1-minute recoveryAfter the run, we refueled with peanuts and shared why they’re a great snack: protein + salt = perfect post-run recovery.
Thursday – New Routes & New Routines
We explored Victory Park for the first time, where the first 10 minutes of running—uphill!—was no small feat. Every single participant kept moving, even when it got tough.Afterwards, we had our first team-building session:
A Dodo Pizza picnic under the oaks
Photo challenges with prompts like “sisterhood” and “teamwork is dreamwork”
Partner reflection activity: sharing a recent realization and presenting it to the group
Saturday – Boxing Masterclass 🥊
We swapped running shoes for boxing gloves at @akbars_boxing_club with coaches @kalys_coach and @ajar_kings.
Warm-ups had our hearts pumping
New movements challenged our coordination and core strength
Coaches pushed us while creating a supportive space where no one felt judged
This week was a reminder: strength comes in many forms—physical, emotional, and collective.
Participant Reflections:
“Now I can’t imagine my week without running. This program helped me create a healthy habit and become more resilient and sure of myself.”– Исана Alybaeva“
This program has become something bigger than just running. I arrived with worries about whether I would be strong enough to run regularly. But in the end I’ve made not only physical progress, but I’ve also been uplifted from inside.Each practice has been unique. I’ve started to attune to my body, learn how to treat it with kindness, and take joy in the small wins.”
"Running helps me feel like I can control my body and thoughts... Thank you for supporting both mind and body.”– Нускайым Nurdinova
It’s not always easy to wake up early, especially when it’s cool outside and your body begs you to stay under the covers. But thanks to participating in Juniper Kyz, I’ve found motivation to do what I used to consider “not my thing.” This week I went on a run and completed 5 kilometers. It may seem small, but to me it speaks to my internal discipline. Running helps me feel like I can control my body and thoughts. It is moments of silence, strength, and focus. It’s as if I’m learning once again how to be in tune with myself, through movement.
“Juniper Kyz is more than a running program—it’s a real, supportive community. The boxing masterclass reminded us just how much strength we carry inside.”– Жамиля Berdibekova
Juniper Kyz is not only a running program, but a real, supporting community. I like the warm atmosphere, nice girls, and useful sessions. The practices are well thought-out and inspire me to want to move forward. I not only feel more in shape, but also more motivated.I am especially grateful for the masterclass in boxing! It was a bit unexpected, but energizing and impactful. For many of us it was a discovery of how much strength and drive we have inside. I’m really grateful for this team and program!
Check out 2 of our participants videos from this week:
📸 Follow our journey on Instagram @juniper_kyz
Let’s keep moving, learning, and lifting each other up—one step at a time.
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