Author: Meghan Siegler

The tales of puppies, sugar gliders, a potbelly pig and other animals that found new homes in the last year

With limited opportunities for human socialization over the past year, many New Hampshire residents have turned to companionship of the furry, feathered and scaly variety. Meet some of the animals who found their forever-homes during the pandemic.

Beauty and Beast

Beauty and Beast are two nearly one-year-old sugar gliders, mammals native to Australia that look like a cross between a small racoon and a flying squirrel. Sheila Sanville of Londonderry adopted the pair last September from the Raymond-based Our Sugar Gliders of New Hampshire, soon after moving into her new home.

Sanville had owned two other sugar gliders, named Tink and Simba, around a decade ago. In captivity, she said, they tend to live up to 10 to 12 years.

“My mother-in-law had a co-worker who needed a home for her sugar gliders, which is how I first got Tink and Simba. I had never heard of them before and I said I would love to know what they are all about,” she said.

She found Beauty and Beast (then known as Bambi and Thumper) from the Raymond rescue and sanctuary through Facebook.

“I work at a school and we were remote at the time,” she said. “I knew that I could give them more time and attention than I ever could have … to just make that bond with me.”

Sugar gliders can make good pets, just as long as you do your research. According to Sanville, they are nocturnal and have different diets depending on their age. State laws vary in the legality of keeping them as pets, although it is legal in most, including New Hampshire and Massachusetts.

“In the wild, you’ll find them at the tops of trees,” Sanville said. “They have skin under their arms and legs that helps them ‘glide’ from tree to tree.”

Coco

Derry couple Michael Pereira and Amy Wales had fostered several dogs from Second Chance Ranch Rescue in New Boston prior to adopting one themselves. After Solomon and Sadie, two dogs they had fostered who respectively were adopted into new homes in late 2019 and June 2020, Pereira and Wales met Coco (previously Vera), a 3- to 4-year-old black Lab pitbull mix who was introduced to them by Second Chance Ranch owner and founder Kristin Morrissey. “Kristin’s goal is really to find the right home that’s a good match for the dogs,” Pereira said. “We recently took guardianship of my wife’s cousin, who has special needs, and Coco has done incredibly well with her. … She’s also great with our kids.”

Vera, he said, was renamed Coco after the 2017 Disney film of the same name.

“From what we understand, she was a sweet caring and nurturing mother,” he said. “She loves hugs and will cuddle with anyone.”

Herbie

Ryan Moran never thought he’d get a pet bearded dragon. But when his sister Nicole, who works at the Manchester Animal Shelter, sent him a post on a dragon named Jackie Chan that was looking for a new home, he was intrigued.

“I thought he looked cool … [and] I’ve always been drawn to an animal with a funny name,” he said.

Moran had always had dogs in his family growing up. But with his landlord not allowing dogs in his apartment, and with Moran working from home more often during the pandemic, he became interested in the prospect of owning a new pet reptile. Jackie Chan was eventually renamed Herbie — Moran plays the piano and named him after pianist Herbie Hancock. Through online research and a visit with the veterinarian, he worked to educate himself on Herbie’s enclosure habitat, behavioral patterns and diet.

“Bearded dragons are omnivorous, so they’ll eat mostly leafy greens and different proteins,” Moran said. “He’s actually encouraged me to eat a little healthier and expand my own horizons.” Dragons, he said, also love natural sunlight and are drawn to windows.

“The cool thing is that he’ll change color,” he said. “Most of the time he’s a lighter tan color, [but] he turns a darker color to absorb more heat and he turns totally white when he’s sleeping.”

Iceberg Lettuce

Iceberg Lettuce, also known as Iceberg or “Icy” for short, is a 2-year-old female parakeet with light green feathers and a yellow head and tail. Thirteen-year-old Doc Willoya of Manchester received Iceberg as a birthday present last November from the MSPCA adoption center at Nevins Farm in Methuen, Mass.

Due to the pandemic, according to Willoya’s mother, Constance Spencer, they were required to make an appointment ahead of time to meet Iceberg.

“When we got there, we had to wait to be let in … and they escorted us straight to the bird room,” Spencer said.

Though Iceberg is currently recovering from an upper respiratory infection, she is a very musical bird.

“She just loves to chirp all day,” said Willoya, who also has another parakeet and a green-cheeked conure.

Also known as budgies, parakeets like Iceberg live for around 15 years and have a diet that includes pellets, seeds and chopped up vegetables.

JoeE

Katie Hall, her husband Chris and daughters Olivia and Lucy adopted this adorable 4-month-old Lab mix puppy late last month from Second Chance Ranch Rescue in New Boston. JoeE (pronounced “joey”) is named after the street the shelter is located on (Joe English Road) and is also short for Joe English Hill in New Boston, near where Chris’s parents still live. After the Hall family dog, Maple, passed away last fall at the age of 10, Katie said, searches for a new pup were made online via Petfinder to no avail.

“It was pretty limited in the midst of the pandemic,” she said. “It was hard to get a timely response from anyone.”

The Halls eventually learned of opportunities available at Second Chance Ranch Rescue, and met with potential adoptees in an outdoor fenced area on the property while masked up. JoeE was one of at least three littermates the family visited.

“Part of our inspiration to get a puppy was for the kids to have those childhood memories and adventures,” Hall said.

JoeE has adapted to his new home very quickly — you just can’t leave him unsupervised, Hall said, or he’ll try to chew on a glove, mitten or shoe.

Kane

Kane is a 2-year-old medically needy American Staffordshire terrier who found his new home in late January. Chris Garceau of Windham came across an online post about Kane from the Animal Rescue League of New Hampshire in Bedford.

A pet owner for three decades, Garceau has adopted several other animals with medical conditions in the past. He most recently had a 13-year-old springer spaniel with canine cognitive dysfunction named Lexi; she passed away last September.

“I didn’t want to see a dog like Kane end up with a family that couldn’t afford his care,” said Garceau, who noted that Kane is on multiple medications for food and skin allergies.

Garceau also has two cats, Dezzy and Tyna, who came from Pope Memorial SPCA in Concord, and reports that Kane has settled in with his new furry housemates seamlessly.

Oakley

Oakley is a sweet 12-week-old female Lab mix who came all the way from Puerto Rico. Melissa Magee of Sandown and her family adopted Oakley in late January from The Student Rescue Project, a Vermont-based volunteer-run organization that rescues stray and abandoned dogs from the U.S. territory. Once she received her vet clearances, she was to be flown into Boston to be picked up by the rescue.

“Covid caused so many delays and forced schedule changes so the flights had to be rebooked more than once,” Magee said in an email. “Because of this, Oakley and the rest of the dogs with her ultimately traveled for two days from Puerto Rico to Baltimore, New York City and Philadelphia before being driven to Connecticut, and finally to Vermont.”

The pandemic, she said, also made the pickup process very quick and informal.

“We had to stay in our vehicle, with masks on, and have our puppy brought out to us,” she said. “There was a quick handoff, details about receiving her paperwork, and then we were off.” Despite the initial scheduling hiccups, Magee said the young pup has quickly acclimated to her new home and bonded with the family’s 2- and 4-year-old sons and their other rescue dog, an English shepherd and Great Pyrenees mix named Pooh Bear.

Scarlett

Christine Kay of Merrimack brought this 9-year-old senior cat home earlier this month. A retired teacher, Kay had another cat that passed away about three years ago and had thought about adopting again.

“I came across Scarlett online and really liked her,” she said. “I had no other pets, just me, and now of course we can’t travel … so I thought she might be a good fit.”

Kay said she was so excited to meet Scarlett that she drove to the Animal Rescue League of New Hampshire in Bedford in a snowstorm. Scarlett, in turn, jumped on her lap almost immediately. “[The Rescue League’s] website says you can take the animal home the same day, and I left the little carrying cases outside the room hoping that that would happen,” she said.

In addition to some upper respiratory challenges, Scarlett has had several of her teeth removed and is a very fussy eater, oftentimes not touching her food in the morning.

“They were very up front about everything that needed to be done,” Kay said, “and I thought, ‘you know what, I can handle this.’ I don’t mind, because she’s worth it.”

Zazu

Named after the character from The Lion King, Zazu is a 3- or 4-month-old black and white domestic shorthair kitten. Londonderry native and University of New Hampshire student Saba Awan had gone fully remote with her classes and wanted a new pet kitten. She found Zazu late last year.

“I had nothing to do and we were all home anyway, so we knew he was always going to have somebody around,” Awan said. “He settled in pretty much immediately. … He could fit in my hand when we first got him. He’s a little bit bigger now but not by much.”

Banana

Kim Caddle of Stratham adopted 2-year-old male pup Banana from the New Hampshire SPCA last June.

“We had fostered a few dogs for the last couple of years and knew it was time for our family to get a forever dog again,” she said.

When the NHSPCA first brought Banana out to meet Caddle and her family, he was “smiling from ear to ear,” she said, and the connection was instant.

“As soon as he approached my 8-year-old son, he reached up and covered his face in kisses,” she said. “That sealed the deal.”

Caddle said Banana is “the friendliest goofball” who is full of energy but also loves downtime with lots of cuddles.

During the pandemic he has made friends with the neighborhood kids and has become the “mascot,” Caddle said, for the pod classroom of third-graders who meet at her home.

“Everyone on Zoom knows who he is,” she said.

Jimmy

Wife and husband Alison and Mark Langlois of Goshen had been looking for a companion pig to join the other rescue pigs and animals on their hobby farm, so when 8-year-old potbellied pig Jimmy became available at the New Hampshire SPCA, they applied right away.

“One look at his photo online stole my heart, but even more so when I arrived and saw him basking in the sun next to his duck friends,” Alison Langlois said. “He was pure joy from the first moment.”

When they brought Jimmy home from the New Hampshire SPCA a few weeks ago — a two-hour car ride in an SUV — they tried to have him ride in the back of the hatchback trunk, but he was “having none of that,” Langlois said.

“[He] opted instead to climb up next to me in the back seat and ride the rest of the way like a human,” she said.

In the short time that Jimmy has been at his new home, Langlois said he fits right in and has already made friends with one of the sheep on the farm.

“It’s heartwarming to watch these beloved animals interact,” she said.

Bennie and Charlie

Wife and husband Lisa and Scott Hunt of Hillsborough already had two hound rescues and weren’t planning to adopt any more dogs, but when they saw a post on Facebook featuring 12-year-old puggle pair Ben and Charlie, who had been left at the Manchester Animal Shelter, they found it hard to look away.

“We knew we had to go meet them,” Lisa Hunt said. “The minute we met them, it was love at first sight. … We [applied] and prayed that we would be chosen to give these boys the best last years of their lives.”

Charlie is “Mr. Personality,” Hunt said — very vocal and loves to play with his toys and roll around on the floor — while Bennie is “cooler than the other side of the pillow” and loves his nap times.

“They are both sweet, funny, loving and just pure goodness,” she said. “They are both very spunky too. You would never know they are little old men.”

Their favorite part of the day, Hunt said, is their morning Dunkin run.

“We pile [all the dogs] into the car … [to get] our iced coffees and their doughnuts,” she said. “Everyone [at Dunks] knows them, and they love the attention from their doughnut friends.”

Hunt said the dogs have brought her family “instant peace and feelings of love” throughout the pandemic.

“I think about how lucky our family is to have these sweet boys by our side during the toughest times we have ever faced,” she said. “Who is luckier, us or them?”

Baby

Having lived her first year as a feral dog on the streets of Georgia, Baby was in need of a foster home with another dog who could help her learn how to live domestically. Wife and husband Shannon and Nate Sprague of Pelham, who heard about Baby through a post on the Greater Derry Humane Society’s Facebook page, felt that they and their dog George would be able to fulfill that need, but then something happened that they did not expect.

“We took her in to foster … and she never left,” Shannon Sprague said. “We fell in love with her … and couldn’t imagine living without her.”

Baby has come a long way since they made the adoption official last March, Sprague said. At first Baby was petrified of people and wouldn’t step outside of her crate or let anyone touch her. Now she loves snuggling, hiking and going for car rides with the family.

“George took her under his wing and truly taught her how to live in a home with people and other animals,” Sprague said. “She has transformed into a completely different dog. … We can hardly believe it.”

Sprague said Baby has been a source of comfort for the family during the pandemic, especially for Sprague’s 15-year-old daughter, Gwyneth.

“Gwyn is an extremely social teenager and has been hit hard emotionally at times due to the pandemic,” Sprague said. “Baby has rescued her as much as she rescued Baby. They are smitten with each other.”

Sugar

Katie LeBeau works at the Nashua Humane Society for Greater Nashua. It was there that she first met Sugar, a 13-year-old cat who was up for adoption.

“It was love at first sight,” LeBeau said. “I would care for her every day, and we developed a bond while she was waiting to be adopted.”

LeBeau said she thought about adopting Sugar every day but was hesitant because she had another cat at home and wasn’t sure how the two would get along. One day LeBeau came in to work to find that Sugar had been adopted.

“I was happy she had found a home, but heartbroken at the same time,” she said.

The adoption did not work out, however, and Sugar returned to the shelter shortly after. This time LeBeau didn’t hesitate.

“I just knew I could not let her go again, so I adopted her as soon as I could,” she said.

Fortunately, LeBeau said, Sugar and LeBeau’s other cat, Simba, get along great.

“They are very happy together,” she said. “They act like they have lived together their whole lives.”

Rue

Last December, Heather Mills of Nashua agreed to foster Rue, a 3-month-old Chihuahua mix up for adoption at the Humane Society for Greater Nashua, while the puppy was being medicated for anaplasma, a tick-borne disease.

“The shelter felt it would be best for her to go into a home setting instead of sitting in a shelter while on the medication to receive socialization that is so important at a young age,” Mills said.

Mills, who had just adopted a kitten a month before, had no intention of adopting another animal, but when Rue and the kitten “fell in love right away,” she started to reconsider.

“As the month went on I kept telling myself, ‘No, I don’t want a puppy,’” she said. “In the end I just could not part with her. … It was just meant to be.”

Mills said Rue is affectionate, loves people and is “the ideal lap dog,” and has been a comfort to Mills’ daughter, who was a college student when the pandemic hit.

“She is going through some depression like so many other young adults,” Mills said, “but [Rue] just brings a light into our home [and] brings both myself and my daughter so much joy.”

Juneau

Wife and husband Donna and Eric Long of Bradford had been considering getting a dog after their 14-year-old Labrador retriever died in 2019. When the pandemic hit, they decided to not put it off any longer.

“My husband and I were both working from home, [so] we figured it would be a good time to train a puppy,” Donna Long said.

In September they adopted Juneau, a 9-week-old Siberian husky, Labrador retriever and boxer mix, from Pope Memorial SPCA in Concord.

“We put in an application for a puppy, and we were matched up with her,” Long said. “We visited with her for a bit … and she stole our heart immediately.”

Long said they are always looking for ways for Juneau to engage with other people and dogs in hopes of preventing separation anxiety if and when the couple returns to working outside of the home.

Juneau has even had the unique opportunity of getting to know her biological siblings thanks to the owner of one of the siblings, who proposed that they all keep in touch. The group has connected eight out of the 10 adopted puppies from Juneau’s litter, occasionally getting together for playdates, sharing pics and keeping each other updated on the pups’ weights and developing personality traits.

“It usually takes a few moments [for the puppies] to remember who they are [during the playdates], but then they are so happy to play together,” Long said. “It is fun to watch all the siblings grow up together.”

Prosecco

Katie Boyden met 9-year-old cat Prosecco at the Humane Society for Greater Nashua, where she works as the director of community engagement.

“I would visit her kennel and she would meow and come right up to me,” Boyden said. “I knew from the moment I met her that our personalities were meant to be.”

Boyden said she had no intention of adopting an animal during the pandemic, but after seeing a promotional video the Humane Society made with Prosecco giving a “shelter tour,” she couldn’t resist.

“It stole my heart. … I fell in love immediately,” she said. “When I saw she was still available the next day, I adopted her.”

Prosecco loves snuggles, french fries and accompanying Boyden to work in her “adventure backpack,” Boyden said, but most of all she loves to be the center of attention, especially on Zoom calls.

“She sits front and center in front of the camera whenever I Zoom,” she said. “She has become well-known around Greater Nashua; anyone who has Zoomed with me has gotten to know my beautiful cat.”

Featured photo: (left to right) Beauty and Beast. Photo courtesy of Sheila Sanville. Coco. Photo courtesy of Michael Pereira and Amy Wales. Herbie. Photo courtesy of Ryan Moran. Icy. Photo courtesy of Doc Willoya and Constance Spencer. JoeE. Photo courtesy of Katie Hall. Kane. Photo courtesy of Chris Garceau. Oakley (right) and Pooh Bear. Photo courtesy of Melissa Magee. Scarlett. Photo courtesy of Christine Kay. Zazu. Photo courtesy of Saba Awan. Banana. Photo courtesy of Kim Caddle. Jimmy. Photo courtesy of Alison and Mark Langlois. Bennie and Charlie. Photo courtesy of Lisa and Scott Hunt. Baby. Photo courtesy of Shannon and Nate Sprague. Sugar. Photo courtesy of Katie LeBeau. Rue. Photo courtesy of Heather Mills. Juneau. Photo courtesy of Donna and Eric Long. Prosecco. Photo courtesy of Katie Boyden.

Tone up, stretch and sweat at home with virtual fitness classes and local teachers

There are so many reasons to avoid going to a gym or fitness studio: lack of time, fear of embarrassing yourself, no motivation to put on real clothes and get in the car and drive — the excuses are endless. Well, thanks, Covid-19 — when fitness centers were forced to shut down last March, instructors jumped online and figured out how to offer classes virtually. Local fitness pros who teach everything from group personal training to Zumba talk about what it’s been like to transition to virtual classes and why now might be the perfect time to give at-home exercise a try.

Zumba

What it is: Zumba is a “dance fitness party” that’s often set to Latin and world music, according to the official Zumba website. There are also variations, like Zumba Step, Zumba Toning, which incorporates light weights, and Zumba Gold, designed for older exercisers.

You might like it if: You want a non-traditional cardio workout, you love upbeat music and dancing and you don’t want to have to buy any equipment.

Going virtual: When her studio in Manchester shut down on March 16, Gorica Santos, a licensed Zumba fitness instructor, spent two days figuring out a Plan B, then on March 18 went to a local park with her iPhone, created a closed Facebook group and invited her regular students to attend online. She quickly realized that Facebook had its limitations — not everyone could access it, and the platform has restrictions about music — so she moved to Zoom and continues to use that platform.

“I’ve been doing this for 12 years and I have a huge network of women who have been coming to my classes on a regular basis,” Santos said. “We see each other two or three times a week. … Not being able to do that all of a sudden was a challenge.”

The pros and cons of virtual classes: Santos said the hardest thing about moving her classes online has been the lack of personal connection to her Zumba community.

“I generally don’t like it because I’m missing the socializing part, which is a huge part for all of us,” she said.

For in-person classes, Santos’s studio is set up like a nightclub with a big dance floor.

“Everybody’s yelling and cheering — we feed off each other,” she said. “You can’t substitute [that feeling] with online classes.”

Santos said that livestreaming classes from home, where she’s alone, is nothing like the vibe in her studio.

“People come to class because of my energy, so I have to work really hard to create a similar atmosphere [virtually],” she said.

On the plus side, she has found that it’s easier for some people to attend classes online, particularly when they lack the time or motivation to get to the studio, or if they wouldn’t normally come out because of bad weather or not having child care. She also has some former students who moved away back in class virtually.

“Right now the participation is a little higher, so that’s a positive,” Santos said.

Another positive is that it’s a great opportunity for people who are new to Zumba and worry that they won’t be able to keep up or get the moves right.

“Most people are intimidated — doing something in front of other people that you’ve never done before is intimidating,” Santos said. “[This way] no one can see you.”

Give it a try: To try Zumba with Santos, visit zumbawithgorica.com, email her at [email protected] or call her at 560-6175. Her drop-in fee is $10, and she’s currently holding classes on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. She recommends that anyone who hasn’t done Zumba before give her a call prior to class so she can go over the basics. If you’re interested in other kinds of Zumba classes, such as Toning, Gold or Strong, visit zumba.com/en-US/online-classes, where you’ll find instructors from around the world offering drop-in classes, so you can pick the most convenient time and day. Prices vary and many are by donation.

My Zumba experience
My completely subjective take on a few iterations of Zumba, based on my own likes, dislikes, skills and lack thereof
Zumba: I just can’t, with the dancing. That’s why I’ve only done Zumba once. By the time I got one move down, it was on to something else, and I just felt like I was too busy trying to figure out where my feet were supposed to go and how to make my hips move like that to get a really solid workout. That said, I had always wondered if I could do it, and being able to try it in my living room, where only my kids could make fun of me, was a definite plus (though of all the Zumba-ish classes, this is the one where I felt like my living room wasn’t quite big enough, even with furniture pushed to the side). I should also add that my best friend (who has rhythm) loves Zumba, as does my mother (who does not, but has been happily Zumba-ing in her bedroom since the pandemic began).
Zumba Toning: This I can do, and I feel like I’m getting a real workout. Some of the movements are still a little complicated at times for a person devoid of dance skills, but I like that I’m working my arms, legs and sometimes core. The first time I did this, I used 5-pound weights because they were all I had. I’ve since bought 2-pound weights and I still feel the burn without worrying that I’m about to injure myself.
Strong: I first tried Strong a few years ago through my town’s rec department, and I liked it enough to keep going despite the fact that I’m not a big fan of, um, people. The music is motivating, the moves are hard but not in a complicated way — using-muscles-I-didn’t-know-I-had hard — and there are modifications if you want to make it easier or if you want to up the intensity. It’s HIIT, so your heart rate stays up while you’re toning your whole body. I like it even more virtually; some might prefer the camaraderie of in-person classes, but I’m a fan of living-room Strong, mainly because I don’t care if I look like I’m dying during ab exercises. The best part is that the moves change quickly, so if you hate one of them (looking at you, burpees), it doesn’t last long.

Pound

What it is: A full-body workout that uses Ripstix (lightly weighted drumsticks) that combines cardio and strength training with yoga and pilates-inspired moves, according to the Pound website.

You might like it if: You want to “rock out while you work out” — Pound’s official tagline

Going virtual: Jessica Hodgdon of East Kingston had been teaching Pound live at a studio in Fremont and a couple of places in Portsmouth before Covid hit, and even when those studios opened back up she didn’t feel comfortable returning. So she went virtual, first trying it out with her Zumba classes and then adding Pound in January — mostly because she missed doing it herself.

“Pound is a great workout because not only are you burning calories but it is a great way to relieve stress — and it is fun being a rock star!” she said.

Hodgdon said she hasn’t had a lot of virtual students so far but attributes it to the fact that Pound is still a new form of exercise in this area.

“A lot of people are like, ‘Pound, what is that?’” she said.

But the down time has given her more of a chance to figure out the technology, learning how to use Zoom and how to share music so that it sounds good to both her and her students. And while some instructors host their classes in kitchens or living rooms or garages and don’t change the background, Hodgdon uses a backdrop and ring lights so her students can focus on her and her movements rather than her surroundings.

The pros and cons of virtual classes: Hodgdon said that prior to Covid, both Zumba and Pound wouldn’t allow instructors to teach virtually, but it’s been such a successful addition to their programs that she thinks it will likely continue even after the pandemic. And Hodgdon is on board with that. She said she and her students benefit from the convenience of not having to drive anywhere, and pretty much anyone can do it, anywhere. She also said that it’s a way to stay connected — but on the flip side, she admits that that connection pales in comparison to being in person.

“It’s not the same,” she said. “I miss teaching live classes. I like to interact with people. I like to get right up next to somebody and do the moves with them.”

Give it a try: Hodgdon hosts 45-minute virtual Pound classes every Tuesday at 6 p.m. Drop-in classes are $8, a five-class pass is $35 and a 10-class pass is $60. (She also hosts virtual Zumba toning classes each Wednesday at 12:30 p.m. for the same price.) Register at [email protected] or find her on Facebook by searching for “Be Fresh with Jazzy Jess.” You can find other virtual Pound classes, hosted by instructors from around the country, at poundfit.com. Prices vary by instructor.

Pilates

What it is: “A fitness version of physical therapy,” according to Concord Pilates instructor Bethany Filteau-Hill.

You might like it if: You want to develop your core strength or have recurrent injuries or soreness that you want to address.

Going virtual: Though she was just finishing up her training to become a Pilates instructor last year “when the world shut down,” Filteau-Hill said, she was able to transition to virtual classes pretty quickly, both to finish her training and to teach.

“Truly, I can’t really say that it’s harder,” she said. “I think it’s just different. … Virtually, you have to use different senses [as an instructor]; it’s almost as if someone took my sight away. And you have to be more descriptive [when explaining the moves].”

For her virtual group classes Filteau-Hill only does mat work, and she makes sure her workouts are of average difficulty so everyone can do them and still be challenged. It’s a bit different than in-person classes at the studio, where they assess newcomers and give them individual plans and goals. Concord Pilates in particular is a bit different, Filteau-Hill said, as its workouts are done in circuit training style with different stations that have machines like the reformer and the trapeze.

The pros and cons of virtual classes: Filteau-Hill said that new students who have been going right to virtual love it, while students who had been working out in the studio prior to Covid haven’t been quite as enthusiastic about going virtual.

“They still love us, but they’re still kind of ‘eh’ on the virtual part,” she said. “When you’re in person, everything just had more of a flow to it.”

One of the positives, she said, is that by offering virtual classes, the New Hampshire-based studio has been able to “open up and be more than Concord Pilates — we can [teach] Pilates in California.”

Give it a try: Filteau-Hill offers virtual classes through Concord Pilates, which has a number of classes with different instructors. Call 856-7328 or visit concordpilates.com. Filteau-Hill also teaches dance through Royal Palace Dance Studio in Manchester, which has moved all of its classes online, including tap, jazz and wedding dances. Visit royalpalacedance.com.

My Pound experience
I heart Pound. The music is loud and awesome and invigorating. Like Strong, I first tried this in person during a rec class; in fact, the instructor changed the class from Strong to Pound, and I was not thrilled. Working out with weighted drumsticks? “Rocking out while you work out?” It sounded so … quirky and upbeat (read: not my typical MO). But I was hooked after the first class. You almost don’t notice that your legs are being tortured as you’re air drumming. My quads and glutes have never worked so hard. I wouldn’t say it’s a great arm workout, but your arms are definitely moving, and the more intensely you “drum,” the more you’ll feel it. Since Pound hasn’t been offered in my town for a couple years and I couldn’t find an in-person class to fit my schedule, I was thrilled to find out that it’s being offered virtually for the first time ever. I got myself some Ripstix, and in the past couple months I’ve tried classes with four instructors from various parts of the country (virtual classes are listed on the Pound website, and you can almost certainly find one that fits your schedule). Each instructor leads classes a little bit differently, so I would suggest finding one who you vibe with (I couldn’t deal with the one who kept calling us “friends,” as in, “OK, friends, stand on up!”).

Yoga

What it is: There are several kinds of yoga that vary in intensity, like gentle yoga, which focuses onstretching postures, gentle flowing movements and breathing techniques, and Vinyasa yoga, which flows from one posture to the next to increase the aerobic activity and build strength.

You might like it if: You want to stretch and tone your body and improve your balance, or you’re stressed out and want to try a new relaxation technique.

Going virtual: YogaBalance Yoga Studio in Manchester closed for two and a half months after the shutdown last March, but its virtual classes were up and running by April 1.

“It was very much a case of scrambling … and kind of coming up with scrappy solutions,” said Katherine White, director of YogaBalance.

She spent some time learning to use Zoom and researching and acquiring equipment, and now the studio is offering what it calls “YBLive” virtual classes, which are livestreamed from the studio as in-person sessions are happening. There are also on demand, pre-recorded videos that clients can sign up for and access whenever they want.

“I’m really happy that we’ve kind of found our feet with it all,” White said.

The pros and cons of virtual classes: “If you can just pop it up on your phone, the convenience of it is second to none,” White said, noting that there’s no need for child care and you don’t have that drive time. And it’s a good option for anyone who hasn’t tried yoga before.

“Because it’s private [at home], we’ve been hearing from beginners that it’s less intimidating,” she said. “I think it’s a really amazing stepping stone for people to start with.”

The downside is that there’s no teacher there to help correct postures and poses, and some people don’t have equipment, like yoga blocks, or enough space to really feel comfortable. And she said from the instructors’ perspective, it’s more difficult to manage a hybrid class, when they’re trying to lead in person while staying connected with the students online.

Still, White said, virtual classes have been a long time coming.

“[Before the pandemic] there was definitely a desire in the fitness industry for online classes,” she said. “Now it looks like they are here to stay.”

Give it a try: There are numerous YBLive virtual classes. The cost to livestream is the same as in-person, which is $18 to drop in ($13 for students and seniors 62 and older), $39 a month for new clients for one month, and $99 a month thereafter ($69 for students and seniors). On-demand videos are $3.99 each; unlimited access is $14.99 a month. Visit yogabalance.info.

My yoga experience
OK, technically speaking, I have never taken a yoga class, either in person or online. But I’ve been doing yoga in my living room to the same handful of DVDs for about 15 years, with instructors like Jillian Michaels (Yoga Meltdown and Yoga Inferno) and Bob Harper (Weight-Loss Yoga), both from The Biggest Loser. I’m more of a fan of faster-paced yoga that’s slightly less focused on breathing (yoga instructors everywhere are cringing right now) and more focused on stretching, strength and flexibility, and balance. While I can’t speak to the livestreaming class experience, I can say yoga in general has so many benefits. The older I get, the more it helps alleviate back pain and loosen up muscles that are tight from running. When I need to relax, I go for my “easier” DVDs that help me slow down a bit and really focus on slow, purposeful movements. I know I could find all of these variations of yoga through higher-quality and more effective virtual classes, and I will try one eventually — as soon as my DVD player dies.

Group personal training

What it is: Classes-based personal training that allows each member of the group to train and progress to their own abilities.

You might like it if: You want the benefits of having your own personal trainer for a fraction of the cost, or you think you’d benefit from being part of a fitness community that will push and encourage you.

Going virtual: At Get Fit NH in Concord, owner Meagan Sbat said she was “forced to become a tech person” when she had to shut down last March in order to connect with her clients. Since then, she’s fine-tuned the online offerings pretty successfully, and many of her clients are taking advantage of it.

“It’s almost like, why haven’t we been doing this the whole time,” she laughed.

Virtual programming includes a system called True Coach that delivers training emails to her clients every morning.

“We also record our live class at 5 a.m. and email it out to all our clients … and we have a livestream option, eight classes a day,” Sbat said.

All the coaches have earpieces in so clients at home can communicate directly with them, whether it’s to ask questions or ask for modifications based on the equipment they have at home.

The pros and cons of virtual classes: Sbat said she has been reaching out to her virtual clients on a regular basis to see if there’s anything they can improve with their online programming.

“Most of them reply back that they feel very connected,” she said. “We’re still engaging in front of the camera to the people at home. They miss talking to people, but the community aspect is still present.”

Several clients who have gone virtual because they work remotely, or they go out of town and want to jump on a livestream class.

“It’s definitely something that’s never going to go away,” Sbat said.

There are some benefits to in-person classes in a group personal training setting, though.

“You get to know the people around you,” Sbat said. “You want to perform better because there are other people in the room pushing themselves.”

Get Fit NH also has a brand-new facility that opened Nov. 30; located on Terrill Park Drive. It’s 10,000 square feet compared to the 4,000 square feet in their previous facility on Main Street.

Give it a try: Get Fit NH is now offering an online-only version of its group personal training program, starting at $89 a month. An in-person or hybrid membership ranges from $147 to $177 a month. Call 344.2651, email [email protected] or visit getfitnh.com.

Strength and toning

What it is: There’s a wide variety of strength and toning classes, from HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training, which combines body weight exercises for toning with that high intensity for cardio burn) to toning with weights.

You might like it if: You’re more interested in building and strengthening muscles than doing straight-up cardio.

Going virtual: When Hampshire Hills Athletic Club in Milford shut down, the instructors first moved some of their classes to Facebook.

“We loved it because we were able to still have that connection with participants,” said Sue-Ellen Maher, Group Fitness Coordinator.

Eventually they switched to Zoom, and now the club offers several virtual strengthening and toning workouts, like BodyPump, which is a barbell workout using light to moderate weights.

“People have been using milk jugs for weights,” Maher said. “They make steps for the BodyPump platform. … As members adapted, we were able to adapt and add more.”

Other strengthening and toning virtual classes include Les Mills Grit Strength, which is a 30-minutes HIIT workout; BodyFlow yoga; Pilates; and Forever Fit Strength & Balance, which uses dumbbells, balls and tubing and focuses on functional strength.

The pros and cons of virtual classes: While the facility is still open at 50 percent capacity, the addition of livestreaming classes has been well-received.

“Parents appreciate having that virtual option, and [some] of our members are just not ready to come back yet, and we want to keep them engaged,” Maher said. “They’re still able to log on and see their instructors and their friends.”

Still, she said, there is a disconnect when you’re working out online.

“[Students] have their cameras on when they first log on, they wave and say hi, and then they turn them off,” Maher said.

She said that can be a challenge because she’s not able to directly correct alignment.

“Some members could get more out of it if I saw what they were doing,” she said.

Give it a try: There are no drop-in options at Hampshire Hills; you must be a member to access any of the virtual classes, though Maher said they’re looking to add a virtual membership option for a smaller fee. For membership information and costs, visit hampshirehills.com. For similar class offerings, you can also check out your local YMCA’s website. Individual chapters are offering livestreaming classes for members, and there’s also a new organization-wide option called YMCA 360, which includes a full library of on-demand videos.

Second-annual 4-Miler online and in person

With the Patriots done for the season weeks ago, New Hampshire football fans may not be all that excited for Sunday’s Super Bowl, but they can still celebrate the sport during the Super Sunday 4 Miler, an in-person or virtual run that features T-shirt jerseys as swag and beer at the post-race tailgate party.
The race distance is also a nod to the theme: “There’s four downs [in football],” said Barry Lewandowski, the marketing director at Millennium Running, which is hosting the race.
The in-person event takes place Sunday, Feb. 7, at 9:30 a.m. and starts and ends at the 1750 Taphouse in Bedford.
The first Super Sunday 4 Miler took place in February 2020, and Lewandowski said it was a great success.
“It went really well,” he said. “I think we had over 1,500 finishers.”
A lot has changed since this time last year; there was no virtual option, for one thing, and social distancing wasn’t an everyday term. Now race organizers are implementing a time trial start, which they’ve done for every in-person run they’ve had since the pandemic began.
“Two runners will start every 10 seconds to space them out on the course and to allow for social distancing,” Lewandowski said.
While runners won’t have to wear masks while on the course, they are required before they start and after they finish, he said.
Those who opt to participate virtually will run their four miles solo on Feb. 7.
“We have a link for them to give us their result time,” Lewandowski said. “They’ll enter that time and then we calculate all the results on Monday.”
Lewandowski sees the Super Sunday 4 Miler as an opportunity for individuals to get out of the house, do something “culturally relevant” and have fun with the theme.
At the same time, participants will be supporting two good causes. This year Millennium Running has adopted the Mental Health Center of Greater Manchester as their official charity partner. The company has also teamed up with Bedford High School Athletic Boosters, who will receive some of the event’s proceeds.

Millennium Running’s Super Sunday 4 Miler
When: Sunday, Feb. 7, 9:30 a.m.
Where: 1750 Taphouse, Bedford, or virtual
Tickets: $30 for virtual participants, $30 for in-person participants under 21, $35 for in-person participants over 21
More Info: Visit millenniumrunning.com/supersunday4miler

Featured Photo: The inaugural Super Sunday 4 Miler in 2020. Photo courtesy of Millennium Running.

Winter Fest returns to downtown Concord

Winter fun is still on the schedule as The Hotel Concord and Intown Concord host their third annual Winter Fest on Friday, Jan. 29, and Saturday, Jan. 30, outside on the Statehouse lawn.

“The nature of the event — it being outdoors with people generally spread out — lent itself to having a safe version this year, so we thought it had some potential [to still take place],” said Jamie Simchik, a member of the Intown Concord board and Winter Fest committee and co-owner of The Hotel Concord. “Fortunately, Intown Concord and the city were interested and wanted to bring some activity back into downtown.”

The highlight of the event is its ice carvers, with ice carving demonstrations on Friday and a live ice carving competition on Saturday.

“People will be able to see the ice carvers in action as well as their final products,” Simchik said.

Five New England ice carvers — Eric Knoll, Dave Soha, Dennis Hickey, Michael Legassey and Alexander Bieniecki — will participate, which is the most Winter Fest has ever had.

“Many other ice carving competitions have decided not to move forward this year, which is unfortunate but kind of a blessing in disguise for us because as a result our ice carving competition got a lot more interest from ice carvers looking for an opportunity to compete,” Simchik said.

An award ceremony will close out the event on Saturday. The top four carvers will receive a one-night stay at The Hotel Concord, and the top three will additionally receive cash prizes — $100 for third place, $250 for second and $500 for first. After the event, Intown Concord will post a poll on its Facebook page, where members of the public can vote for their favorite carving to win the People’s Choice Award.

The sculptures will remain on display through at least Monday, Simchik said.

On both Friday and Saturday, Winter Fest will also feature games and activities like cornhole, warmup stations with s’mores and hot cocoa, music over a sound system and a Winter Shopping Stroll at downtown Concord’s restaurants and retail shops.

“It’s been rough, obviously, for the businesses affected by the pandemic, so helping them out is one of the goals for the event,” Simchik said. “Our vision is that we bring more people downtown in a safe fashion, and businesses take advantage of that.”

As for Covid safety precautions, mask-wearing and social distancing are required, and attendees are asked to register in advance, providing their contact information and the times they plan on being at the event.

“It allows us to get an idea of who is coming and who is there so that, if [a positive Covid case is reported], we can do contact tracing and notify people appropriately,” Simchik said.

Concord Winter Fest

Where: Downtown Concord. Winter Fest activities, the ice carving demonstration and the ice carving competition will be held at the Statehouse Lawn (107 N. Main St.). The Winter Shopping Stroll will include restaurants and retail shops on Main Street.

When: Friday, Jan. 29, from 3 to 9 p.m., and Saturday, Jan. 30, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Ice carving demonstrations will take place all day Friday, and the ice carving competition will take place on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., with an awards ceremony at 4 p.m.

Cost: Free

Covid guidelines: Registration in advance is requested for contact-tracing purposes. Mask-wearing and social distancing as per state and city guidelines are mandatory.

More info: Visit intownconcord.org/index.php/winter-fest or call 226-2150. Registration for the event is through Eventbrite (search “3rd Annual Winter Fest & Ice Carving Competition”).

Featured Photo: A previous Winter Fest in downtown Concord. Photo by Steven Lipofsky.

Your guide to skating outside

A month into winter, outdoor ice skating rinks across the state are open for the season.

Local rinks

Local cities and towns like Manchester, Concord, Nashua, Bow, Merrimack and Hopkinton have outdoor rinks that are free and open to residents and non-residents.

The rinks may be open on and off, depending on the temperatures, so be sure to call or check your city’s or town’s website or social media before you go. Matthew Casparius, director of Merrimack Parks & Recreation, said temperatures must stay below 32 degrees consistently for the ice at Merrimack’s rink at Watson Park to freeze.

“Ice conditions can vary greatly with a temperature change as small as a few degrees,” he said. “If it doesn’t get cold or stay cold, then the rink season may be shortened.”

The rinks are skate-at-your-own-risk. Skaters are asked to stay off the ice if the rink is closed, and to practice common-sense Covid-19 safety measures while on the ice.

“We don’t really regulate it, but obviously people should maintain social distance, and masks are recommended,” said Janet Horvath, Manchester’s recreation and enterprise manager.

“Anyone that is showing symptoms of Covid-19 or has been exposed to Covid-19 should not visit the facility until they have been cleared by a medical professional,” Casparius added.

That’s especially important since skating so far this season seems to be a popular idea.

“This year, with a focus on outdoor activities as being safer for all, there has been more interest in skating than ever before,” said Veronica Lester, director of marketing for Strawbery Banke Museum in Portsmouth, home to Labrie Family Skate at Puddle Dock Pond.

Puddle Duck Pond is approximately 12,500 square feet, “75 percent of the size of a standard hockey rink,” she said. With an admission fee of $12, it features amenities like an outdoor patio and food truck on weekends; services including ice skate rentals and sharpening; rink rentals for private events; and skating lessons for kids and adults.

The perfect skates

Dave Palisi, owner of Capital Sporting Goods in Concord, which sells new and used pond or recreational skates and hockey skates, shared some tips for buying your first pair of skates.

If you plan on going ice skating on any kind of regular basis, Palisi said, it’s worth it to buy your own skates. Owning your own skates allows you to skate anywhere rather than being limited to rinks that offer skate rentals, and your skates are going to fit better and be more comfortable than rentals.

“You aren’t going to get a good fit with a pair of rented skates because you don’t get properly fitted when you’re renting. They just give you skates based on your shoe size,” he said. “That’s fine if all you’re looking to do is get into a pair of skates so you can spend a half hour skating, then take them off and be done.”

If you decide to buy your own skates, getting professionally fitted in person at a local shop that sells skates is the only way to ensure that you’re buying skates in the right size, Palisi said, adding that he would “recommend 110 percent not buying skates online.”

“I can’t emphasize enough the fitting process and how important it is,” he said. “If you put the time and effort into getting fitted correctly, you know it’s going to fit and that it’s going to perform the best for you.”

The biggest mistake people make when it comes to buying skates, Palisi said, is buying skates that are the same size as their regular shoe size.

“People think they know what size they need, but shoe sizes and skate sizes are totally different,” he said.

Another common misconception is that the best-fitting skates are the skates that are more expensive and higher-quality.

“You do not need to spend a lot of money,” Palisi said. “You’re better off buying a cheaper skate that is properly fit.”

A good-fitting skate should be tight against the foot. If the skates are “loose and floppy” and have enough space inside for your feet to move around, that will lead to soreness and discomfort, Palisi said.

For the best possible fit, you can get heat moldable skates. Palisi said Capital Sporting Goods and most specialty skate shops have a special “oven” that can “bake” the moldable skates. Once the skates are heated up, you wear them for 15 minutes or so, creating a custom mold around your feet.

If you’re trying to decide what type of skates to buy, Palisi recommends hockey skates for beginners, as opposed to figure skates. The blade on figure skates is fully exposed, with a squared-off tail on the end and a jagged “pick” at the toe. The blade on hockey skates is inset in a plastic holder and is smooth and slightly curved on both ends. To slow down or stop on hockey skates, the skater rotates their leg and scrapes the ice with the flat edge of the skate, whereas on figure skates, the skater uses the pick to push off and stop, which Palisi said is more challenging and takes some practice.

“If you don’t know what the toe pick on figure skates is or know anything about how to use it, just don’t even go there,” he said. “You don’t need to. Just go with a hockey skate.”

If you’re only skating outdoors, Palisi said, it’s futile to get your skates sharpened more than once a season.

“All the sand and grit on outdoor ice is going to ruin your sharpening, and there’s just nothing you can do about it,” he said, “but as long as you’re staying outdoors, [sharpening] is not a big need.”

Build a backyard rink

Building your own backyard rink is a great way to get in more skating time this winter while maintaining social distance.

“There are lots of backyard rinks right now,” Palisi said.

First, he said, find an area of level ground and decide how large you want your rink to be.

Then, go to a hardware or home improvement store and get a sheet of plastic for the base of the rink, and boards to enclose it.

“Just tell the people at the store that you’re looking for some liner to make a backyard rink, and they’ll know exactly what you’re talking about,” Palisi said, adding that some stores also sell complete backyard rink kits.

Another perk of building your own rink is that it doesn’t require as much freezing as public ponds do, so you can still skate even when the public ponds are closed.

“Ponds are deeper, so there needs to be several inches of ice,” Palisi said, “but if you make a backyard rink with just one or two inches of water, you don’t need it to be as cold for as long.”

To maintain your rink simply hose it down after each use at night when temperatures are freezing.

“It’ll smooth out overnight and be ready for the next day,” Palisi said.

Guided forest bathing walks
Not all rinks may be open. The open/closed status of the rinks can change from week to week depending on the temperatures. Call or check the city’s or town’s website or social media for the most recent information.
• Beaver Meadow Pond, at Beaver Meadow Golf Course, 1 Beaver Meadow Dr., Concord, 225-8690, concordnh.gov/1410/winter-activities. When open, hours are daily from dawn to dusk.
• Bow Town Pond, next to the Bow Community Center, 3 Bow Center Road, Bow, 223-3920, bow-nh.com/256/Parks-Recreation.
• Dorrs Pond, adjacent to Livingston Park, 56 Hooksett Road, Manchester, 624-6444, manchesternh.gov/departments/parks-and-recreation. When open, hours are daily from dawn to dusk.
• Four Corners, behind Holman Stadium, Sargent Avenue, Nashua, 589-3370, nashuanh.gov/1464/ice-skating-rink–seasonal. When open, hours are daily from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and 6 to 10 p.m. for general skating, and before 11 a.m. and between 4:30 and 6 p.m. for hockey.
• Ice Skating Rink at Watson Park, 441 Daniel Webster Hwy., Merrimack, 882-1046, merrimackparksandrec.org/watson-park. When open, hours are daily from dawn to 9 p.m.
• Jeff Morin Fields at Roby Park, 126 Spit Brook Road, Nashua, 589-3370, nashuanh.gov. When open, hours are daily from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. for general skating, and from 8 to 10 p.m. for hockey.
• Kimball Lake, 47 Kimball Lake Road, Hopkinton, 746-8263, hopkintonrec.com/info/activities. When open, hours are daily from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.
• Labrie Family Skate at Puddle Dock Pond, at Strawbery Banke Museum, 14 Hancock St., Portsmouth, 422-0600, strawberybanke.org/skate.cfm. Open daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Admission costs $12 for skaters age 5 and up. Skate rentals are available for $6, and skate sharpening is available for $7.
• Rollins Park, 116 Broadway St., Concord, 225-8690, concordnh.gov/1410/winter-activities. When open, hours are daily from dawn to dusk.
• White Park Pond & Hockey Rink,1 White St., Concord, 225-8690, concordnh.gov/1410/winter-activities. When open, hours are daily from dawn to dusk.

Buy skates
Here are some local shops selling ice skates.
• Capital Sporting Goods, 276 N. State St., Concord, 224-6921, capitalsportinggoods.com
• TSR Hockey, 5 Kelly Road, Salem, 898-7777, tsrhockey.com

Featured Photo: Labrie Family Skate at Strawbery Banke Museum’s Puddle Dock Pond in Portsmouth. Courtesy photo.