According to the Texas Council on Family Violence, more than 1 in 3 Texas women suffer abuse in their lifetime.

I know you're probably wondering why I mentioned that startling statistic, especially because we're about a 4 weeks too late for Domestic Violence Awareness Month, but the work and the awareness never stop. And, thanks to Six:02, one of the DFW's most important resources in the fight against abuse is continuing to spread the word well into November. That said, how did we get involved? SO GLAD YOU ASKED.

The L3 Mentors is a student mentoring organization that I started on the campus where I work about 7 years ago. Each month, a small group of students choose to serve a cause that directly affects the community they live in. For the month of October, they decided to pick an event that was going to benefit The Family Place which is a family violence shelter that services those located in the Dallas area. This organization holds a special place in their hearts because they service so many student families in addition to providing teen domestic violence and bullying trainings on our campus. It took no time for me to hit up our favorite H.C.I.C at Chicks N Kicks to get in on this opportunity to give back and experience a day full of girl power courtesy of a Six:02, a new retail concept powered by Foot Locker offering fitness apparel and athletic shoes for women.

Picture courtesy of Mai Lyn @deepfriedfit

This past Saturday we had the amazing opportunity to volunteer at the Six:02 6K run held at Klyde Warren Park. The “It’s Your Time” themed event, while catering to the Dallas fitness community, highlighted The Family Place as their charity partner. Race attendees were asked to create their own fundraising campaign set to benefit TFP and, after completing the race, each participant was invited to get pampered at the “Sweaty to Ready Salon” which featured manicures, massages, and hair services from some of the metroplex's most talented glam artists - all on the green at Klyde Warren.

Six:02 set the stage (literally) with a DJ blasting upbeat tunes, a look at apparel and a few notable sneaks (check out the gallery for a better look at the adidas and Nike options presented) available now in their stores and, best of all, a step-and-repeat provided by race sponsor - Adidas. Each guest was asked to take a picture which then printed at a portable station on the stage. We were greedy and got three. LOL.

The best thing, though? Various vendors were on hand to promote amazing services and showcase some of Dallas’ buzzworthy business ventures. Four vendors stood out the most as we combed the grounds before runners started flowing in:

1. Fly Wheel Cycling Studio.

Fly Wheel (if you’re in Dallas) has two locations in Highland Park and Plano for you to check out. If you venture to HP you can participate in a 45-minute full body cycling workout or, if Plano is more your speed, you can get some ultifit with a barre body sculpting class. We haven’t made our way to check out the classes just yet, but it’s definitely in the plans to join in for a class or two! P.S. If you’re outside of our little Metroplex bubble, be sure to check out flywheelsports.com to see if they have classes in your city!

2. Buda Juice.

When we strolled up to the Buda Juice booth we were greeted with a smile and a sample of cucumber x lime freshly pressed juice. IT. WAS. HEAVEN. After talking to the vendors (and getting some pretty awesome reading material) we discovered that Buda specializes in hand-squeezed cold press juice which guarantee the purity of the nutrients. Buda keeps the good earth vibes coming with glass bottle storage (instead of plastic) for their 1, 3, and 5 day cleanse juices - because downing an uber-healthy beverage AND helping reduce your environmental footprint is a double win.

3. VitaCoco.

If you’ve never had an experience drinking coconut water from a freshly cut green jug of joy, VitaCoco is something you should try. This brand that both of us have rocked with for awhile provided absolute joy for two women who were sleepy and irritable after failing to find coffee at 7:00 AM on a Saturday. With various flavors (including ‘Cafe Latte’ satisfaction) and an interactive viewfinder complete with head phones and ocean sounds, VitaCoco brought the islands to Downtown Triple D.

4. Shea Chick Soap Co.

As refreshing as a good run is, the aftereffects can often be a walking, talking, smelly mess. That’s where this Dallas-based lady-owned business comes to the rescue. The chicas at the Shea Chick Soap Co. booth were as lovely as their beautiful display. With everything from organic soaps to body butters and something amazing called a “Bath Truffle Bar”, Shea Chick had us at hello.

Lest we forget the real winners here, though. Six:02 charity partner The Family Place is Dallas’ leading organization providing programs designed to empower victims and end the cycle of family violence in the DFW area. Not only do they provide a safe haven for those in need, but their resources include transitional housing, community based counseling, legal services and a resale shop, just to name a few. Since 1976 The Family Place has counseled more than 225,000 (including counseling services for more that 20,000 batterers) and has provided lifesaving shelter to more than 21,000 women, men, and children.

If you’re interested in supporting this amazing organization and finding another reason to hit the town, The Family Place is hosting its Resounding Harmony concert event on November 21, 2015.. The “Hope Will Rise” event is focused on raising money to help victims rebuild their lives by receiving shelter, food, clothing, counseling, education and job training. This would make for the perfect date night so make sure you purchase your tickets and enjoy a night of amazing sounds.

Last, but not least: thank you so much to Six:02 for having us! We’ll definitely see you next year!

Fit Chicks: Time Well Spent With Six:02