Food Court 5000 brings 1980s aerobic craze to mall walkers in Portland

Think Out Loud

Food Court 5000 brings 1980s aerobic craze to mall walkers in Portland

Clean

Published on Jul 17, 2025, 1:21:33 PM
Total time: 00:13:41

Episode Description

Krista Catwood, also known by the stage name Vera Mysteria, can be found at the Lloyd Center mall every Sunday leading Portlanders in a group workout. But the exercises aren’t done on machines and do not take place in a retail space — instead, they’re done throughout the entire mall. As first reported in the Oregonian, Catwood, armed with a neon track suit and a Bluetooth speaker, leads a group ranging from ages 8 to 80 on a power walk throughout the mall with '80s music blasting behind them. The group is known as the Food Court 5000, started off with a group of eight that has now grown to upwards of 70 people at its highest. Catwood joins us to share why she started the Food Court 5000 and more.

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