Exclusive: SoulCycle Senior Master Instructor Sue Molnar Says the Workout Is an 'Absolute Lifeline' That Helped Her Through Her Cancer Battle: 'I Never Got Off the Bike'

Sue Molnar, who was one of the original SoulCycle instructors, always knew there was something "special" about the beloved workout.

"I worked with Laurie Cole at Gold's Gym in Hollywood, Calif., in the late '90s/early '00s, and she told me about SoulCycle after she moved to NYC. I had never heard of it because no one had. It was still small and intimate with one tiny back room studio on West 72nd Street in New York City. Laurie told me it was 'something special' and that they needed an instructor 'who knew music.' I was a flight attendant for United at the time and decided I could teach on both coasts and work the flights in between – and that's what I did for my first two years at SoulCycle," Molnar exclusively tells Morning Honey.

The fitness guru quickly learned that SoulCycle, which offers indoor cycling and spinning workout classes, is "so much more than an exercise class."

"It's a musical, spiritual, and communal experience. It's the collective energy, the friendships formed, the overcoming of life’s obstacles together, and the celebration of milestones together. As much as you want to participate in it, it is an experience of joy and love and camaraderie and transcendence — or just a fun time on the bike, whether rocking and thrashing or geeking out to your favorite pop/disco/cheesy/throwback jams. It can be a dance party on a bike, or it can be an absolute lifeline that helps you survive depression/cancer/divorce/loss/injury/setback — you name it. Sometimes both at the same time," she explains of the power the class brings to people's lives.

However, things took a turn when she received her first cancer diagnosis. When getting the news from her doctor, she thought, "Huh! That's strange."

"I immediately went about figuring out (with her) how to heal it. I wasn't scared and I didn't think for a second that it was going to kill me. If I could have seen how arduous and complicated the journey was going to be, I probably would have been more upset! I think ignorance was bliss at the time," she recalls.

"Everything about it came at me one piece at a time. First it was only going to be surgery, which was not a big deal to me. Then they discovered I needed chemo and radiation, which sucked (especially since for the first time in my 52+ years of life, I was engaged to be married, and was now going to lose all my hair). Then a few more emergency surgeries and more complications, but honestly (and I don't know how or why), I just felt grateful that I had caught it super early and that I had the means to fight the disease," she continues of her health battle. "Chemotherapy was god awful and there were two things that helped me survive it. First was my fiancé, who not only encouraged and supported me throughout the whole illness but simply gave me the will to fight for my life because I loved him so much."

Additionally, Molnar received so much love from her riders and continued teaching through "most of my treatment," she says.

"When I was too weak or unable to ride, I would just put a chair on the podium and teach from there. My SoulCycle community showered me with support and love and basically carried me on their shoulders throughout my entire illness and recovery," she says.

She adds, "I never got off the bike. The bike, the room and the riders were what saved me, carried me through, gave me that one spark of an idea that my life was worth living. My job was my one constant through the past four years of nonstop AFGO'S (Another F'ing Growth Opportunity). I'm a warrior. And I'm so lucky that I love my job as much as I do. It's the best thing that has ever happened to me."

Molnar encourages others going through something like cancer or battling another disease to "be grateful for the lessons you will learn and the wisdom and perspective you will gain."

"I remember one survivor telling me that cancer was the worst and the best thing that had ever happened to her. Of course that's easier grasped after the fact. On the other hand, if it helps you stay strong and carry on, then FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT. Listen to music that inspires you, keep the people around you who do the same. Talk to survivors! They have the best insider info. Read everything, listen to podcasts, explore alternative healing methods, use every weapon in your ever-expanding arsenal – knowledge is power! Find your gratitude in every situation. And for chemo, chew cinnamon gum. It was a lifesaver," she shares.

Since then, Molnar's daily routine has "evolved."

"The past four years have been an absolute hero's journey of various healing modalities for me. I meditate every morning right when I wake up (with either the Ten Percent Happier or Calm apps) then I drink my AG1 (Athletic Greens, a vitamin/mineral/probiotic powder.) I did breathing exercises and cold plunges daily with the Wim Hof app for about a year and do it on an as-needed basis now. I have a whole food, protein-heavy breakfast (I have become very anti-processed-food this year) with half a cup of organic coffee with grass-fed whole milk. Then I catch the train into the city and get to work!" she explains.

Not only has Molnar been transparent about her cancer battle, but she's been open and honest about dealing with depression as well.

"I'm really digging the simple life right now. I have a warrior's soul and an unbeatable inner strength — and I do not know why. I've been down, I've looked into the abyss, I've been despondent and hopeless. But I took baby steps despite feeling that way. I did not wait to feel better before taking action. Books and podcasts have been crucial to my healing journey," she says, noting that Breath by James Nestor; Ladyparts by Deborah Copaken, A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle and Quit Like a Woman by Holly Whitacker are some of her go-to reads.

Going forward, Molnar is seeing what happens and "living day to day."

"I consider it a win if I get the garbage down to the curb on trash pick-up day. I pray on my way to work that I am of service to the people who show up to ride with me. I try to be friendly and notice all the people I pass in the subway and on the street, and to help those less fortunate when I can. I try to live in gratitude and not lack. I guess I'm still just trying to be the heroine and not the victim of my own life," she shares.

"I'm not the typical fitness coach or drill sergeant – I really just try to provide a class environment where people feel safe to be themselves. I'm open about my flaws and weaknesses (so that my riders can be as well) and I celebrate when we feel strong. I play excellent music and that's a big part of the motivation aspect. I remind everyone that exercise can be fun, and that we're not here for a long time – we're here for a good time. My advice to anyone facing a difficult situation? IF YOU'RE GOING THROUGH H---, KEEP ON GOING," she concludes.