We rarely (never) post two people’s blogs on the same day. But just about a year ago (NYE to be exact) the duo of Jenna “JD” Deutsch and Jon “too many nicknames to list” Levitt made out at a NYE party and the world hasn’t seen them separated since then. We hadn’t really seen them separated much for months before that either, but who’s counting?! Anyway, these two are fucking core as you get and they’ve got unique and awesome perspectives on what NP means to them–besides finding each other. So rather than give them each their day of honor as the guest blogger, we decided to have them duel it out. They’re going head to head in a battle of the blogs. JD vs. VDB. Read them both, fall in love with them both, then comment on which one you think is better, cuter, more NP, more into Twitter. The Tribe is so much stronger with these two. Keep running, keep writing, keep tweeting, keep fitbitting, keep blood tracking, and keep social media-ing the shit out of life, because these two are crushing it.
Jenna Deutsch:
Almost two years ago I was out to lunch with my coworkers and after putting my phone away for a bit, I took it out to see approximately 47 missed calls from my parents. My parents never call in the middle of the day, so I quickly went outside to call them back, knowing that something must be wrong… or they just really wanted to talk to me. My dad (I think) was tasked with the job of telling me that my grandma, his mom, had just passed away from a heart attack. While standing on Newbury and sobbing my eyes out, he told me I could either fly or take the train home that day, or stay until Friday and get a ride home with my family friends who were driving up to Boston from NJ to pick up their daughter at BU for Winter Break (Hi Jackie!).
Did I want to be home at that very second? Yes. But it was also Thursday, and knowing that November Project would be there waiting for me the next morning, I decided to stay. Selfish? Maybe. But NP was what I needed, and I know Nanny would have wanted me to do what was best for me, especially if it was running hills, blowing snot rockets, and hugging all of my closest friends. Nanny knew about NP from facebook and loved it. I’m pretty sure she had a crush on Mitch (sorry, Courtney) and she would definitely love Bits as much as I do if she had the chance to meet him (Jon and my grandpa making fun of me together comes in a close second). She knew how happy this group of yahoos made me, similar to how happy any time I got to spend with her made me.
So, I made the decision to stay the night, and promptly made my way back to my apartment to start packing and try to take my mind off of what happened. Somehow, I honestly don’t remember how, Drew Messinger showed up and sat with me for a bit. We laughed, I probably cried, I know I got some hugs, and I was so thankful. Earlier that week, Nathalya had invited me to her house for Hanukkah dinner; I hadn’t really made up my mind whether I wanted to go, but I soon realized I needed to be there. Of course, my invitation was still open, and I ate a delicious dinner with Nathalya and her family (who always make me feel like family) and Liz.
The next morning I don’t think I said much to anyone at NP, but being able to get hugs and see friends was exactly what I needed. For once, I was able to go to breakfast, and am so glad I did because I met Nathan, Katy, and Tommy, my now West Coast family. Thanks to NP, I was able to survive the 5 hour drive back home in a much better spot.
Yes, NP is great workout (read: ass kicking), but not often enough do we share what else we gain from NP besides speed and a 6-pack (I’m still waiting for mine). Because of NP, I have gained the following:
- Thousands of friends. Yes, literally thousands. I know that wherever I go where there is an NP tribe, I know there will be someone to eat breakfast with and a bed if I need one.
- A reason to travel the country and put thousands of points on my JetBlue card (thanks NYC, Philly, VA Beach, DC, Chicago, Toronto, San Diego, LA, Baltimore, Seattle, and of course San Francisco for taking me in)
- A place to call home when traveling to SF for work (Don’t listen to Laura, I live in Boston)
- A community who will believe in me and cheer me on with whatever I decide to do (like getting a new job) that is also full of the kindest, funniest, and smartest people I have ever met
- Way more dad jokes than I would have ever wanted to hear
- A place to eat Hanukkah Dinner (yes, Nathalya, this is me inviting myself this year… want to join, Liz?)
- Inspiration to want to run my first marathon from watching numerous friends crush theirs (#NanasForJenna?)
- A reason to get out of bed in the morning and take a ton of sunrise pictures
- Friends who will do just about anything with me without asking any questions and who I can’t imagine living without
Everyone knows that NP is a workout like nothing else, but it also leads to a life like nothing else. For those of you who haven’t yet tried it, I invite you to join us yahoos. I’ll be there with open arms (unless I’m petting a puppy).
Xoxo,
JD
Jon Levitt:
Why Do I #JustShowUp?
It all started with a few too many beers in Pour House almost 4 years ago. No, this is not the story of how November Project started, but how I started going to November Project and more importantly, the why.
It was back in July of 2013. I didn’t consider myself a runner at all and I was at Pour House after a Red Sox game with Danny Bent and the One Run For Boston crew. A few days earlier, we ran from the Newton City Hall ALL THE WAY TO BOSTON (how I would have explained it at the time). I took the T out as far as I could take it, then started my RunKeeper (#trackeverything) and “jogged” out to Newton in the rain. I got there around 10pm, and found @forgetskinny, my Internet friend turned real life friend. Laura introduced me to a few of her friends (hello Amanda and Alex) and we made small-talk about the rain and little green algae pellets.
One Run For Boston was a cross-country relay that was finishing at the Boston Marathon finish line, on July 1, 2013, just weeks after the bombing. Those 5+ miles I ran got me hooked on running. The friendliness of the people around me was such a different vibe than working out solo at the gym, which is what I was doing for exercise at the time.
Fast forward to Tuesday at 11:45pm, later that week.
“Have you guys heard of this November Project thing? It’s a bunch of wackos that run stairs at the ass-crack of dawn.”
“But it’s July.”
“I know. I don’t get it either.”
Long story short, our alcohol-fueled brains thought it would be a good idea to show up 5 hours later for the first time and hope we weren’t 4 months early.
We did. We weren’t. And I haven’t looked back since.
That was three and a half years ago. What keeps me coming back? The pure bad-assery of November Project members. My friend Devon Yanko would call it “unfuckwithable badassery.” Whatever level you’re at, there’s always someone your speed. Better than that, there’s always someone setting the bar even higher, which to me is aspirational. No matter how awesome your current best is, you can always do more. After hearing my friend Sandy of NPSF ask the 50 mile racer he was crewing at #TNF50 “why do you do this?” I’ve started to ask other runners the same thing. Why do we willingly subject ourselves to pain, both mental and physical? Because we can. Because it’s a chance to see how much we truly are capable of. Because so much growth comes from this type of voluntary suffering.
I got into the world of endurance sport by accident (I signed up for my first race, a marathon, because I was motivated by the 2013 Boston Marathon in so many ways), and I’m so glad I did. Everything we do and learn out on the roads/trails/stadium makes us better humans. The beauty of endurance sport is that you absolutely know you’re going to hit a dark place at some point and how you deal with that stretch defines you as a person… not by the time on your watch. Can you accept it and work the problem? Or do you totally give up and mail it in? In life, we can’t always “turn off” the suffering. That option always exists in running. You can always stop. Nobody is forcing you to finish. It’s totally optional. Yet we choose to persevere and push our body to the limit (and sometimes beyond) simply to see where that line is, and we come out of it better for it. The more we toe the line the better we become as athletes and humans.
November Project has become more than just my workout group. It’s become my people. I travel a lot for work and have now been to 13 different tribes, some of which I know and have visited more than others. The constant with all of them has been an open arms welcome, sometimes with strangers offering a place to stay or a car to borrow and drive 200 miles down the California coast so that I don’t miss a SUPER important meeting (you’re awesome, LAX). I’ve truly felt at home in every city with a Tribe I’ve visited.
I remember at my first NPSF workout (which was on the steepest fucking hill I’ve ever seen… the “easy” part was like the steepest part of Summit Ave) Paddy introduced me as “that lad from Boston that recruits more to our tribe here in San Francisco than your own leaders do” which has been my favorite part – sharing how much fun it is so that others can have a chance to experience the joy of November Project themselves, in whatever city they are in. I might use social media perhaps a little more than the average person does (#workperks) and I’m always telling people about NP wherever I go. It’s been life changing for me, and I want other people to be able to get the opportunity to have a similar, yet totally different experience.
This movement has taken me to some incredible places (#neverstopexploring, right?). I’ve met some of my best friends, my girlfriend (hello Jenna, sorry for awkwardly ignoring you at the TD Garden workout in December of 2013) and my dad has fulfilled the #dadverbal in four cities himself. I’ve watched him become more and more active, crushing his first half marathon and then PRing recently with sub 2. My mom and sister have become more active too. I’ve pushed my body in ways I simply would not have believed possible even just 3 or 4 years ago.
What we do at 6:29 in cities across this beautiful earth has a ripple effect even on those that don’t have a Tribe yet. They see us, our dedication and our passion. They decide that they too can wake up early and crush a cold weather run. When you pull on that #grassrootsgear (only to be taken off mid workout, because #lessclothesmorespeed, duh) you’re inspiring everyone around you at the same time… Your coworkers, your family, and the random dude who asks about the spray paint you’re wearing in the airport terminal, even your Facebook friends who think you’re crazy (you’re not crazy, you’re just awesome).
I hope you’re reading this with one of those big ass grins across your face that Capozzi has on all the time, because that’s what I’ve got writing this.
To steal (and butcher) a line from NPSD: be bold, be bright, be proud as fuck of yourself and this tribe.
-Bits/VDB/JL
MONDAY’s location will be on Almay St near the Mass Pike onramp in Allston. Verbal here! BRING A FLASHLIGHT OR HEADLAMP! We’re gonna light up the morning with some speed work.
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