Whenever I flip through pictures of ways to hype the workout I always land on a picture of Andy. He’s always got a smile, he always indulges Casey and my crazy theme ideas with a killer costume, and he has recruited more Lilly employees than Merck (Ed Note: Not sure if that is even funny, my pharma humor is lacking, but I am trying to channel my inner “dad jokes”). Giving Andy the Positivity Award was a “no-brainer” as he has become such a huge part of the November Project Indy movement. We love when those in the tribe want to share their stories, and Andy has offered to share his. Have the feel rags handy because this might hit you in them – Shaw
(Four Guys Walk Into a Bar because…they took a dip)
No, this isn’t a blog consisting of corny puns; but at least I now have your ears. I love Wednesday mornings: the work, sweat, positive spirit, and, of course, the fun and jokes. And receiving the positivity award this week, along with individual messages of why I deserved it, reminded me why I wake up before the crack of dawn to be here: It’s because of you.
You. You inspiring, fun, sleep-deprived people. You give me that boost of energy I need to get me through the weekly grind.
Now, don’t get me wrong. I have a blessed life. I’m in good shape, I have an awesome wife – she edited this for me – ; happy, healthy boys; a solid career; some great life-long friends; and supportive colleagues – seriously, not bragging. But as I approached 40, and the expected mid-life crisis, I knew something was missing.
Starting in 2015, when my boys were 4 and 1, I started working out, doing the afternoon group activity classes at the Lilly Technology Center. We worked hard, encouraged each other through the class, and went back to our busy lives. Then, I changed jobs; and started going to the gym at the Lilly Corporate Center. While it was a nicer facility with awesome staff, I lost my group. I wandered through different classes, but couldn’t recreate the culture I had. Then through the serendipity of facilitating a self-run boot camp, I met Jessie. That’s when Jessie suggested we try November Project. I looked up the NP Facebook page and saw people doing push-ups in snow, taking group pics on icy stairs, and wrapping themselves in checkered flags. My initial reaction was: “This is weird, and Fuck that cold shit.”
After waiting for slightly warmer weather, I showed up alone on St. Patrick’s day wearing green – a stretch for a Michigan alum. They did all these funny cheers, gave way too tight hugs, everyone seemed to know each other, even the other new people had a connection to the group. This was all very intimidating to an introvert, but the workout was good. So I showed up for the next one. I eventually got used to the hugs and each week more people would push me with encouraging words. I especially remember Casey, Jason, JoeyMac, Colleen, Shalyn, Kurt, and Kim Gray. The spirit was infectious, and cheering on others provided an incredible return on investment. The strength of those beginning friendships carried me through the winter.
And I kept showing up. After a few more months and the shedding of hats and head scarves, I got to know the people giving hugs, high fives, and yelling my name. I kept showing up. Spring turned to Summer; Summer into Fall, and I just kept going. I kept showing up and through all the super-hyped bounces, funny jokes, pitch-in parties, group runs, people helping each other on race day, creepy bearded new FB friends, beer outings, races, and the love fest of Bobbies’ last workout, I finally found what was missing: I was missing you. You are my people.
So thanks OG Bobbie for starting this. Thanks to the ultimate hype from Shaw. Thanks to corny jokes from Casey. Thanks to paint master Tom, Picture-beard master Jaden, media mogul Howard. Thanks Anne, Sarah, Frank, and Andrew for ultimate inspiration. Thanks to Mary for being a good sport about her consistency. Thanks to the other parents in the tribe (especially Stew). Thanks to my wife Lani as she continues to support me in showing up. She even came with me to NP on my birthday because she knows how important it is to me. Thanks to everyone else who I haven’t mentioned. You all have helped me carve out a little piece of fun in my life. I plan to keep showing up. And if it helps you to show up, I’ll come dressed up in some silly costume I slapped together from stuff around my house. I’ll bring one for you, too, if it means we’ll get a good laugh when you show up. Because that’s what this is about: we don’t show up just for ourselves, we show up for each other.
Finally, thanks to all of you amazing people who advocated for me to receive the positivity award. Looking back at my initial hesitation to the community I have today, I couldn’t help but feel giddy – yes, 40 year old dads can feel giddy – as I took my victory lap around the canal. I definitely plan on showing up, working hard, dressing up, and giddily enjoying some Dad Jokes.
Announcements:
Friday’s workout is at the Obelisk/Fountain just NORTH of the War Memorial – 6am
Next Wednesday’s theme is 80’s Aerobics Video. If you don’t know what this is (and even if you do), I suggest spending 4-5 hours today just YouTubing it…it will be time well spend.
Sunday is the Brunch Run – 8:30 NP Warm-Up “Workout” followed by tagging. Race starts at 10am followed by drinking. Pretty phenomenal day if you ask me. Still time to sign up if you haven’t yet!
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Thank YOU, Andy. You being the smiles with your positive attitude. This piece perfectly captures the culture of our Indy tribe.
Thanks Blake. It’s been an fun ride and I don’t want it to stop!
Thanks Andy for recruiting me! Could not agree more with your comments… just show up and your Wednesdays will be forever better. Rob Stoffel
You are more than welcome Rob. I very glad you choose to stick with it. I love that we have a group of Lilly folks that keeps growing. That’s how this thing works.
I love you Andy! Thank you for the weekly inspiration & laughs. All of this is so true about NP. Except I’m not sure I buy the bit about you being an introvert. High fives & hugs.
I love you too Anne! Now remember, introversion takes many shapes and forms. You would be surprised how many outgoing folks truly enough a small niche of people. NP is like that. One small niche of 30-80 wonderful people in city to city! How’s that for dichotomy?
Ah, Rusiniak! I totally agree about the great LTC-N group. As well as being a part of the amateur athletic community in general. As a kid I thought I *loved* swimming. It was my entire focus from age 8-high school. It wasn’t “normal” to want to practice before AND after school AND every other weekend go to some other town and sit around all day in wet suits and sweats for “maybe” 5 total minutes of swimming (minus warm-ups ;). But it was all I wanted and the love from that team endures today as we have all gone our separate ways but maintain contact nonetheless. Everything about the magic changed when I aged up and joined my HS team. I was faster than ever but…where was the love? the magic? the “whatever it is I feel when I’m with my peeps”? And I learned to my shock that what had fed and sustained me it wasn’t the sport. Somehow it was the sport AND the people TOGETHER that made it good. I slogged through HS and college swimming, but it wasn’t the same. But you know what? The magic happened again with yoga for about a decade. Then again later with LTC-N and triathlon. Years of amazing people and adventures. And when my body shut me down and I’m left picking up the pieces, trying to figure out what, if any, sport might even be possible again…I’ve found a tiny posse of swimming girls (they’re all in their baby-having time of life, so their pace REALLY works for me 😉 who “get” me, support me, understand without judgment that some days all I can do is touch the water for 20-30 minutes before the exhaustion is overwhelming. Which feels at once both a forgone conclusion as well as practically a miracle. The November Project and so many other fitness communities enrich our bodies simultaneously with our souls and spirit…and that kind of fellowship is both around lots of corners as well as it should never be taken for granted. Because, while inevitably one beautiful situation will fade away, I have found repeatedly the unexpected and wholly-unique new beginning to be had…if we brave the cold, the early, the sweat, the uncertainty, the challenge/intimidation of something new. Bless you, friend!!!