Six years ago I finished my first NYC Marathon. I trained alone, and decided I didn’t want that anymore. I wanted a team. A friend told me he had one for me.
On a cold January Monday in 2018, I got lost on my way to my first November Project workout. I got intercepted by a man with a goofy smile and boundless energy, something always present in group photos. And he would run me up the stairs to intercept a woman who I had admired from afar for a while, who I now call my big sister.
The next month, a woman would smile a wildly infectious smile and ask if I wanted to be her partner at my first Wednesday workout. I had no idea that I’d met my future co-leader that morning. The universe is funny like that.
That same month, I said hi to a girl wearing shorts with a charity logo I recognized at my first traverbal to Philly. She’d grow to become one of my closest friends, my roommate, and the reason I live in the best neighborhood in the five boroughs.
Three years later I would be introduced to a human who changes lives wherever they go, who would introduce me to another incredible human who loves with every ounce of their heart. We’d start a group text that never stops and we’d get matching tattoos.
I could tell so many more stories about meeting people in this group who would go on to change my life. But I think you understand where I’m going with this.
I knew this past weekend would be a whirlwind one. And the things I thought I’d say about it are very different from what I am typing right now. But let me back up a few years to start.
I stepped into leadership at a time where no one had any idea of what being a leader needed to look like. It was January 2021 and the world was just starting to creep back out of their homes after a global pandemic. This is something for which there was absolutely zero guidance. Everyone was making the best decisions they could with the information they had, and up until that point, I wasn’t the one making those decisions for anyone. In March, we hosted our first in person workout again for our 7th birthday. Rob and I spent multiple weeks stressing over the details to make sure we kept everyone as safe as possible. I learned a lot between that moment, the moment we were fully back in person about three months later, and in the following months of judging people’s continued comfort levels. I hope no one ever has to do that again, even if we have a playbook now, but I would not be the leader I am were it not for that experience.
The next three years would challenge me in many ways, mostly of the waking up variety. I learned to be a leader, a partner, and a community member all at the same time. I created workouts that were hard, workouts that were weird, and some that didn’t go very well. Each one taught me how to make a better one the next time. I would build relationships not only with our own city’s members, but with leaders and members of this incredible global community, too. I would even get a chance to lead a city that wasn’t my own (Happy April Fools Day, Denver!). There was so much that was hard and so much that was amazing and I wouldn’t trade any of it for another experience.
So fast forward to this past weekend. I had plans, oh man, did I have plans. I was going to retire (as quietly as I could) on Friday, run my second NYC Marathon on Sunday, and ride off blissfully into the sunrise after Medal Monday. Things didn’t quite go as planned. I didn’t finish the NYC Marathon. I am sad but content in my decision, and it was one I wouldn’t have made without the love and support of this community. I want to be someone who leads by example, and they helped me do that. I used our cheer station as a marker of the best spot to drop out (also the best spot for me to just go home). I got to our station and people sat on the ground with me, talked me through what was going on, tried to clean the busted Gu off my leg, and told me they were proud of me as they dried my tears and sent me home.
I was so excited, after never having run this race since becoming a member, to proudly wear my grassroots gear in the greatest city in the world. To show up on Monday with a shiny reminder of what I accomplished. But instead, I still wore my grassroots gear in the greatest city in the world and fully solidified my decision that this is the group for me, even if it didn’t come with a shiny medal. I know whatever I choose to do or run in the future, this group will have my back.
As I said on Friday, the best advice I can give everyone is to remember that this is a GLOBAL community. Go everywhere. Meet everyone. You don’t know who will change your life, so go find out.
I need to thank a few people in a little more depth (but not much more) than I did on Friday:
Thank you to Rob for nagging me to show up 6 years ago, and asking me to be a leader 3 years ago. You said it was cool that one of your recruits got to lead and it was cool that I got to lead with the person who recruited me. You were right, these are my people.
To Aki, for stepping into leadership when we really needed him. And for continuing to show up both for me and for this community. You are a pillar of this group, and we wouldn’t be the same without you.
To Dana, for filling in all my gaps. I am a better friend, leader, human, and weirdo because I got to do this with you. Please feel free to continue to ask if that’s really the hill I want to die on today, should the need arise again.
To the global community of NP leaders, you all are rockstars. Thank you for the inspiration, advice, and occasional tears. I can’t wait to come visit you all in your cities sometime soon!
To the people of NP NYC, thank you for showing up every week. For trusting me, supporting me, and loving me. There will never be enough words to express my gratitude.
See you at the back of the bounce! I’m glad you’re here!
Em
