Originally, I really thought this song said Zoom Zoom Zoom but as you have now listened to it the word is boom not zoom. We also thought we should mention that last week in the height of it all we forgot to share on our beloved blog. For that reason and many more we thought to share how we can continue to create community virtually.
Museum Madness(Ottawa)
It was once known as March Madness and will now be forever known as Museum Madness. For the next four weeks we have decided to explore the city a little bit more and become that much more familiar with some iconic locations. This is something that is yet again uniquely Ottawa. Now, March Madness has it roots in college basketball and in the past we spun it into a push up or squat challenge at the end of the workout. But now this. This is something that you can brag about when visiting other cities.
The power of continuous recruitment(Ottawa)
It’s easy to say you’ll show when it starts getting lighter out and it’s easy to say you’ll show up once it’s warmer. But, what continues to hold everyone back once it does get warmer out or once the sun is shining before 6:29am?
When we first began creating this community here in Ottawa we started in January. It was cold, to say it was dark would be an understatement and there was a solid four to six people showing up. The location stayed the same, the workouts continue to evolve but we always stayed in the frame of mind to keep the workouts simple, clear and challenging. When the weather began to creep up the thermometer more and more people began showing up. It helped that CBC came to feature and extend beyond the immediate circles of people that we knew. But, still sometimes you wonder why do people show up one week and not the next? Or what holds someone back from making it out at 6:29am on a bright summery morning?
Hey I just met you in the 613 and this is crazy but here's my number(Ottawa)
Maybe there’s a theme going on here with top hits and November Project but with last weeks skating, skating on the Rideau Canal chant and this weeks Carly Rae Jepsen number we might be on to something. With that in mind, we highly encourage you to blast this tune in your car maybe ask the bus driver to crank it up or share it with a colleague.
skating, skating on the Rideau Canal(Ottawa)
Swimming, swimming Skating, skatingIn a swimming pool On the Rideau Canal
When days are hot
When days are cold In a swimming pool On the Rideau Canal
These first five lines almost perfectly depict this mornings events. Hence, why we highly encourage you to listen to this song once or maybe twenty times throughout your day. But out on the Rideau Canal, under the Patterson Creek bridge we met on skates. Some of us skated for the first time this year and some of us even went out and bought ourselves some skates last night.
#community
Some would say that a community is “a group of people living in the same place or having a particular characteristic in common.” That’s actually the definition of community when researched. However, I would like to expand upon that definition and include some images to help further explain the power of community and what that looks like here in Ottawa and out in that big, big world.
The good old street hokey game
Although this mornings workout did not place on ice here are some things that did occur.
- There was a good old hockey game
- Many families and friends added to their already existing Christmas day traditions
- Cookies, treats and some sweets
- Gord and Natalia, for coming in hot with all the fixings to make this a legit hockey game
- Street takeover at Landsdowne
- Waking up to move and probably partake in the most Canadian thing ever
We understand and know that Christmas day is a day for some to spend time with their family, sleep in and bask in joy and love. But, by partaking this morning in hockey game you extended that time in your day a little bit longer, just by waking up a that bit earlier.
YOU NEED TO READ THIS(Ottawa)
Ah the sweet sound of a bounce dedicated to PR DAY. Ah why yes that was this morning. As the holidays begin to approach like black flies while camping deep in the woods we have some suggestions to make these times that much more memorable.
First of all, put down the Deet as you are not camping and it’s minus 5 out there. We live in Ottawa so one needs to make sure you dress appropriately for all outdoor winter activities. Outdoor winter activities you say, eh? Here are a couple we can suggest off hand:
new traditions (Ottawa)
Morning. It is well past 7am by now and your fingers have surely defrosted. We were back on the lawn of the Supreme Court of Canada. High fives and hugs (mittens connecting) were being dished out in the transition area as we heard movements and reps being shared. When you reflect back on mornings like today, you can use them as a conversation starter, a pick me up or a refresher of how fortunate enough we are to workout in the greatest city of them all. How lucky are we to make the most of these shortest days of the year, by starting early and dark being surrounded by such wonderful souls? To have that extra reason to peel yourself out of bed to make those mornings brighter with some HIPS IN HUGS! (This was reviewed today, in case you missed it- hips in, eye contact, embrace. It’s important to keep the standards high and hold each other accountable. We can get lax on the quality of those hugs if we’re not careful).
Counting on (Ottawa)
This mornings workout was comprised of 3 moving parts. The first, being a run down to the gate and back up the hill. The second, a burpee step up with a clap over the head and the third, a Toulouse side swivel. The intention of this workout like all other Wednesday mornings was to have members of various teams connect with one another. Whether that was by handing out some high fives along your way down to the gate, chatting as you took over the burpee step up or having a laugh with your teammate as they did their very best side swivel. You had the opportunity to push yourself and those surrounding you harder. The workouts are designed so YOU can challenge yourself in any capacity and yes we design them with the intention that you will probably run faster if you know someone has to complete copious attempted, amounts of side swivels or burpee step up and claps over the head. I’m not too sure about you, but I know that I ran faster today up that hill knowing that one of my teammates was just swivelling from left to right waiting for me to relieve them. Holding your teammates accountable by accumulating burpees as you go, collectively allows you to push just a little bit harder. If your team is at 80, are you going to meander through 14 burpees, or are you really going to push to finish 100 before you run down the hill? It’s the little things, done over and over, that make us better.