Free Fitness Movement. All you need to do is show up!
Gather around as I paint you a picture of the Denver tribe’s workout this morning. It was an epically fun-tastic #FREE workout, obviously. We began with some soft and subtle greetings: welcome to our tribe, hug my body, bitch. We then gathered in a hip-hop bounce here, a little body warmth there. Yall Good, Truck Yeah.
Today Denver graced us with beautiful weather for St Valentine’s day, which was filled with hearts, hugs, happiness and high fives. It was so mild and lovely that a group of happy people felt compelled enough to show up to a park and run hill circles for free. Spirits were so high that we couldn’t even be bothered by that a friendly homeless person who claimed our meeting spot as his own, causing us to change our location. After hauling ass up and around today’s hill loop, Lt Flanniel led the tribe through some very special Valentine’s Day yoga. If lululemon hasn’t reached out to him to be an ambassador yet, after today’s display of spiritual leadership, they certainly will. Through many a graceful “windmills”, “runner’s things”, “I hope you enjoy prison” and the “opposite of that thing you just did”, we all melted into into our souls and found our inner zen. But before leaving each other, we celebrated this crudely criticized holiday by engaging in ten second hugs between everybody. Seventeen people + 1 dog= three minutes of pure hugging. I know this holiday gets a lot of flack but lets just take all of the commercialized crap (money, cards, flowers) out of the equation and realize that its really about showing our love and appreciation for our fellow human. Lets face it, this holiday was clearly made for the loving people of November Project.
Contrary to what Bob Costas tells you, the Olympics aren’t only about roses and teddy bears. The true Olympic quest is about sacrificing your body, lifestyle, and sanity through a stubborn dedication toward ones passion. Even then, after years of focus and preparation, a fraction of a second in a competition can make or break your Olympic dreams. That is what makes the Olympics a spectacle to watch and truly inspirational.
“I’m a loc’d out gangsta set trippin’ banger and my homies is down so don’t arouse my anger, fool.”
Denver’s Governor’s Park was a gangster’s paradise this morning. The hoodrats bounced early from their baby mama’s cribs and rolled up on chromed-out 24s to the meeting spot. The crew shook their bones warm by flipping cards and taking names. The Alpine kicked out humongous beats, while amplified samples crushed the neighborhood loud, son. The homies were all packing heat after we cashed in the cards, so we hustled up the iced-out hill, ain’t none of us be tripping, fool.
What up world!? Here is your workout recap for Wednesday February 5th, 2014, the year of the Horse:
Weather Notes:
Today your Mile High tribe stood up to the bitter snark of Mother Nature, bundled in layers of wool, goose-down, and flandex. With a generous weather report of -5F at good morning bounce-time, we embraced the brisk conditions, eager for the workout ahead. Check out our FB gallery for photos of eyelash icicles and frozen beards. A huge thanks goes out to Denver Public Works for their snow and ice removal efforts at Civic Center this morning. We all know that you are just doing your job, but we know you guys are looking out for us. Much respect.
Lab, husky, pitbull, shepard, greyhound, beagle, terrier, bull, shih tzu. We are all dogs. Some of us are quicker than others, some of us are lazier than others, but all of us love to PLAY. Especially, when it is in the snow with other dogs. It doesn’t matter your size or breed, as dogs in the park, you just run recklessly, chase things, and freaking exhaust yourself.
Being that it is PR Wednesday I can proudly report that January 29, 2014 will go down in history as the day the Denver tribe PR’d the shit out of their PRs sometime either before or after the remainder of the POWER10 family. Congratulations to all the newbies who broke their PR just by showing up and to you oldies that broke yours. I want to give a special big giant huge thanks to Aaron who stepped up as man of the house while Dad was stuck on a business trip***.
I had this crazy dream this morning. You know those ones, where you wake up a little too soon before your alarm, and next thing you know you’ve fallen into a deep hazy slumber where dreams become total mind fucks? Let me tell you about it.
I got this text at 4:58am asking me if I wanted to run hills. I thought that was a pretty weird question but I guess I said yes because in the next frame I was there. As I approached, I was surprised to see a crowd gathered in the shadows. I mean it was six in the morning and 20 degrees with snow on the ground. Yet there were gaggles of creatures congregated to run? Come on, who does that? Although I was judging the shit out of them, I couldn’t help but be intrigued by this group of wild humans. What was this? Some kind of ninja cult? They seemed to communicate through hugs and high fives. I kept my distance- not in this personal bubble you don’t. I saw a steel cutout of some strange words sitting on the ground that read, “November Project”. I knew immediately that it was for fire branding. The ground began to rattle below as the group began rhythmically bouncing up and down. A giant man dressed in flannel screamed absurdities I couldn’t even begin to comprehend. It must not have been English- tribal chants, I believe. I took in the scene around me. To my left, a smaller bearded man. To my right, a family of unicorns. And just like that, we were off to the hills. In watching them bound up and down the mountainous peak of Penssylvania St, it was clear that these human were actually half gazelle, who guzzled fuel in the form of spray paint fumes. When the running was over, we took selfies and just went home. But the strangest part of it all, was that everyone actually seemed like they wanted to be there. They were all happy. And god damnit, so was I.
Today in 5280-ville, we relaxed our flannel dress code for the in vogue orange and blue lounge-wear that has draped this great city. In support of the winning ways of the bucking football squad, we #UnitedinOrange to show the strength of our community. I’m not much of a pigskin fan, but I hear that the team has a star kicker (I’m talking to you, Matt Prater #5) who has single handedly kept the team in contention all season long. We hope he and his cheerleader friends will grind some steps with us after the season.
At November Project we’re all about achieving goals and pushing ourselves and eachother. Our goal today was to have more than four humans at the 2nd weekly hill fest extravaganza. Congratulations, Denver! We did it! Great success.
Anyway, I want to use todays blog post to share a story that took place today to add to the ever evolving definition of what November Project is, why we love it, and why we keep coming back for more. As the tribe has grown, first in Boston, and now across the continent, this blog has served as a way for us to say some weird shit that doesn’t usually make sense. But somewhere beyond the poetically illogical rants, it has evolved into a rich source for people to share their stories about what the movement has meant for them. A meta analysis conducted of these stories would conclude that November Project is one wonderfully giant smorgasbord of people and feelings and emotions and things. That brings me to my story. This morning, an oldie and a newbie ran together up and down the hill (you new she was a newbie when she went in for the handshake in her first intro). Not only did they fly up and down the hills and stairs together, but in doing so also discovered that that very newbie was friends with the oldie’s parents and was in their wedding. But wait, it gets better. The newbie held that oldie when she was a baby. WHAT. And now, some 20-30 years later on this brisk Friday morning, they were able to reconnect over heavy hill crushing. Well, what’s so November Project about that? A) who doesn’t appreciate crazy coincidences 2) November Project brings people together and that’s where its addictive properties lie. So that, folks, is some November Project magic. November Project: bringing people and babies together since 2011.