Free Fitness Movement. All you need to do is show up!
Happy Wednesday, folks, and way to power through your 900ish reps and runs this morning! Whether you were there this morning or not, whether you come all the time or a few times a year, whether you’re brand new or were here at the start of NPSD, WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU*! Please fill out the following form as thoroughly as you’re willing because it will help make this experience the best it can be for all of y’all!
“Community.” “Moment.” “Grit.” “[insert overused word to make Brogan’s eyes roll here].”
These words matter; they matter to us as NPSD, they matter to us outside of NPSD, and they matter to a ton of other people, too, otherwise it wouldn’t sound like a broken record hearing people use ’em. When, though, and how are they actually defined?
Since it feels like there are a whole bunch more NPSD babies that entered the world this year, I thought we could celebrate NPSD’s 5th birthday by reflecting on the CDC’s Developmental Milestones for infants, toddlers, and well…us.
Social and Emotional
YOUR “CHILD” BY YEAR 2:
The American Revolution 242 years ago was messy as fuck, and the stories about what actually happened are often quite a stretch from the truth, to say the least. Nevertheless, on July 4th, we get to get together with friends, family, sunshine, and hot coals to celebrate our Independence. Sure it was initially independence from the British Monarchy, but every year since then, we’re afforded a day off work to express gratitude for the opportunities we have in this nation state for life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. We may be in the midst of the most trying time our democracy has undergone in many of our lifetimes, but when people get together to fight for independence in whatever form that may take, it fuels an optimism and belief that good just has to triumph over evil (right?). 
You all showed up this morning to NPSD to move your body because you can, and by adding energy to the collective group, we were all elevated to a more powerful version of our independent selves while simultaneously feeling unified as one strong AF, loving community. A Zig Zag Loop may make your legs feel like they “just can’t” at times. Burpees may make your body feel like it couldn’t possibly do one more. Holding a plank for a minute may test your internal dialogue more than your physical strength, but revolutions are never comfortable. It is when we break from the status quo- in our workouts, in our friendships, and whatever else we do in our lives- that meaningful change has the opportunity to blossom, and it is through our independence together that we have the power to keep pushing to become better. Let’s just not do it by tyrannizing Native Americans and excluding everyone who isn’t a rich, old, cis, hetero, white man.
‘MERICA!
Sunday, 7/8- NP Soccer Pick-Up, International Potluck, Food Drive @ 3-7pm @ (2525 Bacon Street, SD, CA 92107)
Monday, 7/9- NPSD @ The Cabrillo Canyon Bridge @ 6:29am
BRING ONE WHITE(ISH) SHIRT to tag for Pride!
You can’t stop an avalanche
As it races down the hill
You can try to stop the seasons, folks
But ya know you never will
And you can try to stop our runnin’ feet
But we just cannot stand still
Cause the world keeps spinnin’
Round and round
And our hearts are keeping time
To the speed of sound
We were lost til’ we felt the hugs
Then we found our waaaaay
Cause you can’t stop the beat
Ever since this old world began
A woman found out if she pushed it
She could speed by a man
And so we’re gonna jump and burpee it
The best that we can todaaaaay
‘Cause you cant stop
The motion of the ocean
Or the sun in the sky
You can wonder if you wanna
But we never ask why
And if you try to hold us down
We’re gonna spit in your eye and say
That you cant stop NPSD!
We’ve all been there- tentative of the group at first, wondering how everyone all seems to be such good friends, and not really in the loop about races, runs, or social activities that happen outside the time we were told to #justshowup for. At some point, though, we choose to buy-in. To keep showing up. To maybe stick our neck out and “friend” a few people on facebook who we’ve run with, done hoistees with, or just admired in the pre-sunrise bounce. That’s when the deep joy starts to seep in to our souls. NPSD will always be here for you regardless if you just come once a month, go on vacation for a few weeks, or just take an NP hiatus here and there. However, when you go all in- show up once, then every subsequent Monday and Wednesday morning possible, show up to random off-day workouts, show up to the Waffle Off or a night of dancing with NP folks, and actually text the person whose number you took home from the phone number workout*, magic happens. You start to believe that maybe YOU could call yourself a runner, run a half marathon, run an ultra marathon, or make life-long friends from this crazy group of yahoos.
If you don’t believe me, refer back to Antonette’s history lesson on St. Patrick’s Day; it’s pretty much an American invention and contortion of Irish Pride. In classic American fashion, we just took the idea, made a bunch of green costume options and party decor, and developed disgusting concoctions to ingest in the name of the Irish** who we treated like shit when they first immigrated to the US. The buy-in, though, is what makes it socially acceptable to go out in suspenders, slap on a bunch of clovers, and drink copious amounts of Guinness in mid-March.
Every time we ask you to dress in a certain color or theme, we’re blown away by the high percentage of you who are able to pull out fitting crap from the depths of your costume boxes. In doing so, you contribute to a ridiculous level of synergistic energy that comes right back at y’all who chose to just buy-in.
Happy Pi Day!
*(Clears throat and gives the stink eye)
**Miss you, Aoife!
IMPORTANT STUFF
Mike and Sheri have been long-time friends of the NPSD community, and they found an opportunity to connect us all and introduce two incredible free fitness communities. And today’s guest blog post is brought to you by Fitbit Local Ambassador, the one, the only, Sheri Matthews…
My cheeks hurt. Not my glutes, well those too, but my cheeks, from smiling and all I did was “just show up.” So basically, I can’t feel my face when I’m with you.
Before 7:30 AM I (we) have done frog jumps, leapfrog, got a piggyback ride, and not just watched, but participated in the best round of paper rock scissors ever. I was not the guest at a kindergarten class, I attended the weekly November Project workout in the beautiful Balboa Park.
I was welcomed. I was hugged.
I saw the sunrise, and it was gorgeous.
I did a variety of fun, creative workout options.
I gave more high fives.
It’s different every. single. time.
I made friends. I saw friends. I brought friends.
From first timers to Ironman athletes, do what you can. It’s inviting.
I smiled so much, my cheeks hurt.
What’s incredible is that people agree to come together, to a space that’s otherwise just sitting there, a gem in San Diego – Balboa Park. By doing so, the number of times you hear encouragement, laughter, and see smiles is the healthiest, most reassuring type of therapy, church, addiction whatever your thing is….there is. As someone who has had an opportunity to host and lead experiences in San Diego, I know two things for sure:
1. Alice Coachmen was the first black WOman selected to the US Olympic Team AND the first black woman to win an Olympic Gold Medal at the 1948 Summer Olympic Games in the high jump competition. Whaaaaaaa? It was conveniently a leap year that year, so [insert dad joke here].
2. Debi Thomas was the first black athlete to win any bling at any Winter Olympics (bronze in 1988 in Calgary). She was also the first and only African American Figure skating champion in the US. After skating, she went on to medical school, became an orthopedic surgeon (NBD), and then became a mo fo humanitarian.
3. Vonetta Flowers was the first African-American Winter Olympic gold medal winner!!! After failing to secure a spot on the U.S. Olympic team twice (1996: 100m dash and long jump, 2000: long jump), she retired from track and field and turned to bobsledding. After just two weeks of training in pushing a sled, Flowers and teammate Bonny Warner set a world start record in October 2000 at Park City, Utah. I bet she get at least an 7-hill-PR on her first day at NPSD. Other victories quickly followed, including a gold-medal performance at the World Cup. In 2002, she became the first black athlete to win gold at the Winter Olympics in Sal Tlay Ka Siti, and after having 3 kids, she returned to the 2006 Winter Games in Torino with the U.S. bobsled team and finished sixth overall. V strong mama.
4. Dr. LeRoy T. Walker was the first black president of the United States Olympic Committee in 1996 in the ATL. He was also the first African-American to coach a US team. Oh, and he casually earned his Ph.D in biomechanics at NYU and gave up his six figure salary position as the director of sports for the Atlanta Committe for the Olympic Games to take the unpaid, el presidente role. Ahhh the days of higher education preceding a presidential office.
5. Michael Johnson is the only athlete in HIS-TO-RY to win the 200m and 400m at the same [1996 Atlanta Summer] Olympics, aaaaaand get this: he’s also the only male to successfully defend his Olympic title in the 400m the following Summer Games in Sydney. Take that, Usain!
6. Florence Griffith Joyner also known as “Flo Jo” was the fastest woman alive. She has records in the 100 and 200 meters that STILL haven’t been broken in 30 f-ing years! Her women’s world record of 10.49 seconds in the 100m and 21.34 seconds in the 200m set in 1988 remain unbroken. Some of us have lived our entire lives and done like 6 school projects on her in that time, and she’s held on to that speed-studded crown the whole GD time. She also gave zero fucks about what people said about her flashy leggings, long nails, and #longhairdontcare ‘tude.
Well, I don’t have a gold medal for you, but I’ll give you a metaphorical gold star for making it this far. Strong work today, tribe. Whether or not you are an Olympic athlete, you showed up in whatever form you were in today, and that f-ing matters. Don’t quit your day jobs, though, because none of you are cut out for bobsledding.
*Not as entertaining as our resident historian, Antonette, but it’ll do.
Announcements:
MONDAY – hilly 5k + tagging. Bring ONE item to get tagged for #grassrootsgear. Check the tracker for location.
We often say NP is more than just a workout group, and it’s times like these that that statement rings truest. We are not always in the most positive, most fit, happiest states going in to NP mornings. Sometimes we sit in a grey zone of hardship in some form and show up to feed off others’ energy and positive vibes. Sometimes we sit in a grey zone of a semi-injured state and show up to be inspired by others’ journeys through injury. What ever grey zone you have been in or sometime will be in, this community is here for you with unyielding support, connection, and love.
We wore grey today- the color of brain cancer awareness- to honor the vibrant life of NP-Los Angeles’ member, Sean Early. For more about who Sean was, NP-LAX co-founder had this to say about him: