Terrified? Yes, that seems to be the appropriate word. In my case anyway, as I listened to my tribe co-leader start describing the next recipient selected for the November Project Positivity Award and slowly but surely, realize you ARE IT ! Whoa, rewind that for me again? You see, the PA and I have a past history. Not a pretty one by my account and I hope to have the dubious distinction of being the only having dropped it during the traditional “toss” way back with the NYC tribe. Since then I have been filled with anxiety about the possibility of this same moment with my BK tribe. To the point that I even hinted that it was totally OK not to be considered. So despite the significance of what it represents and what it bestows upon oneself, I have been more than content to see a fellow NPer receive it and serve as a constant reminder of the amazing qualities of those around me.
I see examples of generosity, kindness, resilience, and strength just to mention a few. I was not born with any of these traits, at least not in any full extent, so I can only assume that if I am perceived to demonstrate any of them, it must be from observing others and emulating them as best as I can.
Growing up in Brazil where the Chinese community was almost non-existent, and to parents working a laundry and restaurant business, one learns self-reliance and independence rather quickly. This gets reinforced when you suddenly move to NYC’s Chinatown with very little knowledge of Chinese and you get to see only one of your parents at a time for a few months while the other travels back to run the family business. Eventually moving to Brooklyn, my high school years were unremarkable and often filled with a sense of isolation. I pretty much graduated with complete strangers. College was just an attempt to create bonds with limited success while preparing to find a job. The prospect of leaving my family for a job in Texas after college was terrifying (there goes that word again). As luck would have it, I was able to find employment in NJ. The long and costly commute and an 8 hour drive back home during a winter storm made a move closer to work a logical one. At least I could have weekends spent at home or the few college friends I managed to keep in contact with. The pursuit of a graduate degree and dating life eventually brought me back home. Life settled into a long commute again which I learned to accept as a small sacrifice. Marriage to a wonderful woman and eventual birth of my son Richard seemed to shape my plans and occupy my time and thoughts. As an engineer, I always had confidence in my ability to figure things out. Planning is 80 percent, execution 20 I would tell myself. That approach seemed to work until one day you are diagnosed with a brain tumor. I can still recall the terrifying (here we go again) numbness as I looked down at my son barely 2 months old before we rushed to the hospital ER, wondering what his life would be without me in it.
Well, you can well guess the outcome of that chapter as you are still reading this. Although benign, the removal of what turned out to be a golf sized mass caused a total hearing loss and facial nerve damage on the left side. More on that last bit later. And yes, let’s add a ringing 24/7 for good measure (this is for those who often ask how much I sleep). Despair, anger, and depression became my constant yet silent companions. So much so, a co-worker playfully nicknamed me “crabby”.
There were days when I questioned my purpose and existence and whether I had the courage to leave all I dearly cherished behind. It was during one of those moments which I can only describe as hitting rock bottom, I was taken back to that same instance as I left for the hospital years before. That same fear not only saved me, but instilled within me a new purpose. To be here rather than not and make a difference no matter how small it may be. Years of complacency resulted in a weight gain that I accepted as a cost of “Life getting in the way of living”, as I usually like to say. It took a while, but eventually I made the fateful decision to do something about it as well. A dusty treadmill came to life again. The anger was now harnessed into a furious and relentless pursuit which involved ungodly hours and endless weekends. As luck would have it, the treadmill stopped working. Doing a yearly 4M charity run, left me somewhat comfortable with giving outdoor running a try. Then shortly after, while doing the 5K Sandy charity sponsored by NYRR, I noticed the volunteering opportunities for the NYC Marathon while browsing the website site. Having coming out to watch it once, it had always sparked my interest. Working at the start, I felt a sense of purpose while helping runners in any way I could, even with the simple act of handing small bottles of water out.
I was hooked. Long story short, volunteering has become a huge part of my life now. Whether it is about the giving back or just the paying forward, I have come to believe that the odds of making a difference in someone’s experience can only get better with how often I do so. That fateful decision also eventually led me to my NP family. That first stint at the marathon kept bringing me back to race events. I just could not get enough. That first year would find me at almost all NYRR events, so often I was constantly asked whether I worked for them. As it goes, my so called baking hobby simply resulted out of a necessity for having something else besides the same donuts at race events, but now it’s just my attempt to make a difference. Even with the simple act of baking treats. It pretty much started when I decided to bake a batch of scones while volunteering for the Bronx 10M on my birthday, a day made more memorable while helping make a marriage proposal happen at the finish. As I mentioned before, the odds do get better. It was during this time that I started to notice these runners who oddly enough, spray painted something across their shirts.
My involvement with the NYRR Open Run program inevitably led to an introduction to Paul Leak, Don and Esther E. who often wore the same tags. After a short inquiry, I somehow managed to convince myself to showup to a Friday workout at Prospect Park. On my way home, I wondered whether I could find the courage to do it again. I decided to give it one more try. Besides, the shirts do look cool I told myself. The next bounce became another, and then another. That first tag led to the next, and now to the point that my tagged items outnumber all others. Tag everything I often say. Well, at least most.
I could wonder what life would be like or in a particular case not, based on my choices, but why bother I tell myself. Such decisions terrifying or not, have led me to this place in time, and to those who I consider to be points in the compass of my life. Guiding and constantly correcting my course. Whether by baking treats, cheering, or simply being there during a bounce (hopefully in a costume or prop), I have been graciously allowed to be a small part of their lives. I learned to make the most of every day, even the bad ones knowing that a smile followed by a hug, sweaty or not, will eventually be waiting to greet me regardless of time and place. As a reminder to myself of that silver lining, I often joke that not feeling the left side of my face can come very handy in a fight, except with a southpaw. Luckily for me, the overall odds are still in my favor. I stopped wondering or fearing what life would be without me and just try to live as best as I know how and those you are with. I’m just grateful that mine is filled with such amazing humans whose qualities I continue to aspire, and who bring so much into my existence. Whatever happens, I am glad I decided to be here and glad you are as well.
That’s what she says to Rachel. Because Rachel may look like her, but she’s far from it. Rachel may look Asian, but she’s Asian American. It’s not just a nuance or one extra word. It’s a distinction that casts Rachel off as not worthy, not good enough. That’s how some of us grew up.read more
Ahh Jeanie’s retirement post. There’s a lot to be said about someone who leads a November Project tribe, much less two. Four score and twenty sunrises ago, when Jeanie was but a November Project toddler, she already embodied so much of what defines this grassroots movement. She showed up, for herself and others. She shows up so much, that it’s hard to even pinpoint a favorite workout with her. “Anytime Jeanie rolls up next to you with her fanny pack boombox, it’s going to be a great workout.”
“Never gonna give you up, never gonna let you down, never gonna run around and desert you” she croons to her fanny-pack
[We interrupt this blog post to dedicate an entire blurb to Jeanie’s fanny-pack speakers. They’re pretty much inseparable, soul mates if you will. The peanut butter to the jelly, the fuck to the yeah. Jeanie will rock out while running next to you, like she did with Joe Fox at a Madison Sq Park workout. She will blast Janet Jackson while running bridge repeats, right Joellen? If you find her on the subway heading to a workout, she’s jamming to music ALL.THE.TIME.]
If you see Jeanie w/o her fanny-pack speakers, SOMETHING IS WRONG, VERY VERY WRONG.
Anddddddd back to our featured program–with her unresolved dedication and infectiously fun nature, it made absolute sense when she was announced as the third co-leader of New York City. She added a new level of spice to the concrete jungle. Fierce and silly could be a thing, and Jeanie brought out the best of that.
New York’s leading lady, BOOM.
The tribe’s vibe was definitely better with Jeanie leading alongside John & Paul. What if we spread this goodness into more of New York though? What if…Brooklyn? And who better to start this up than Jeanie? So off she went to sprinkle the November Project seeds at Brooklyn’s Fort Greene Park. It was winter. It was cold/snowy/slippery/icy/weather-y, but that didn’t matter. Jeanie, and now Sierra, a fellow badass cancer survivor, were determined to just show up. They showed up every damn week to cultivate and give life to the thing that has blossomed to November Project Brooklyn.
And a tribe is born in Brooklyn.
Jeanie has this uncanny ability to make YOU as an individual feel comfortable. She knocks down those invisible social walls that make people awkward/scared/self-conscious. She’ll bust out dance moves. She’ll clown around (did she inherit it from Papa Tinnelly?). She’ll grab an unsuspecting Chinese lady by the hand to join the workout. She’ll notice you, yes you. She’ll call out your name as you race past even if you’ve been to the workout just one time. She’ll ask you about your life outside of November Project. She’ll run next to you, at your pace. In a city as populated as ours, it’s easy to get lost, feel lost. Jeanie will find you, and then instantly make you feel that you belong.
It’s no wonder so many people love Jeanie, with how she makes us each feel.
It is hard for us as a tribe to describe what Jeanie embodies in one word. “Fanny-pack speaker” is technically three words, peeps. It don’t count. Here are the words that we do use for our co-leader. Jeanie is brave. She is fierce. Exuberant. She is genuine. And phenomenal, yes. Jeanie is unstoppable. She is a superstar. And supercalifragilisticexpialidocious. She is heart. She is strong, no doubt. Jeanie is 80s. And Beyonce. She is also fandabidoozy (Joon, we don’t speak British English, what in the queen’s name does this mean?).
Jeanie has as many freckles as she does good traits.
Jeanie, from you, we have learned to put ourselves out there for the rest of the world to see, to be vulnerable. You’ve taught us that we are never too old, nor too young to try something. You have shown us how impactful it is to support each other. How community pushes us to grasp our goals, to redefine what we are capable of. This community makes it worth taking two trains, waking up before the crack of dawn, and just showing up.
A Guest Blog by Erica Silbiger:
Pictured here: the mental boost when you see November Project.
What many people don’t know is that the November Project is a registered racing team through the New York Road Runners (NYRR). This means that no matter where you are from or what tribe you workout with, if you select November Project as your team affiliation when registering for a NYRR race, you are considered a member of the November Project Racing Team. By being a member you have the ability to score points for the team which are tallied up at the end of the year and awards are handed out to the top teams in the city at a massive party called Club Night.
Yes, these points are based off of speed, however, there is one other award which is my personal favorite. The Team Spirit Award. This award is presented to the team that #justshowsup. And what other team just shows up more than those who also #wakeupthesun? That award has our name on it. This award goes to the team that has the biggest and loudest cheer squad with the highest participation during the race. We’ve won this award two of the last three years of this team existing (mic drop). Additionally, the Women’s Team has consistently placed in the top 3 in the Open B Division while the Men’s Team were recently moved to the Open A Division. This means that the Men’s Team now competes in the most competitive local club series =&0=&
By the end of 2017 we had 758 registered members of the November Project Racing Team making us one of the largest teams in New York City. None of this would have been possible without Captain Myles Fennon who started this racing team three years ago, not realizing then how big, fast, loud, and amazing it would become. I am humbled to have been chosen as the next Captain when he retired last December and happy to announce that the Women’s Team is now in first place after placing second at the Team Championships last weekend.
What does being your Captain mean? It means that I represent you at Club Council meetings and give you a voice. These meetings give every team a chance to have a say in what happens in the NYRR running community. It means that I can answer any questions you have about racing with NYRR whether it’s a Club Points Race or non-Club Points Race (what is a club points race?). It means that I make sure things are running smoothly behind the scenes so that your race day is flawless and hopefully without you noticing. It means that I am your go-to rep if you’re coming in town to run the NYC Marathon or even better, to cheer for the NYC Marathon. I manage the racing Facebook page that gives you all of the race day essentials like pre-race photo op, the bounce, course strategy, cheer squad location, etc. There are also tips and tricks on how to get faster or how to run hills or as Captain Emeritus Myles used to say how to “run the tangents!” It means that I am so proud of what this team has accomplished and can’t wait to see where it’s going. After 5 years of working out with the November Project, I have seen this incredible movement morph and evolve into the beautiful creature that it is today. But being Captain of this team has been, by far, the most humbling experience of it all.
All too often I get emails and messages asking if someone should sign up for a race if they are “slow” and feel like they will bring the team average down. No such thing as being too fast or too slow. My response is always and will always be that I don’t care about your speed, I care if you are there and doing your best. The best thing about being a NYRR racing team is that it gives us a chance to spread the love and positivity to the local running community. So if you’re already in NYC or you are traveling to NYC, you already know that our motto is #justshowup and whether that means showing up to score the team points, to run your own personal best (whatever that means for you that day), or to cheer your face off in the most neon outfit you can find, just. show. up.
Dear November Project Universe, the time has come for another NP Homework, and this one is going to be stellar. It involves bicyles, the great outdoors, painted #GrassrootsGear shirts, and of course, awards for the best submissions. This year, our friends from Bern Unlimited will reward 10 of the funniest, silliest, most creative, or as we call it “The X-factor’est”, submissions from around the world with Bern Helmet of the winner’s choosing. To be selected in the exclusive group of 10, you have to follow the rules below:
Post a photo on Instagram between Monday, August 6th, and Monday, August 13th. Photos posted after midnight EST on August 13, will not be considered eligible.
You must:
Be wearing #GrassrootsGear
Have a bicycle somewhere in the picture
Be Outside (spin bikes will not work, sorry Casey Winkler)
Tag @novemberproject @bernunlimited #NovemBern #StayOutThere
Phone filters that alter photo color, brightness, etc are allowed. Tools that can add or remove items that are not in the original photo (photoshop or bunny nose/ear filters) are not.
The winners will be selected by the panel of esteemed judges, whose identity shall remain anonymous to prevent any attempts at meddling. Our 10 winning photos will be posted on @novemberproject Instagram on August 16 and the winners will post photos with their Bern Helmets after they arrive.
So folks, get out, get on your bikes, and get creative. As of right now, the NovemBern week is officially open.
Good Morning, Brooklyn.
(Cue the Harry Potter Intro Music)
Here with a quick recap from today here in Ft. Greene Park:
Monument Stations – Harry Potter Edition. We’ll own it, todays moves and times (THREE MINUTES? MINUTE AND A HALF? NO, THREE MINUTES!) weren’t the best. Next time will be better – and most likely, on the grass.
Rain was here. Rain was gone. Rain is rain.
BREAKDOWN
The sorting hat assigned everyone to their respective “house” – Slytherin, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, Muggle (yup), and Gryfindor.
5 Stations x 2 rounds – for 3 minutes each.
Burnout: a couple rounds of Sharks & Minnows disguised as Quidditch practice
I showed up to my first November Project workout, and almost left right away. I was ten minutes late. Everyone was already split into groups and taking off. I couldn’t figure out a safe spot to put my bag, much less who to workout with. A bunch of what-ifs and a wave of social anxiety flooded my head. I was terrified, maybe showing up was a bad idea.
WHAT THE EF IS GOING ON? WHAT IS EVERYONE DOING?!
“Do you want to join my group?” Winnie Lok noticed me being all awkward and lost. She motioned me over, and in less than a minute, I met a Gaurav, Tammy, Terri, Nick, Marc, and Vader. And in that first workout, I already had people cheering for me as I timidly did suicide sprints. At the very end, when the tribe called out the birthday peeps, I watched in absolute awe as Jeanie Tinnelly danced her butt off in front of everyone. She was unapologetic and bold, and geez I could never do that. I was too shy.
NBD, just busting a move in front of 100 people, whatevs.
I grew up shy. People find that hard to believe sometimes. But it’s true. If I got bad grades in school, it was mostly due to lack of participation. I didn’t know what to say, was afraid of this and that. It led to a lot of spectating and not a whole lot of participating. After that first November Project workout, I left on such a high. I had to go back, even if it meant forcing myself through my own social barriers. I clung onto Winnie Lok like a barnacle, latched on for dear life. She was the only person that recognized me, she was my only friend at November Project. After workouts, I never lingered. I hustled to work and prayed that the streetlights would be green. I dreaded having to stop on street corners for red lights, because that meant people could see how awkward and friendless I was.
Don’t ever leave me, Winnie.
Three months into my foray with this free fitness movement, I was early to a workout. There was already a group of neon-clad humans gathered at the park. What if I had no one to talk to? So I walked around the block by myself until it was absolutely and exactly time to start. That’s how it had been–you’d never find me at the workout earlier than 6:28AM. That same morning, I felt kinda sad, thinking about how long I had been showing but still not having a whole lot of friends. That same morning, April Cargill said I looked familiar and asked if I was part of a particular run group. That same morning, Darshan Rangnath asked, “Hey, you’re Maggie right?” John Honerkamp, former co-leader of NP NYC, sent me a Facebook friend request (note, he has 3028501 friends on this platform alone). Let me repeat that, the person who oversaw the entire mass of a tribe, sent ME a friend request.
This stuff seems trivial. How much effort went into John clicking the “Add Friend” button? Or Darshan asking to confirm my name? Or Winnie inviting me to her group at my very first workout? It got me to stay, to keep showing up, to participate instead of spectate. It made a world of a difference. The simple act of recognition has such a profound echo. This is especially true when you live in a big city or have a big tribe. It can be overwhelming and intimidating to be around so many people. What happens when someone cheers your name as you haul ass on PR day? Or when your tribe makes a cheer tunnel for you? Or when the co-leader asks you to start up the bounce? My heart tingles. I smile like a goof. And then I shake a little bit because let’s face it, homegirl’s still a bit shy.
Middle-school dance moves also facilitate phenomenal friendships.
These seemingly-small interactions make a great impact, they do. These interactions provide individuals with an opportunity to illuminate. Find a newbie, a traverbaler, someone you kinda sorta know, your dad. Tag them on the Facebook photos, tell them exactly where breakfast club is, compliment their left nostril but not the right because it’s full of boogers, remember their name.
“If I cannot do great things, I can do small things in a great way.” -Martin Luther King Jr.
Welcome back to your Weekly Wednesday Workout recap – see below:
ONE MORE LAP. ONE MORE LAP.
5:30AM CREW: We had 5 humans #WakeUpTheSun by the names of Jess, Reva, Jeremy, Dan, and Remi. These lucky five got to join me (you’re welcome) with testing out a NEW PR WORKOUT which will debut in AUGUST. You can ask them and they have been sworn to secrecy… besides what we shared on the inter webs through our Strava’s…
NEWBIES: THREE (two for Sarah, one for Tara) by the names of Dante, Matthew, and James.
BOUNCE: We warmed up our legs and our vocal chords with counting squats from 1 – 10 (proud of everyone)
#PRDAY WORKOUT: Our 3.2(ISH)K / 8 lap, loop-de-loop course has been holding it down since our pledge days. Our newbie Dante broke it in with a close to record time of 20:35 and our fastest lady of the day, Diane, finished with a 23:40 for the morning. Crushin’ it.
Today we added a strong bad ass lady to our leadership team here in Brooklyn. We would like to introduce her as Queen Maggie.
It has been such a pleasure getting to know Maggie and watching her grow with The November Project family. I remember her first workout because she constantly reminds me that watching me dance in front 75 people inspired her to tap into wild side and feel more comfortable around the tribe. Maggie has taught me how important connection is and the importance getting to know people on a more personal level. Even in her first few months she has always raised the bar with nailing any theme workout we put together.
She is well known all around the globe in The November Project family. She is a world traveler and has visited more November Project Tribes than the average tribe member. She knows everyone’s name and has an amazing way of connecting and making everyone feel welcome. Her warm smile and personal touch can light of the room.
She is also a professional recruiter. This is a top tier level of recruiter. She has done something Sierra and I both have not been able to do she has gotten her own father to come to November Project several times!! This is not a easy feat, he was very nervous about his first visit and his ability to keep up with the group. Maggie confirmed that her dad will absolutely fit in and walk away with a new sense of community. She has an amazing way of connecting people and making them feel super special. On Sierra’s birthday she handmade origami flowers for everyone to wear in their hair.
Maggie we are over the moon excited for you to join our leadership team and spread your master level recruitment all over Brooklyn and spread the good word about this movement that has changed so many lives. Brooklyn does not know what’s in store for them!
As was mentioned last week, July is a month that we have identified to launch a recruiting challenge. The rules will be explained further down, but the notion or intention that I want to really land with you all, is that recruiting should never stop.
Think about it. Think about the fact the Brooklyn was the 40th tribe to come on board for November Project. Forty. Thirty-nine other tribes came on before us, and the only reason that happened is because the cities and tribes before them spread the word. And the people before them talked about it with complete strangers. And the people before them posted about it on social media. And the people before them (we may have gotten to the beginning of this bread-crumb, jump down the rabbit hole analogy), two guys in particular – decided that they both would commit to showing up for the other. And, kept showing up.
All because of you. And you. And YOU.
Each tribe varies in size, vibe, and passport tag. But what doesn’t change is the run down of the workout, leaders who are there to support and motivate you through your workout, a group of humans who want to connect, it’s fucking free, and that recruiting as many people as possible to keep this boat afloat is not only essential – it IS the one thing that keeps this whole movement FRESH / ENERGIZED / INSPIRING.
So, when was the last time YOU brought someone to your home tribe workout? Did they come for that one workout and never came back? Or are they now arriving earlier to the workout than you and attending every social that has been thrown in the mix since?
Have you met Remi? No seriously, have you? You should. You really really should.
Either way, here in Brooklyn, we want to see what you’re made of. These are the rules for #RecruitingInJuly – see below:
Every Wednesday in July, after the workout: the points will be tallied by one of your leaders and put into an excel spreadsheet. Again, at the END of THE WORKOUT – no IOU’s, “Oops, I did it again,” moments – find us after the workout to etch your points into Excel spreadsheet history.
POINTS: not all humans brought to the workout are weighed equal (WOOF – that sounds awful. And, for this purpose – we mean this in a fun, competitive way to challenge WHO you convince to come through). They will be weighed. They will be measured. And they will be found valued…based on the following:
ONE POINT: Recruiting Papers, Happy Hour, or due to your spray-painted, tagged shirt #GrassrootsGear
TWO POINTS: Friend, Co-Worker, or Family.
THREE POINTS: Another City or Stranger.
FOUR POINTS: Mid Workout or Date.
FIVE POINTS: Met at a running test… #RaceEverything
FIFTEEN POINTS: Celebrity (Spike Lee, Malcolm Gladwell, or even Barbra Streisand)
