NP to Me

Hey guys! I’m Olivia. (“Hi Olivia!” *clap clap*)

So. November Project. It can mean so little. It definitely meant nothing to me when I was first told about it. But it can also mean SO MUCH. It means more than almost anything to me now.

My first NP was on February 7th this year. That’s crazy to me because it feels like it’s been forever since I started going. Anyway. When I asked my friend, Leah, the night before if she wanted to go to the gym that next Wednesday morning she said that she had something she was doing in Kelowna at that time and that actually I should definitely come with her. We live in Vernon so I remember first thinking “What on earth do you have to do at 5:30 in the morning on a Wednesday in KELOWNA.” Closely followed by “Sure, why not, I’ll come.” I had learned to trust Leah’s crazy plans. read more

A Story of Firsts

Holy shit guys this is really happening. We are starting up the blog.

What is the blog you ask?

It’s a place for us to talk about… well anything really. It’s a place for us to talk about the deep questions like, “who is louder, Michelle or Steve? “

Or maybe to fawn over the pictures of the dogs in our group. read more

NovemBern Contest

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:

  1. Be wearing #GrassrootsGear
  2. Have a bicycle somewhere in the picture
  3. Be Outside (spin bikes will not work, sorry Casey Winkler)
  4. 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.

COWWWAAABUNGGAAAAA!

COWWWAAABUNGGAAAAA!

Completing a full tour. CHECK

Completing two full tours. CHECK

Earning a PR. CHECK

It’s been three weeks.  Three weeks since we have not felt the impact of the stairs.  Maybe you were grateful for the time we spent in the Aberdeen Pavillion completing movements and running past giant tulips.  Maybe, you found your groove in the #sunrise6k or maybe just maybe you have been counting down the days till we found ourselves in TD Place Stadium again.

Can you recall a time that you were excited to run stairs before November Project? Or a time that you were excited to challenge yourself to complete one more section.  Maybe this morning was it.

Now, not anyone can walk into TD Place Stadium and just run stairs.  This is not an everyday event that occurs. You can like many other Ottawians purchase a ticket an attend an Ottawa Fury or Redblacks game and partake as a spectator, which is an experience in of itself and we highly recommend.   You can sit amongst 24,000 people and hear the roar of the crowd but does it feel different when your moving up and down those sections continuously for 29 minutes and 23 seconds?  We would have to argue yes, hands down, without a doubt YES. Racing is HARD and it HURTS but showing up this morning and moving alongside other sweaty humans makes it that much more fun, enjoyable and motivating.    Knowing that you are not alone is probably the most reassuring part of the whole morning, that someone will give you a high five, call you out to give 1% more or push you to the top. This is really a shout out to all of YOU, who keep pushing the pace and the number of sections completed.  Shout out to Caroline and Seumas for the chase and for crushing those stairs this morning.

We hope your Wednesday has a little more pep, skip and pure joy to it.

Here’s to bringing soles together,

Lauren and Liz

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

This is where the blog really starts..

  • #Potluckpicnic happening at Dows Lake tomorrow night. We are meeting at Lakeside Avenue and Queen Elizabeth Drive 6pm.  Bring your own utensils.  If it rains we’ll head onto Preston Street.  
  • YEARBOOK PHOTOS going down next week. We have the honour of being professionally photographed. Wear your #grassrootsgear and anything BRIGHT
  • Thursday, June 21st MEC is hosting a Summer Solstice Run 6pm meet at the MEC in Westboro
  • JUNE 27th CANADA DAY WORKOUT 2.0 Supreme Court of Canada #bringeveryone #startrecruiting
  • read more

    Exciting New Direction

    Over the last six and a half years, the co-founders of November Project, Bojan & Brogan, have been expanding the movement while it continues to grow organically through passionate and dedicated volunteer leadership, weatherproof workouts, and supportive communities, all at the cost of zero dollars. But with expansion comes evolution and November Project is proud to announce the next chapter of the movement, as a nonprofit organization. This year, with the support of everyone in our community, the structure of November Project (NP) will be one that involves more than simply two co-founders.

    The goal of NP as a free fitness movement will remain the same. At our future and existing
    locations around the world, we will continue to work hard at cultivating a culture of inclusivity, and will never stop proving that fun, fierce, free, and efficient morning workouts have the power to positively change the places we live in. The new arm of the NP nonprofit is one which we are incredibly excited about. We aim to use the spirit of NP to host our first community outreach plan that aims specifically at youth. After all, the NP rulebook for accountability, human connection, intense fitness, and support for all fitness levels could make an even larger impact if we use these tools to train a younger generation, creating healthy habits from an early age.

    Financial resources to support the efforts of the NP nonprofit, the ongoing movement, and to keep great humans in the NP family at an organizational level, will come from personal
    donations, grants, in-kind donations, and strategic partnerships. One of those partners, The North Face, has been powering November Project movement for the last three years and will continue to support NP at a global level through access to outdoor training gear, storytelling via various media outlets, leadership gatherings, and the annual November Project Summit. NP will pursue other partnership that will broaden the opportunities to bring free fitness to more people, but The North Face will remain the exclusive apparel, footwear, and equipment partner, and just like the last three years in this partnership, will be the reason November Project is able to continue the growth. Details on how you can directly support (aside from just showing up) will be revealed in the weeks to come.

    The November Project team and the Board of Directors are ecstatic to progress this movement into the nonprofit space and set even bigger goals to achieve in the years to come. Hold onto your hats, folks, it’s about to get even crazier!

    November Project Adopts a Day for Canadian Blood Services

    November Project Kelowna has accepted the challenge from Kurt Jory and Peacock Sheridan to adopt-a-day at the Kelowna Canadian Blood Services and will be filling all the blood donation slots available on Monday, February 26th. We have also challenged BARREROOM Kelowna, Lululemon Kelowna, and Moksha Yoga Kelowna to adopt (either alone or together as co-adopters) February 27th or co-adopt February 26th with us!!

    Adopt a Clinic February Blood Drive Challenge read more

    Okanagan Marathon Cheer Station and NP Buffs

    BMO CHEER STATION

    November Project Kelowna will be hosting a cheer station with Lululemon Kelowna and SpinCo at the Okanagan BMO Marathon on Sunday October 8th!! Come join our cheer station LOCATED ON THE CORNER OF ETHEL ST AND WEDDEL PL!! This NP, Lulu, SpinCo community cheering collab is sure to be the most fun you’ll have this Fall!

    Time: Be at the Cheer Station @ 6:50am as things are going to get wild & crazy – there will be coffee/snacks! This will 100% be worth your morning and time.

    Let’s GIVE THANKS on Thanksgiving by supporting our amazing community!!!!

     

    Everyone is invited to join us and all November Project members are strongly to wear your November Project tagged shirt! – Don’t have one? Bring a bring blank, bright coloured shirt to next week’s NP workout and get a fresh, grassroots tagged shirt or bring one with you to the cheer station.

    Anyone that joins our cheer station will get….

    ONE FREE SPINCO CLASS (courtesy of our amazing friends @ SpinCo)

    & ONE FREE NOVEMBER PROJECT KEYCHAIN

     

    Our Cheer Station (the greatest cheer station ever) will have:

  • Noise Makers
  • Face Paint
  • Thanksgiving Themed Tattoos
  • Pumpkin Pie and Whip Cream… What?!? Yeah, cause it’s Thanksgiving!
  • Wild Costumes
  • Bubbles
  • Sidewalk Chalk… bring your creativity cause Steve can’t draw…
  • Delicious Coffee & Snacks – we know it’s early! We got you!!
  • Hilarious Signs
  • A Photographer – who doesn’t want pictures of the best time ever
  • Mega Phones!!!
  • read more

    SUNRISE 6K – MONDAY, AUGUST 28TH @ 5:50

    On Monday, August 28th we wake up, jump out of bed, and head out together for a November Project Tribe run/jog to the gorgeous Okanagan sunrise! After the run we will all head over to our favourite spot on the Bean Scene patio for coffee, conversation, laughs, and GTs!!

    SPECIAL 6K TAG
    You MUST BE THERE in order to get the Limited Edition NP Kelowna 6K tag on your shirt… We had this wicked design made just to tag your #grassrootsgear to commemorate your completion of the Sunrise 6K! Tagging will occur post run before we grab our morning coffee. Bring your plain bright coloured shirt that you want to get tagged with the LE 6K Tag!!

    WHO
    ANYONE & EVERYONE… As always, this November Project activity is for everyone  and anyone. It doesn’t matter how often you work out, who you are, if you have ever been to November Project or not…

    YOur PACE DOESN’T MATTER, YOUR PRESENCE DOES!!!!

    WE WANT YOU TO COME!

    WHERE/WHEN
    Meet @ the Sails at 5:40 to 5:45! We will be departing on the run at 5:50. (reminder: Monday, August 28th)

    THE ROUTE…
    We will release the route in the days leading up to the run so that you can know where you go if you get lost or stop to tie your shoe. Plus who doesn’t love a surprise!

    COST?
    FREE as always with November Project workouts!!!

    REMINDER: Don’t forget to check out the Nine Rising/Okanagan Lifestyle living room event from 11:00-4:00 tomorrow (August 19th) at the Okanagan Pride Festival at the Gazebo at Waterfront Park!

    Shoe Bank HYPE! (KEL)

    August 2, 2017.

    =&0=&

    Not only is it the first Wednesday of the month of August, it is also the day we wrap up our shoe drive for Shoe Bank Canada here in beautiful Kelowna! We will have our most badass photographer friend in attendance who will remain a secret till then AND a very special guest who will also remain private – we’re still working on his #verbal *ahem City of Kelowna.

    Where: The Sails downtown Kelowna
    When: 6:29am
    What: Workout with your favourites
    How: You wake up then #justshowup

    BRING ALL OF YOUR SHOES THAT YOU WANT TO DONATE, Shoe Bank Canada will be there to help us celebrate this month of you guys hustling your shoes out of your closet and getting to the workout downtown with them in hand. BRING YOUR FRIEND AND THEIR SHOES TOO, this workout is going to be insane so you should bring your friend that has been talking about coming forever and remind them about the shoe thang.

     

    It is also the evening that we will host our very own November Project Kelowna social outing!

    We know you guys want an opportunity to hang out with each other outside of the early morning sweating that goes down everyWednesday. It’s going to be fun and what better way to start the day together than end the day together too!

    Where: Central + Elks Stadium

    When: August 2nd, 5pm at Central – 

    6:35pm read more