Free Fitness Movement. All you need to do is show up!
“5.15am?”
“It’s too early!”
“I’m not a morning person lar”
Having talked to many people about November Project, we are pretty used to hearing this. I mean, I get it… it IS godforsaken early.
But what the heck is a morning person anyway?
I’m not a morning person unless 10am is morning. Then yes, that is an appropriate time to call it morning.
…because of you. Everyone of you who choose to show up every Wednesday!
When I talk about November Project to people I recruit or just people who wants to know what we are, there are three things I always mention; We are free, We are for everyone and We are different. At first, people are skeptical, but when they show up to the first workout then the second and hopefully more, these three points become clearer to them.
Yes.. each and everyone of you in the tribe.
Is my turn to compose our weekly blog. Try to get some ideas what special topic to write for this week, hence I browse on NP blog from other tribe, hit one interesting blog from a co-leader Nadim (Edmonton, AB) about his early thanksgiving and a full list of what he is thankful for. It reminded me again the journey of our NP Project Malaysia formed back in June 2017.
And I, I had a feeling that I belonged
And I, I had a feeling that I could be someone
Had a feeling that I could be someone
That’s how I feel like being in November Project. As each day passes being in this tribe, I get to witness astounding changes and challenges the tribe members take up.
This is a group I love to be friends with. Positive people, never a bad word to say to each other, happy people who enjoy giving and receiving hugs, high fives and a good old handshake, always up for burpees (tested on a nostalgic Thursday) and playing in the rain. People I can invite to marathons and explore trails. People I can sit down and have breakfast with. People I belong with.
Information overload…
The Good
September has been a good month for November Project Malaysia. In the spirit of #NPGiveBack, we just wrapped up our fundraising through the amazing people of the November Project Malaysia tribe and raised over RM1000 for Zero Strays Miri; they are a volunteer group helping to control the stray dogs and cats population through trapping, spaying and neutering then releasing them. They also help treat any illness or diseases the strays may have and have a feeding team that goes around the city to feed the strays. You can read more about them and they are always looking for volunteers and donations.
Instead of writing on the workouts, events or highlights of what happens in November Project Malaysia, let’s dig a bit deeper to understand how the show had been running here locally. What you are going to read below is the untold secret that happen in the co-leadership of the sea horse town.
10 facts that you might not know about your co-leaders
Last week, the November Project Malaysia tribe issued out a recruitment challenge to the Hong Kong tribe for the month of September. A little Asia throwdown, we call it! Which tribe will have the bigger number every Wednesday? The losing tribe will have to do 5 burpees for each difference in number. Names were called, some silly trash talking were said and a Photoshop war broke out among the co-leaders of both tribes.
Crate Escape.
Our latest edition of crate escape was small in numbers but the 20 some that did show up brought their willingness to share and as always, the positive vibes. We didn’t get any volunteers to share their story except the always fast and badass Victor but the rest were opened to stepping up to the crate when their names we drawn. We had 9 tribe members step up to share about changes in their lives since being in the tribe. Most shared about fitness, personality and mentality change; from never running to tackling 10kms/21kms, others talked about being more open and talking to strangers and some shared about how the tribe have inspired them, and made them more comfortable in stepping out of their comfort zone. All in all, as individuals and as a tribe, we have come a long ways but always with the love and support of each other.
4:00AM Wednesday morning, time to rise and grind, get ready for the weekly meeting with the November Project Malaysia tribe. Getting ready to head out, I thought I heard rain on the roof top but we have had this before, light rain before the workout and by the time 5:15AM rolls around it turns to drizzling and eventually stops before we bounce. Thought nothing of it until I opened the front door, this was no usual light Wednesday morning rain, it was a downpour with a strong gust of wind to back it up. My phone started to buzz, messages started to roll in:
I have known Yvonne since high school. Though we were in different class, we saw each other often in the school corridors and our circle of friends to add each other on Facebook many years later after graduation. When she turned up at our November Project pledge workout early this year, I was very surprised and excited to see her! Since knowing her better at our NP workouts, I was touched by how long she had to convince herself to show up at her first workout with us and the reason why.