One of the best people I’ve known in my life, Emilie Mandaric is today’s guest blogger. I’ve watched her over the last few years start as a skeptic, transform into an athlete, and grow from negative to neutral to full supporter of our movement. She and I went for a 1.5 mile run two years ago and we were forced to stop and take many rest breaks before we were done. Fast forward two years and Emilie has found her way to the finish of countless 10K’s, #FrogMan1’s, and even a few half marathons. Her progress as a runner is an entire story in itself and I couldn’t be more proud to have watched from the sidelines. I am also very happy to see that we’re actually getting this post up and live without her husband and my dude (Bojan) knowing about it. This is the annoying/awesome November Project seen through the eyes of a Emilie Madaric:
November Project Case Study
Objective
This study was completed in order to determine if training with November Project, a grassroots #free community fitness group, can assist subjects to accomplish personal fitness goals.
Methods
Participants
The study enlisted three subjects with varying fitness backgrounds all residing in Boston who were strangers to one another prior to starting November Project. All subjects voluntarily participate in November Project. Lauren Goodman, a 33 year-old with a long history in competitive team sports, playing DI lacrosse in college. She was most definitely not an active (distance) runner so much so she had never run more than 6 miles prior to enlisting in November Project. Kelsey Taylor, a 24 year-old collector of vintage fanny packs, ran cross country and track competitively in college, but had failed to find a suitable (i.e. fast girls and shirtless men) group to continue running with upon moving to Boston. Renata Koziol, a 26 year-old former Russian gymnast, detested running as a high school track star, but flipped her way onto the November Project scene while working as a researcher in childhood obesity prevention. (Side note: Renata’s parents and child prodigy sister were saddened to learn that she had joined a cult after her gymnast career ended in a tragic story that cannot be told.)
The Full Experience by Mike Howard of November Project
Mike Howard is a guy who you’ve never heard of, or you fucking love him. He rides his bike from Bucksborough (or some town in MA) to Boston no matter what the conditions are.
buy term papers onlineHe has three kids, probably a hot wife, and a creative mind. We met Mike during the very first stages of working with New Balance for a project called #Runnovation which turned out to be amazing for all parties. Well, we’ll let Mike tell the story… ladies and gents, this is Mike Howard and his full experience with November Project.
Ashley Brow of November Project
This woman is a true inspiration and not for the most obvious reason you may pick up on when you see her every Friday on Summit Ave. Ashely Brow is an inspiration because she is willing to try things that seem scary, impossible, and simply hard as hell. I will let her words do the walking… this is Ashely Brow, runner and member, of your November Project.
You Will Find Someone Your Speed by Elin Flashman.
In Dec of 2009, weighing 305 pounds, I decided to make a change in my life to make my health a priority, so I joined a gym and got a personal trainer. I worked hard, going 4-6 times a week. I pushed myself and learned to like pushing my limits. I taught myself to run as I had never run before. I slowly increased my running time starting at 5 minutes on a treadmill and within months I was running for over an hour outside. I lost weight, gained muscle, started to feel better about how I looked.
Jessica Colgan-Snyder Tells All
She earned herself the #PositivityAward within her first month of training with NP in Boston, MA. She trains hard and races harder. She has a look in her eye at at all times that says, “I’m having the most fun!” All of this while she’s expecting her first baby human that is currently growing inside her body. Like our original pregnant racer from Madison, WI, this amazing woman has not stopped attending NP as she gets closer and closer to her due date. She’s amazing and friendly and funny all in one. Ladies and gents… the world only has one of her… Jessica Colgan-Snyder!
Standing Up After Sitting Still by NP MSN’s Jeffrey Morris
Jeffrey Morris, of the proud Madison, Wisconsin tribe, is going to be a little weirded out by this, but I’ve cut and pasted his email to us and used it as his intro to his own piece. Even though I know him very little, I love this man. The tribe is former D1. The tribe is swimming.
For the past month I have been working on a little article about what it is like being a freshly retired NCAA athlete and how the 20 or so year career suddenly comes to an end. I try and detail what internal struggles that this “retirement” brings and the feeling of being lost that comes along with leaving your sport. For me, November Project was something to help cover up that void. I love November Project very much and it is truly the highlight of my week. I hope this article conveys that feeling while also trying to identify what it means to a lot of people. I was hoping you could throw it up on the website and Facebook and see if other people identify with it to a degree. I know DG has often said that you all don’t truly know what you all are doing by gathering us together and getting in a good workout, but clearly something special is happening. Otherwise you wouldn’t have the following that you do. I can speak for all of Madison when I say TG and DG have brought something special to the city and I know that Brogan started that out in Boston. I hope you enjoy this article. Let me know what you think.
Deniz Breaks Down The 4 Myths of November Project
This introduction could be the easiest one of all time. Deniz is November Project. Consistant, athletic, positive, and friendly… Oh, and he loves to race. If you don’t know Deniz yet its because you don’t come to NP. Simple. We love this guy. Ladies and gents…. I give you… Deniz!
Plumped Slump Rebound by Erica Holt
Erica Holt is a special member who brought us up in spirits, broke our hearts by announcing her moving date departure, kept us alive with her e-updates from her new location, and brought us all back to the top when she returned to Boston ALL within the same year. Erica is a dedicated NP members and will be at everything NP all winter long… and NO, this isn’t me trying to push a seasonal verbal, its just that I know she has that kind of mindset and truly loves seeing all of the Boston faces each week. Here she is, the one and only, Erica Holt…
The Man With 1,000 Names is #Weatherproof #GladURHere
Hello All! Ladies, gents, dogs, NP tourists, do-gooders, weatherproofers, etcetera. For those who do not know me I have been called “Paint Master”, “Joeykile”, and “Big20” under the brightly colored NP umbrella. Paint Master comes from overtaking the tagging operation from BG after we reached 300 plus members. Joeykile comes from people thinking I have two first names. And Big20 comes from climbing Summit Ave 20 times in one workout. Boom.