Free Fitness Movement. All you need to do is show up!
News from Winnipeg, Manitoba. Join us every Wednesday at 6:10AM at the skatepark at The Forks. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
There’s a new challenge ahead. You’re preparing for a trail race, in the mountains, at an altitude much higher than you’re accustomed to. Rather than freak out, train with an oxygen restricting mask (yes, these exist!), and risk being mistaken for Hannibal Lecter at your next pub run, take a deep breath… yes, suck in every last morsel of oxygen… and exhale all of your worries away.
Well, well, well, the time has come, and ready or not… here we are! Next week, leaders, members, and new recruits from all over North America will make their way from 23 cities to take part in the 2015 November Project Summit in Park City Utah. For those of you who have attended one or more of these events, you’re probably as excited as we are. For those of you who are taking to the road to gather with us for your first time, there are some things to know:
Every once in a while your week doesn’t go quite as planned. It’s harder to get through your day than usual, you don’t feel quite as motivated for your workouts and when Wednesday morning rolls around you find it harder to get up. This morning was one of those mornings for me. But when I arrived and people start flowing in, as usual in groups of 2 and 3 from all directions, and I started to feel a little better. The group grows and before we know it we are running around, and working our asses off.
Looking through our Yearbook Photos from this morning, its really, truly amazing how we have such a huge group of really ridiculously good looking people. I mean seriously – I think we just need to collectively quit our day jobs and register for the Derek Zoolander School for Kids Who Can’t Read Good and Want to Do Other Stuff Good Too. How much fun would that be?
As mornings grow darker, seasons begin to change, and August rolls over in to September, I think its worthy to pause and reflect on what we have built as a community over the past year, but specifically this past summer since our 1 year in June. Its getting harder and harder to rope the group in every morning and keep everyone’s attention – not because of the group size or the trains going by the forks, but simply because each and every one of you is so excited to catch up with tribe members you saw just last week. Sitting back and watching all the connections – true friendships – that have been formed either partly or directly because of early Wednesday mornings at the Forks is incredible. I hear and see so many stories of people from NP going on adventures outside of Wednesday morning and nothing could make me happier than to continue to watch this community grow and develop. The workouts will always be hard; we are going to make you sweat week in week out, thats our promise and that has been consistent since day 1. But as the community keeps growing and strengthening, its those connections that have the biggest lasting effect and what I truly feel makes November Project different from every other workout group or fitness facility you will find.
BREAKING NEWS: YOUNGEST EVER NP MEMBER CRUSHES PR DAY
It was a momentous day on the banks of the Red River this morning. Members of November Project Winnipeg converged as the sun rose in the eastern sky all with a shared goal – crush PR day. But it was perhaps the most unlikely member of the tribe that came out on top. Don’t let the elephant costume fool you, Baby NP (who requested that her real name be withheld), attacked the 4km course with more vim and vigour than anyone else out there. “I started a little slower than I would have liked, but when I hit the 4km turnaround I think my carb loading from last night kicked in and I really started to feel the wind behind my back” gushed Baby NP when we caught up her at the finish line. She went on to state “it’s all about the community out there. I was running alongside people 57 years older than me. They are a total inspiration.” It is safe to say tribe members, young and old, will not soon forget this day.
IN OTHER NEWS…
Set the scene… New York City, the first Sunday of November – November 1st 2015
Buzz, Buzz, Buzzzzzzz. It’s 4:00am and your alarm clock is going off. You look at the clock, you look at it again, you look at it one more time and decide it’s time. It’s not your typical #WAKEUPTHESUN kinda day; you roll out of bed in sleepy excitement and after twenty minutes of composing yourself, you’re out the door making moves because #NOSLEEPTILLBROOKLYN. Following the advice of your fearless leaders, Nina and Jackie, you layer, and layer, and layer again to near stay puft marshmallow status, #warmth. Most of NYC is still sleeping, soon to be awakened, but even at this quiet time there’s an indescribable energy rolling through the streets. As you get closer to your destination, that deep rooted feeling is now a defined pulse and you’re at the helm steering it.
First, a note about our wonderful and deserving positivity award winner from this week. As I mentioned to our tribe this morning, the award is not always about being the loudest or most energetic person. The award is about showing commitment to the workouts, it is about wearing the gear, participating in the recruiting, working your ass off, always wearing a smile and simply being someone that other tribe members look forward to seeing. Claudia is all of that and more! She joins us for post-workouts breakfasts, she drove up to Grand Beach for a weekend pop-up, she is committed to our group and we will miss her in a couple weeks when she goes back to school. Thanks for bringing your smile each and every week!
Days like today really cause me to pause and reflect about how truly lucky I am. This morning when I got out of bed it was still middle-of-the-night, trip-over-your-dog dark out. That shit is never fun, whether its -40 or +30. It sucks. Its hard. The only reason i’m able to do it is because I think about all the of you – the 150+ loyal tribe members that are going through the same thing, then I silently laugh to myself that you’re all in as much pain as I am, and it makes it a little bit easier. And then I remember how much I like you guys, feel sorry for laughing, and drag my ass up to come see all your faces and remember why Wednesday mornings are just the best.
TODAY WE HAVE A SPECIAL GUEST POST FROM JENNIFER PARISIAN – an amazing, smiley, hard working, committed tribe member! Heed her words, they are indeed wise.
Welcome to the Gun (and Baton) Show
My November Project journey started a few months ago after one of my best friends, Milana, had told me about how awesome it was (several times). On her own journey of sweating everyday for a year, she told me the November Project was one activity that made the biggest difference in her knee and booty strength (we love to rock those hoisties and box jumps) and her overall happiness. So I decided I’d give it a try.