“I used to hate running. I still hate running, but I used to, too”
-Adapted from Mitch Hedberg
My Dad loves to tell one of those annoying Dad stories that you’ve heard way too many times that when I played soccer in grade school my favorite position was goalie because it required the least amount of running. As annoying as this story is to hear over and over, sadly it’s true. This disdain for running followed me throughout my “athletic career”. Running was only bearable to me because it lead to the exhilarating feeling of hitting a perfect forehand down the line, sliding into second base after a hard hit liner in the gap, hitting a wide open 3 on the fast break, or even throwing down the lob for an alley-oop #alternatefact. After my stint on the sophomore basketball team in high school my competitive athletic career wound down to a close. My need for running diminished only to be revived on rare occasions for high school and college intramurals and once the sun set on my intramural career I was left without a reason to run.
Fast forward to 3 years after graduating college. After a few years of sporadic thoughts about trading in my mostly-sedentary lifestyle for a more active one, I decided to fully take on the challenge. I started playing sports more regularly but with a cold KC winter approaching I was wondering if I could keep this newly found lifestyle going. Around this time, I began to see a flurry of weekly Facebook posts from a friend I hadn’t talked to in several years. Nick Rodricks (NP_BAL co-leader) and I hadn’t been in contact since our days as Jesuit Volunteers, but I began to grow slightly worried about him in way you only can by Facebook creeping. What was this thing he was doing with all these people in neon clothes? Do all his shirts have spray paint on them? Has he lost his mind? After several weeks of seeing these pictures plastered on my news feed I finally decided to google this November Project thing that was stenciled on everyone’s shirts. I checked out the website and watched a few videos and even saw a Kansas City tribe had recently been founded. It seemed pretty legit and definitely an answer to my winter/active lifestyle conundrum but to #justshowup by myself and work out with strangers presented all sorts of unknowns. What do I do with my keys? Should I bring water? What if I am the slowest person? What kind of workout do they do anyway? As fate would have it one night when my roommate was getting on my nerves and I was desperate to get out of my apartment, I invited myself to a Sporting KC game with one of my best friends (shout out Liz Dal, PS I think it’s about time you #justshowup to NP_SEA) and one of her good friends Laura Kelly (of NP_CHI), who I hadn’t talked to since our college days. At some point Laura brought up this awesome group she found in Chicago called November Project and I finally had been convinced that I needed to see for myself what this NP thing was all about.
I still distinctly remember showing up that first day extremely nervous. Where should I park? Does meeting at “the base of the memorial” mean at the bottom of the stairs or next to the giant tower/monument? At one point I even turned back to my car not sure if I was going to go through with it. Somehow I followed my better instincts and made my way to the memorial (to any prospective NPKC newbies out there “base of the memorial” = next to the giant tower/monument). The workout definitely kicked my butt, but the positivity, encouragement, and acceptance of the people there was addicting and I knew I would be back the following week. The workouts were pretty brutal for someone who was out of shape and I definitely puked after my first workouts (although I hope I did it discretely enough that no one knew until now). Despite the horrible experience of puking post workout, I couldn’t help but smile as I felt my legs burn walking up the stairs at work every Wednesday. As I began to get to know the tribe members I was amazed I was working out with such a BA group of people who had run marathons, Boston Marathons and ultra-marathons. One Wednesday, while still on my NP high, I came to the realization that if I was crazy enough to wake up and work out at 6:30 in the morning even in the snow, I was probably crazy enough to run a half marathon. This despite the fact that up until that point my only race experience was wogging a 5K. As I began my training I found enjoyment not in the running itself, but pushing myself to do something that I even had doubts that I could do. The only thing to prevent me from going on a run, giving up and walking during a run, or cutting a training run a few tenths of a mile short was myself and I began to enjoy the mind games I would play to keep myself running. Those last few sentences may make me seem way more badass than I actually am. I have done all those things, skipped runs, walked part of my run or made up some sort of excuse as to why 5.4 miles was pretty close to 6 miles. However, no matter how my solo training went being greeted with hugs and a killer workout every Wednesday always refreshed my desire to keep on keepin on. I finished my first half marathon last May, went on to run my second this past fall, and am now training for my 3rd this spring. To my NPKC tribemates I want to say thank you for showing up, the hugs, high fives, encouragement and positivity. Whether you know it or not you all have played a part in pushing me to achieve my goals. THANK YOU!
– Joe Evans NP_KC
TLDR Version: I used to not like running and I still don’t like it all that much but NPKC is awesome!
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