This week’s blog brought to you by longtime member of the early Wednesday crew, frequent stair-crusher, and lover of all things NP (IN SPITE of the hugging)…you’ll find Katie consistently ready to cruise through the DC darkness and sweat it out with a few hundred other NP tribe members. Here is her take on NP:
Just show up! It’s very …. not me—the start of my recruiting pitch—They hug. And they’re quite friendly. And all about feel-good community. It’s absolutely not me. That’s why I love it.
November Project. I showed up the first Wednesday after Thanksgiving in 2013. I knew no one. If I hated it, I wouldn’t return. I was looking for something to push me, and a Boston-based friend’s post on Facebook caught my eye. That definitely did. The hugging, the weirdness, Danny’s intensity . . . it was a lot. But I showed up again. And again. And again.
November Project’s character seems the antithetical to mine. I’m not a big hugger. A friend and I hugged for what was the first and might be last time when she came to a workout. I avoid most hugs at the workout. People overwhelm me. Large groups are not my thing, and new names? Sorry! (Especially to Charlie, who introduced himself to me every week for over a month.) I enjoy my own space, talking to people drains me, and don’t understand FOMO or documenting everything on social media.
But I am part of the tribe. Not all of us are huggers, love crowds, or want 500 new best friends. And definitely not all of us show up wearing what might be best classified as underwear.
So what keeps me coming back? That’s easy.
The energy. The people. The intensity. The workouts. The community. (And honestly, the dogs.)
Positivity infuses every aspect of November Project. It’s refreshing. There is nothing like being part of a November Project workout: friends and strangers who provide support when it’s tough and who cheer in your victories. November Project is now a constant. The tribe has carried me through some hard times without knowing it. The tribe brings positivity to life.
No excuses. It’s more than just showing up Monday, Wednesday, and Friday in conditions from polar vortexes to summer days with 95 percent humidity. (#protip: It’s called freezing rain for a reason.) November Project is the people who always have time to lend a hand. Busy is short for “not a priority.” These people make time to help friends out, no excuses.
Speed and fitness levels don’t matter. A circuit means all paces welcome. And someone faster is always just ahead to catch. We race everything. Some days that means just showing up and getting through, and others it means exceeding what you thought you could do. (Steve, it feels like a sprint in the “sprint zone”—though it might not look like it.) Experience what I call “sneak fitness.” In 2013, my idea of a weekend long run was six miles. Now, it’s 10 or more.
Get to know your city. Destination decks mean I’ve been to all corners of DC. And can accurately estimate mileage from nearly any point. Knowing your city also means knowing the people—not what they do—but them, as people. I’ve made fast friends through November Project.
Find a community away from home. November Project is an easy passport into new cities. My first #traverbal was to San Francisco in February 2014 (thanks for the touristing tips!). New York celebrated my birthday. And Boston just provided company for a long run.
The list goes on.
I’ve watched the tribe grow, leaders change, old friends leave and new ones join. But what drew me to November Project that first workout remains.
Hugging strangers has not gotten better with time, however. If people sense a slight cringe when they hug me, it is from their invasion of my personal space, not how sweaty they are. (Like any rule, there are exceptions. But not for strangers.) No amount of training or conditioning will alter how I feel about strangers—even friends—touching me.
I prefer the earlier workouts—and not just because they’re better for my schedule. Fewer people means fewer hugs. The early hour means less conversation. Some have mistaken my slightly standoffish vibe to be caused by the time of day. (I most certainly am a morning person.) I keep to the outside of the bounce—more space—except in freezing temperatures. I modify workouts, both for injuries and when a partner workout is too much. No questions asked.
Make November Project yours. I did.
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