If you have been to an NP workout- in the summer heat, winter, snow, -30, or whatever condition, you’ve probably met Rebecca. Rebecca embodies an attitude of making the most of her experiences, taking on new challenges, a “yes” mentality and she is usually wearing a great costume of sorts. She has been racing her way across the world, but always comes back to the tribe with her stories. She brings a smile wherever she goes and is also the most recent recipient of the #positivityaward. Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us, Rebecca.
Finding your tribe
Picture it: July 2016, Blue Mountain, Ontario. A friend and I were participating in the North Face Endurance challenge. Everywhere we turned, we encountered these very loud, very excited people, wearing clothing with things spray painted on it. (I did not know it at the time, but this was Summit 4.0). After closer inspection I made a mental note “November Project, must google”. Who ARE these people who have invaded this race and are having ALL THE FUN??! They laughed, they hugged, they cheered loudly for EVERYbody, and they wore funny costumes to boot! These were my kind of people. I Love a good run in a tutu, onesie, or even a storm trooper helmet. Sadly, my searching told me there was no such group in Ottawa. However…every few months, I would remember fondly these awesome people from Blue Mountain, and search again incase a group had magically appeared in my town. And then….one day…I found them! Photos of people, working out in the snow, in the dark, having a blast!! I was determined to join them. I (unknowingly) made a #verbal on the Work It Yow Facebook page, indicating that I would hopefully make it out on Wednesday at 6:29am. But, there was a big snow storm that night, and I live far out in the suburbs…so it didn’t happen. The next week, I was extra determined! I convinced my friend Joe to come along, even though it was -30C. We put on our brightest colours (and a balaclava with a husky face), and had so much fun doing burpee chest bumps and hoisty-j’s with these friendly faces! Since that first missed workout, I have not let any weather get in the way of me making it downtown on Wed mornings. I know that this coming winter, I will be allowing extra time on those snowy mornings to make the trek from suburbia, because Wednesday mornings with this crew has become one of the highlights of my week.
Typically, the only time I miss NP YOW is if I’m traveling (which is usually for a race), but I always bring my grassroots gear with me. Whether it be tackling stairs for breakfast at the Great Wall Marathon in China, running up Diamond Head in Hawaii, or the Ragnar Trail relay in Cottage Country, I rep NP because you never know where you may run into other NP-ers, but also to draw strength from my tribe! I’m pretty sure I hear Liz and Lauren’s voices cheering me on, even when I’m on a different continent.
Anybody who knows me, knows about November Project. A few months ago a friend from Toronto was in town for work, she was curious about this group I was always posting about, and wanted to come with me. She arrived first, and later told me how she was so shocked at how friendly everyone was, saying Hi and welcoming her before I even arrived. And just last week, my friend Jaimee was able to join us again after a few months absence and she said to me after “I can’t believe people still remembered my name!”. Really, who doesn’t want to feel welcomed, and remembered?! Whether you are a weekly regular, show up every other week, or make random appearances, our tribe is strong. I am proud to now be one of those very loud, very excited people, wearing clothing with things spray painted on it, and hopefully inspiring others to join us, or to continue showing up.
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