Hi friends! Lots of recognition this morning. Birthday booms, PR chains, fastest male and female, positivity award. We do have a hard time explaining what this thing actually is, this November Project “thing”. Yes we run, yes we move, yes we do some body weight movements. But how to you explain this bounce thing, the feeling you get when you smile as soon as you see people walking up to the centennial flame, when you overcome the fear that comes from showing up to something new where you don’t know anyone, where you overcome uncertainty. How do you explain when you see people noticing how hard you are working, or how much you are improving. How do you explain the feeling of truly being part of something? Of being part of a community that gathers so gosh darn early and dark in the morning? It’s something special and something you can only experience when facing that fear or discomfort of showing up for the first time, or battling that feeling of showing up again instead of staying in bed. So we understand when you are telling people about it, it’s difficult to explain. They may have to experience it for themselves. Bring them along next week, we are at Parliament Hill. (Podcast below in announcements for more exploration on what this thing is with NP co-founder Brogan Graham).
Sebastian who? (OTTAWA)
Like so many Wednesdays long ago we found ourselves watching human after human make their way towards the Centennial Flame once again. The closer they approached the more you began to crack a smile, maybe opened-up your arms for a warm embrace or held out a hand to be high-fived. To the new faces amongst the group that was one way to kick off an introduction to November Project.
Guest Blog: Meet Danielle (Ottawa)
Do you ever question how you’ve become part of such a large, exuberant, extended family from time to time? Well let us introduce Danielle, she has questioned it herself maybe not just once but numerous times over the past two years. If you have yet to meet Danielle she is a generous friend who listens, takes time to digest what you’ve shared with her and will whole heartedly speaks the honest truth back at you. This environmentally friendly, biker gang member has seen her relationship with NP grow and has some words to share. We thank you, Danielle for continuing to show up, be present and encourage others to step outside of their comfort zone. It’s about time you meet Danielle.
Setting PRs across the city (Ottawa)
PR Day- back at our winter home. This transition is one that brings us back to downtown, back to Parliament hill to start off the bounce. We are fresh from the stadium stairs for the winter, mornings are getting colder and darker in this dark season, and we know we have an opportunity to maximize the space this city has to offer. One of the ways we do this is to head back to the locks by the canal and Ottawa River. It’s a TOUGH hill and stairs to climb up and down. as. many. times. as. you. can. It’s TOUGH. One of the things that makes for a great workout is where you think after- I would never do this by myself. And would you? Would you ever climb/run/walk/sprint/ up and down this hill for 25min and 1s? would you ever wake up at whatever hour gets you to the centennial flame by 6:29 and then run over to the hill to tackle this by yourself all through the winter? Please come tell us if this is part of your regular routine. This would not be something I would do by myself but I sure find myself smiling more, pushing harder, time flying faster and encouraging other people around me way more than alone. And that’s maybe why we show up. Seeing people pushing each other along, and making sure nobody is walking or running alone is the best thing to see.
the power of knowing a name (Ottawa)
This morning was a staple November Project Ottawa workout. Maybe this was your second 6:29am workout this week or maybe it was your first workout ever. We know we’ve said it before but we’ll say it again, there’s power in spending those early mornings together. Not only are you testing your abilities and challenging yourself, your actions and willingness to give it your all spices it up for those around you. *Spices it up; can also be translated into: you push yourself harder with those around you, without question.
Thankful (Ottawa)
This morning our hearts are FULL. From a beautiful start of the day, catching a beautiful sunrise and sharing it with great people. For anyone who was out of town and couldn’t make it, or who showed up just a little late you missed a quartet performance. Given our brief history of disturbance in a quiet neighbourhood, we thought we would grace the locals on a holiday morning with a song during the bounce to awaken them and ease them into the day. I haven’t heard any reports yet of positive reviews, but I bet they are coming, or I just didn’t hear about the comments walking back to the vehicles after the bounce and 6K.
Thanksgiving is for thanking and thinking and giving (Ottawa)
Today we did our Thanksgiving workout- a day of gratitude. Location change from last year, maybe some changes in the group, but it was a morning of shared thoughts and expressions of gratitude, with a lot of movement in 30 minutes. You gave that! So thanks to YOU.
They say what you do in the first hour of your day can set your tone for the rest of the day. I don’t have the source that says that, but is it more valid if I’ve experienced it myself? And even more so valid if anecdotally the people around me have experienced it too? Happy to chat more of this over coffee with anyone who has greater insight.
You can do anything for five minutes (Ottawa)
You did that this morning. Proved this very thing. You proved that you can push through for five minutes. The work compounded when we did 5 minutes, then 5 minutes more, then 5 minutes more etc…. But you pushed that movement as much as you could. Did you find yourself slowing down those mountain climbers, but continuing to just keep moving? Did you modify the burpees to just keep moving with your group of four? That was a push, and a LOT of burpees but we knew you could do it.
A last kick of the can (Ottawa)
The dark season is upon us and headlamps shining in your face walking up concrete stairs is just not the best option for the morning. So, today we took in a last visit at our home, and took on the stairs full throttle.
Today was PR day, personal record, personal best, race day. I don’t even know how many people raised their hands when we asked who PR’d, but it was a LOT. It’s amazing to see the progress over the course of the summer, or compared to last year. That’s your hard work you have been putting in, the consistency week in and week out, or it was a commitment to just keep moving, that allowed you to take on a little bit more today. If you didn’t PR today, that’s okay too. We said to give it just 1% more, a little extra push, and if your best today wasn’t one more section than last time, we know it was your best today. And we are proud of you for that. We are proud of you for showing up, for being part of this community, for pushing someone else up the stairs, for pacing someone behind you, for pushing to keep up with someone ahead of you. If it was your first time, we applaud you for taking on PR day…hopefully you think of us the next three days that your legs remind you of this morning’s workout.
Thank you for sharing your morning (Ottawa)
We were talking to a couple people post stadium stair sprints and relay races… during coffee and bagel connection time. Some newbies wanted to know the story of how this all started. It’s hard to believe it was more than 2.5 years ago that we started pledging in January 2017. We reflected back to that time when 4 of us ran around the Arboretum, slushy and wet and cold. Yet every Wednesday, we finished up with a photo, we gave each other hugs and talked about how cool it was to be working out together, and how fun it was to be together in the dark and cold. We will never forget those moments.