On Wednesday we left the tribe in the safe hands of Natalie whilst we were off gallivanting around the world. We asked Natalie to write a short piece about not just yet experience this week filling out shoes, but her experience with November Project as a whole.
Before you read that, please remember that next week is the final week of the June Challenge. It is also Monica’s final week with us, so show up for one last set of burpees with her! There will soon be movement regarding ECSON too so watch this space.
“Since joining November Project there hace been many moments of having that ‘wow’ feeling where no words can truly describe the situation.
I had moved to Toronto from the bonnie banks of Scotland almost 3 years before I joined NP. You might think what on earth had I been doing every Wednesday morning for 3 years? Well, lets be honest, I was sleeping! Something I do really miss but despite the love of my pillow and the comfort of my duvet, making it to Casa Loma is the new routine. My first NP morning is still a very vivid memory; slightly apprehensive and completely clueless as to what was about to go down, a feeling you can see on most newbies faces as they ascend the steps of Casa Loma. People I had never met started hugging me! Normally if strangers approach me early in the morning arms spread out wide my go-to would be walk or perhaps run in the opposite direction. Nevertheless I hugged a good 30+ people and had THE BEST time working out with a class-A bunch, which are now some of my dearest friends here in Toronto. This became the first ‘wow’ moment and my first holy-crap what have I been missing!!!
So my only regret since moving to Canada was I wished I had joined NP sooner! NP has opened so many doors for me. I have always been an exercise freak, so that part wasn’t anything new, but (and this may come as a surprise to some people) I am not the most confident, out-there sort of person, so kudos to Sam and Michelle and all the other NP leaders; they have a talent I feel I wouldn’t shine so well in. But thanks to November Project and the amazing friends I have made since I’ve been part of the Toronto tribe I have had the encouragement to do better, run faster, be stronger. This year alone I completed my first ultra marathon, I have attended multiple road races, endurance challenges and pushed my boundaries more than I have for a long time. What I missed the most when moving here was being part of a team. All my life I have been involved in team sports and although NP is a very individual fitness movement with regards to why you may have joined or your fitness goals, it is also such a big family, a team of people who support you in whatever you need, whenever you need it!
So, this Wednesday I was given the honor of leading the truly marvelous Toronto tribe through their Wednesday morning ritual. When Sam and Michelle asked me to lead the workout I was initially like ‘what!’ ‘me?’ F-yeah!! But at the same time, immediately nervous about the bounce and everyone staring at me, needing my instructions. I would be the focus of attention, everything that usually got my heart racing and want to run and hide. But seeing Sam and Michelle do this every Wednesday and encourage so many people of different strengths, fitness levels and confidence to run stairs and burpee to your hearts content, I felt very honored that they trusted me to lead the troops and deliver a workout that met the standards of NP. Planning the workout was so much fun! Wednesday couldn’t come soon enough! And when it finally did, everything went above and beyond. The YYZ tribe was amazing and supportive. They embraced my Scottish twist and put 110% into the workout. It was a proud moment. Loved every minute! But what made it extra special were the messages I received throughout the day thanking me. This became another moment of ‘wow’ – so much appreciation from something that is so fun to do! Who knew how many lives you can change just by encouraging someone to do one more lunge or hold a plank for a few more seconds (word of advice, anything is possible with the Proclaimers soundtrack).
I will end this blog by mentioning my last ‘wow’ moment I had this year: attending Summit! Holy mother wow! It blew my mind! I was warned it would be immense but nothing could prepare you for this weekend. Walking into Harvard Stadium on Friday morning seeing hundreds and thousands of people as one big family just made me speechless. The photos do not give it justice despite how frickin’ awesome those photos are (and lets not forget the videos). Running the Harvard Stadium tour the day before the Endurance Challenge – we were warned to take it easy – but that was impossible. The following day the regrets of going full-pelt on the bleachers hit home when faced with an almost vertical rock race to run up. It was the slowest probably most dangerous 10km of my life but on the other hand, it was the most emotional, supportive, unreal, amazing 10k I have ever ran! Who would have thought that throwing hundreds of people on top of a mountain in Massachusetts and telling them to run a marathon relay in 30degree heat would be one of the best days of your life! Upon my return from Boston I was asked ‘how was it? What did you do?’ – I think all I did was smile and try to explain but you can’t. It’s too amazing, too brilliant, too much ‘wow’ for words! But the best thing of all, you can experience a ‘wow’ moment just by showing up to November Project every week! Simply WOW – am I right?!”
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