… like have you even heard of Miri before this? Probably not.
When Ridley first proposed the idea to pledge for NP, I was excited and ecstatic to be on board… until I heard we have to add in an additional workout day and it has to be and MUST be held in the early morning before the crack of dawn. What? I’m already not getting enough sleep as it is. I am barely a morning person, grouchy and dazed before a good bowl of mee kolok – a typical noodle breakfast in Sarawak, the state of Miri – and now I have to run hills and do burpees? What, uhm… no thanks, let’s reconsider this.
But as with all things with Ridley, he took charge and rallied us out of bed for the first workout of November Project pledge in November. It was dark, the frogs were asleep, my dogs barely lifted their tails as I stumbled out of my house and drove 18 miles to our workout spot in Bumiko Hills. There were less than ten of us who showed up, but still we were like.. wow, we actually SHOWED UP. We ran up and down the hills, did some push-ups and sit-ups, and as the adrenaline pumped into our lungs, I began to feel really good. Like superhero good, the air was fresh and crisp in the morning and every breath I took in felt amazing as I worked my way up the hills. As the sun rose, so did my spirits and I finished the workout with a great feeling ready to charge the day. We high fives each other – we were still not comfortable hugging each other YET in our sweat-soaked shirts – and we left the hills more mentally ready for the next morning workout.
So this was how it is and it is what it shall be, every Wednesday morning at the hills. Except with more hugs.
Now it’s been programmed into me. My body wakes up naturally at 4am before the alarm rings. My sleepy dogs still do not wag their tails but I no longer stumble out of the house. I get in my car proper ready to meet my tribe, ready to hug them and so ready to love them and cheer them on. The vibes from the hills carry me through my day, my week and remind me to smile at strangers, love my body for the adrenaline it allows me to chase and generally, just be awesome.
So if you ask me what NP means to me a small Mirian like me, I’ll say it’s the most inspiring thing I ever heard and been in. Hearing the announcement that we are now an official tribe after eight months of pledging, I cried yes I did, because Miri deserves it! We really, really do!
So thank you Ridley for being our leader that made this all possible, for flying our Malaysian flag in the home of November Project – Boston. Thank you Brogan and Bojan for believing in Miri.
Now Miri gets to know just how good this shit is.
