Have you guys heard of the November Project? It’s a totally free, outdoor, grassroots-style community workout that a couple guys started up in Boston to help them stay motivated to work out during the winter.
I first heard about it from my friend Tina’s blog, but I didn’t realize they had started a DC chapter until recently, when they started chatting with me on Twitter. #JustShowUp , they said! Well, okay! The DC chapter meets every Wednesday (not just November – it will continue year round!) at 6:30 a.m. on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial – steps you will later be running. Over, and over, and over. 😉
You guys know I’m always up for a new workout adventure, so Mary and I made plans to check it out yesterday morning with our husbands in tow.
When the four of us arrived at 6:30, bleary-eyed, it was still dark out, but the view alone was worth leaving our warm beds for. I think even Matt (who is NOT a morning person) realized with one look why I get out of bed so early to work out most mornings. This is why:
As for the workout, it was fun! I’m not sure if they mix it up every week or not (hopefully?), but this week they had us running up and down the stairs with pushups and burpees in between.
It went by really quickly, and the end of the workout was our favorite part – everyone in the team (ours was just the 4 of us) held a plank…
And then one by one we sprinted up all the stairs. When one person reached the top, a next one went, until everyone was up there. Everyone was cheering each other on – it was really fun. Nothing like a good competition to get you sprinting up the stairs you were just painfully jogging up a minute before, too! 😉 We all said that it would be cool in the future if they did more of that sort of thing vs. just having us do the same workout on repeat.
Either way, it was a fun morning and a great way to start the day! Matt commented that he felt so much more energized than usual the rest of the day… so much so that he even came with me on a 4 mile run this morning before work! I seriously never thought I’d see the day… 😉
We’ll definitely be back, and I encourage you guys to check it out, too! It’s a great way to make some new friends and get in a workout at the same time. If you don’t have any workout buddies this is a perfect solution for you, too! I hear rumors they might add another day to the mix… and they also just added a 5:30 a.m. option for Wednesdays as well, if you need to get back home and to work earlier. Check out their website for more details, including a list of the other cities they’re in. This time, the 4 of us drove down (parking on Ohio Drive was really easy), but next time I think we’d run it, just to add to the adventure.
In other news: you already know about this if you follow me on Instagram, but I’m super excited to introduce to you the newest member of the Mauney household: beautiful little miss Zara!
Isn’t she the cutest thing ever? Matt and I have talked about getting a cat for years; at first, we waited because we weren’t super stationary with the move to NC and back for my grad school and lots of travelling, and then once we moved back to DC we were worried our apartment was too small (it’s a pretty jam-packed one bedroom). Well, last weekend I suggested we go check out the local animal shelter… you know, “just to look.” 😉
Umm, yeah, clearly you guys know how that ended! We immediately fell in love with a few of the cats, and one in particular, but couldn’t take any right away because we were leaving a couple days later for Pittsburgh for Thanksgiving. By the time we made it back this week the cat we originally wanted had been taken (you can’t place holds on the animals for more than 24 hours), but everything happens for a reason, right? I think Zara was meant to be ours. 🙂
She’s a super sweet and friendly 1 year old, and we got her from the Animal Welfare League of Arlington, which I’d really recommend if you’re in the area and looking for a pet. The staff were all really nice, the whole place was super clean, and the animals seemed well cared for and happy. It was all we could do to not take all of the cats home!
They didn’t have much information about Zara (the name they gave her at the shelter, and we decided it suited her), but she has a Tabby pattern with maybe a little Maine Coon mixed in (her tail is super large and fluffy). She’s adorably small, though – only about 7 pounds and very petite in length/size.
For those of you that aren’t into cats, don’t worry, this isn’t going to turn into a cat blog. 🙂 But expect a few photos here and there – especially over on my Instagram page! Since I work from home the majority of the day when I’m not out meeting AnneTheRD clients or doing corporate wellness presentations, it’s so nice having a little furry buddy to keep me company!
Speaking of work – I wanted to mention that I started offering a gift certificate option for my AnnetheRD nutrition counseling services! It could make a nice Christmas gift if someone you know is interested in receiving the gift of good nutrition. Also, along the same lines for those of you in the DC area – another fun gift idea is gift certificate for a Healthy Dinner Party from my friend Sarah, a fellow DC dietitian who hosts nutritious cooking parties for you and your family or friends! She comes to you and brings all the food and equipment and even cleans up, and shares nutrition tips along the way. I went to one of her dinner parties earlier this year and reviewed it in this post – it was so fun. If you’re interested, when you contact her tell her I referred you and she’ll include a complimentary wine pairing as part of the dinner party gift certificate, too.
And now – back to work, with a sleepy kitty by my side. I hope you all have a wonderful day!
