By Emma McGrath, News Staff
In black spandex, wielding plastic swords, the ninjas raced eight miles through the cold while unsuspecting Bostonians went about their nightly business.
Last Wednesday night, as many area residents swaddled in blankets and huddled by their heaters, members of the grassroots fitness group November Project ran the first-ever Boston Ninja Race.
Northeastern alumnus Brogan Graham, co-founder of the November Project, dreamt up the idea. Graham said his exercise philosophy is simple: Free fitness rooted in consistency and community, with a little panache.
“We try and do things that aren’t being done. There are a lot of cool things, a lot of cool races that are going on, but no one’s doing [ninja races] in Boston,” he said.
By 9 p.m., the edges of the Charles River were topped by a thin film of ice. Forceful winds made 10 degrees Fahrenheit feel more like 5, but even the wind couldn’t stop about 250 runners from showing up in their ninja attire.
That ninja attire requirement was no joke and no suggestion; it was serious business, Graham said.
“I’ll be bummed out if locals show up in their running [gear] – in their pink jacket – and they wanna put down a fast time,” he said before the race. “But I’d love to see some ninjas who we don’t even know, without bibs, come and win it. Because then, in true ninja form, it’s almost like they didn’t exist.”
On the night of the race, just before start time, runner Jeannie Hannigan said she was training with the November Project in preparation for the Boston Marathon. “What better way to get our run in than dressed like ninjas on the Esplanade on the coldest day of the year?”
Though some people’s ideal workout might differ from Hannigan’s, the air was abuzz with enthusiasm on the eve of the event. Hugging was a common sight, with several runners spontaneously embracing one another and striking up conversation.
Graham said that human contact and sociability are both important tenets of the November Project.
“You know, I’m a hugger. I’m from Wisconsin. I’m used to friendly on top of friendly, and it sometimes spooks people in this town,” he said. “The community we’re building, you start making friends that are expecting to see you there.”
Graham said the unique community vibe November Project members experience is what keeps people coming back.
“It’s an important feature when your alarm clock is going off, to think about who you’d be letting down,” he said.
Graham added that he doesn’t expect all members to perform like professional athletes, but personal commitment is essential to a positive experience with the group.
“What’s cool about the morning thing, 6:30 a.m., is that people are available,” he said. “You’re either in bed or you’re up doing something. There’s no ‘Oh, I’ll see if I can go,’ it’s just like, get your ass up.”
Those who ran the ninja race were nothing if not committed. Halfway through, at the turn-around point, the runners endured a series of workouts – “spice,” as Graham calls it – before they could continue on.
The first runner to cross the finish line did so in about 45 minutes, averaging nearly five and a half minutes per mile. Graham welcomed him with exuberant cheers of support (and, of course, hugs).
But as happy as Graham seemed for the winner of the race, he seemed equally thrilled for the runner-up, and the second runner-up, and the third runner-up, and every runner that followed. In truth, Graham did not appear at all concerned with who finished first. What he wanted was for people to simply show up.
As the ninjas returned one by one, Graham yelled, “Let’s see some ninja [stuff]” They obliged, kicking, tumbling, and even back-flipping over the finish line.
The runners, proud and seemingly impervious to the cold, greeted each other with Wisconsin-style hugs.
Of the value of athletics, and of what makes an athlete, Graham had this to say: “Coach Bowerman said back in the day – it’s a famous Nike quote – ‘If you have a body, you’re an athlete.’ Everybody is an athlete. Do they take themselves seriously? Do they think they’re a jock? Maybe, maybe not. But the point is that everybody has the ability to move and shake and be a part of something like this.”
