Boot Camper of the week!

It’s time for Boot Camper or the week! This week we highlight Joanne Whooley!! Thank you Joanne! Fun fact: Joanne has been riding the Pan Mass Challenge since 2015! Amazing!  
How long have you been  involved with MBC? 
Off and on for 10+ years.  I saw a group of people with MBC shirts after a road race, and having just moved to Melrose, asked them what it was all about.  They told me to check it out and I did – granted it was a post-race party and beers may have been involved, but I signed up and have been hooked ever since!
What do you like most about the program? What keeps you coming back? 
Honestly, the fact that I don’t have to think.  We are all overloaded with to do lists, deadlines, distractions, decisions to be made, that it’s nice to turn off my brain and have Joy tell me what to do for a while.
I keep coming back because the support of Joy and the rest of the Campers is invaluable and as Joy says - You never regret going to boot camp, but you may regret NOT going to boot camp!
What, if any, benefits have you experienced through your participation? 
I feel stronger – both physically and mentally.  The physical is a no brainer, you’re working out and the more you do, the stronger you get.  The mental sneaks up on you.  At first it’s hard to get out of bed, especially in the dark winter months.  But if I can get up and work out for 45 minutes, I feel like can tackle the rest of my day and that I’ve accomplished something.
What would you say to someone considering joining the team?
Try it out, don’t be afraid.  It’s not at all intimidating – everyone is welcoming and everything can be modified.  It’s your time, so you make it work for you.
Anything else you would like to add? 
Having Joy figure out a way to continue boot camp during a pandemic and pivoting to the Zoom platform has made a huge difference in getting through all of this.  I will be forever grateful to Joy for ushering so many of us with such care, humor and resolve through a very difficult time.