Run Calgary launches 90-day Winter Moves challenge

The team at Run Calgary has introduced a new virtual challenge for the coming few months called Winter Moves. This is a 90-day campaign that starts on December 21, the first day of winter, and ends on March 20, the first day of spring, and it challenges participants to get outside and get active for a total of 80 hours — just under an hour a day. This months-long event is meant to be a motivator for participants to exercise and appreciate winter, even on the coldest of days, and it is also a fundraiser for the Canadian Mental Health Association. With just under three weeks until the event begins, registration for the Winter Moves challenge is officially open now. 

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As the organization’s name implies, Run Calgary has a focus running, but Winter Moves participants are encouraged to do any type of outdoor exercise they like. Participants can run, walk, snowshoe, ski and do pretty much any other activity, just as long as it’s outside. Activities will be recorded on Challenge Hound, a website built for virtual race and challenge tracking that connects to GPS wearables and Strava and also accepts manual entries. The website will also let anyone who joins the challenge after the December 21 start date retroactively add activities to their profile. This way, even if you’re late to the party, your outdoor activities from December 21 onward will still count. 

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While participants are asked to track their exercise for the Winter Moves challenge, it isn’t a competition pitting everyone against each other to see who can do the most this winter. Instead, it’s a personal challenge to simply enjoy the coldest months of the year. “This isn’t about how far you can go or how hard you can push yourself,” says Run Calgary’s executive director Kirsten Fleming. “Winter Moves invites us to be gentle on ourselves, inspires us to move during the coldest, darkest days and allows us to be there for one another during this next chapter as we wait for brighter days ahead.”

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The main points of this challenge are to play more, to breathe fresh air, to fall in love with winter and, most importantly, to help you work on your mental and physical health. Heading outdoors for various activities can help participants check all of those boxes. 

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Registration for the Winter Moves challenge is limited, so even though there’s plenty of time before the 90-day event begins, it’s best to sign up sooner rather than later. Head to the Run Calgary website here to learn more about the challenge, and click here to register.