The groundhogs have predicted (at least) 6 more weeks of winter, but we’re Manitobans so instead of retreating to our warm beds, we will embrace winter while it lasts!

Bougeons en Hiver: The Jack Frost Challenge is a weeklong challenge every February where people across Manitoba sign up to skate, cross-country ski, run, snowshoe, cycle and walk a total of 130km, either as a team or (for the hardcore) as an individual.

This year, we have signed up a team – the RRC Ice Rebels – and we’re ready to take on winter from February 12-18. Below, meet our teammates and find out how we plan to meet this challenge head on! Follow us on social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram) for updates throughout the week.

If you’d like to join our team, contact Whitney for more information. Or, start your own team and let us know your team name so we can trash talk cheer you on! And don’t forget – if you’re participating in the Get Movin’ Challenge this month you can count your Jack Frost Challenge activities towards your daily 7,000 step count and double your chances to win great prizes!

2017 RRC ICE REBELS:

Dave at Global Fat Bike Day in 2016

Name:
Dave Cushnie
Department:
Facility Management
Favourite Outdoor Winter Activity:
Fat Biking
Best Tip for Being Active Outdoors in the Winter:
Don’t overdress. You build up a lot of heat while cycling.
Anything Else You’d Like to Add:
This is my 4th winter cycling to work. However, this is my first year commuting on a Fat Bike. The wider, larger diameter tires make winter cycling more fun and it is also safer.

Sherry at an outdoor curling bonspiel.

Name:
Sherry Seymour
Department:
Language Training Centre
Favourite Outdoor Winter Activity:
Running
Best Tip for Being Active Outdoors in the Winter:
-30 isn’t scary if you dress appropriately!

Name:
Chris Harrington
Department:
Diagnostic Medical sonography, Allied Health Sciences
Favourite Winter Outdoor Activity:
Cross country skiing, both classic and freestyle
Best Tip for Being Active Outdoors in the Winter:
Dress appropriately and get out there and enjoy it.  Once you are moving, you will be just toasty.

Sara skijoring with her dog.

Name:
Sara MacArthur
Department:
Sustainability
Favourite Outdoor Winter Activity:
Skijoring. A Scandinavian winter sport where your dog is harnessed and attached to a gangline and pulls you while you cross country ski. It’s a heck of a lot of fun.
Best Tip for Being Active Outdoors in the Winter:
Get a dog who loves the winter. Your furry friend will get you outdoors when the temps are low and help you to appreciate winter in a way you never did before.

Name:
Marc LeBrun
Department:
Print Shoppe
Favourite Outdoor Winter Activity:
Anything active outside with my 4 kids – skating at the ODR, tobogganing, might try some cycling during the week.
Best Tip for Being Active Outdoors in the Winter:
Choose to walk to destinations that aren’t too far instead of taking a vehicle.
Personal Challenge for the Week:
One of my goals might be to build a QUINZHEE and should I attempt to sleep in it? Ha! We’ll see, you never know. At the least I’ll build one and set up a mini stove in it [stay tuned for photos].

Whitney enjoying the winter weather.

Name:
Whitney Crooks
Department:
Sustainability
Favourite Outdoor Winter Activity:
Anything and everything I can do with my family – walking, skating, building snow families…
Best Tip for Being Active Outdoors in the Winter:
Add little bits to your daily routine: walk to the grocery store or coffee shop or park a block or two away; get off the bus one stop earlier (and don’t forget to count your walk to and from the stops); or take a short walk at lunch or after dinner.
Personal Challenge for the Week:
I am planning to take my daughter snowshoeing for the first time. We may not get many kms out of it, but it will be a lot of fun!