Mother-daughter duo aim to spend 1K hours outside in 2024

A mother-daughter duo that made a New Year’s resolution to spend 1,000 hours outside is inviting others to join them in their winter adventures.

“What I have really, really loved about this challenge is the fact that we spend tons of time outside in the summer but it’s the winter where it’s really hard to get your butts off of the couch and get outside. I found that it really just developed a whole love of winter,” said Tania Douglas.

“I wanted to know, how much time do we actually spend outside? ‘Cause I thought it was a lot. It was not. It just kind of went from there.

“Camping was a lot of it. I think we spent 30 days in a tent between May and October. But we also extended the time that we camp,” said Douglas.

“Last year we did 1051 hours which was awesome, and we finished up in October. The other 50 hours came in November and December.”

Douglas and her daughter Nora are in their third year of the 1,000 hour challenge. Douglas says it is a great way to learn how to love the Manitoba outdoors in winter.

“We ice skate, we toboggan. In the winter at my parent’s lake we do some jam pail curling. Just anything you can imagine to do outside. It’s more fun with more snow, I won’t lie. But even with the mild temperatures right now especially, it’s almost easier.”

Nora says it doesn’t matter whether it’s summer or winter, she loves being outside.

“Once we saw the northern lights. I think that was my first time,” Nora.

Nora says she loves being able to spend time with her family and really likes the freedom of the outdoors.

“We went camping at Harvest Moon and we did like, there was just a bunch of kids roaming around, one of them was me. We could go anywhere in the campsite basically,” she said.

Douglas is part of the Facebook group 1,000 Hours Outside – Manitoba. She’s been inviting other group members to join. On Tuesday, people met at the Wildwood Park Community Centre.

“This group, I hadn’t met these people before. I just saw them online and it was a nice idea to get together,” said Marlene Crielaard, who joined the group after hearing about Douglas’ experiences in 2021.

Crielaard spent some time outside skating and standing by the fire. Last year, she had an injury and couldn’t do much during the winter.

“I broke my knee in February so I had a period where I didn’t do much outside at all, but then I made up for it in the summer and in the fall. I got the most hours in the fall during a camping trip,” said Crielaard.

This year, she says she’s ready to be outdoors in the cold much more.

“I kind of was interested in trying the fat bikes at Fort Whyte. I’ve never ridden a fat bike. I did the ice bikes last year on the river and that was kind of neat,” she said.

Crielaard said above all else, being outside is good for her.

“I think for the most part it’s just a real mental health thing for me. I think we get so used to being in comfort in our homes looking at screens and talking to people, chatting online and we’re just not getting out there and meeting new people (or) trying new things. I just feel like it declutters my mind when I get outside in nature. Whether it’s a hike or skating or a camping trip. I’m not super adventurous, like I’m not a backpacker out in the wild somewhere but I just, I like to get outside every day. In the summer I garden and pull weeds and it’s all therapeutic to me. It makes me feel good, you know?”

“It really is fantastic for your mental health,” Douglas said. “When you’re having a bad day, if you just get outside you feel so much better. Being active is so good for you. It changes your outlook, it really does. And it really becomes a way of life. You develop the habit of getting outside, and then you just want to be outside all the time.”

Douglas said her family’s goal this year is to continue to explore what Winnipeg has to offer, and also get into rural Manitoba to see new sights.

“(Last year) we went to Pioneer Days in Steinbach, we wanted to explore some of the province that we don’t normally. We went and explored some parks in Beausejour, we took a hot air balloon ride. That one, my daughter couldn’t come for because she’s too young,” said Douglas.

“Just start small. Like, just start with 10 minutes in the morning or in the afternoon when it’s a little bit warmer out. Take a little walk around your block to start with. You find when you get outside your mood lifts and everything just seems brighter.”

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Douglas also offered some tips to stay warm.

“The first time you have a cold snap, go out for 30 minutes and then go back inside, and then the next time you go out it won’t be as bad. But also get yourself some of those hand warmers, I tuck them in my boots and then you’re good for hours.”

As of January 2nd, Douglas said she and Nora have logged five hours so far in the new year. She says this resolution will be with their family for life.