We’ve made it to February! And according to the groundhog, we’ve got 6 more weeks of snow and cold. OK, that means we’ll keep on getting out there and enjoying our Michigan winter! The first-ever Michigan Runner Girl – Michigan Department of Natural Resources Winter Fitness Challenge continues, and you all are sharing great photos of your outdoor adventures! Each week through the end of February, we’re picking a winner to receive a little swag — and we’ll share the winning photo here on the blog.

Congratulations to Betty Gauthier — known as @snailtotrail on Instagram for sharing the above photo from her snowshoe hike this week at Harris Nature Center on the Red Cedar River in Okemos. Betty, who unfortunately is dealing with a hamstring injury (feel better soon, Betty!), shared this about her hike:

Who says that outdoor activity has to be enjoyed just on the weekend? I may not be able to run right now but I finally got to hit the trails tonight with the awesome snow shoes I received at Christmas. Night time trail hiking at its best, thank you Harris Nature Center!

Betty, for sharing your wintry northern Michigan hiking adventure photo, you’ll receive the following gifts:

·       A $25 Michigan State Parks gift certificate. (This is good for camping or any other point of sale item in state parks, such as Recreation Passport — in a park only — firewood, ice, or merchandise if a locations carries it.)

·       FREE captain’s race entry for this fall’s Ragnar Michigan.


Want to join the Michigan Runner Girl/Michigan DNR Fitness Challenge? The challenge is free and open to anyone interested in getting outdoors and experiencing nature in Michigan this winter. BEST PART (aside from the happiness and peacefulness you’ll be experiencing when getting outside and exploring): Prizes will be given away each week during the challenge, which will run through February.
Here’s how this fitness challenge works:
  • snap a photo of yourself, or of you and your family and friends, being active outside. It could be a run, a snowshoe, a hike, a ski — whatever gets your body moving outdoors. If you happen to be at a state park, great! But you can also simply be in your backyard, at a local park, along the Great Lakes shoreline … wherever, so long as you’re outdoors in Michigan!
  • Share the photo on Instagram OR Facebook (or both!), using the hashtags #MRGEnergy and #MIStateParks.
  • Each week, MRG will share a reader/listener photo on the MRG Facebook page and that person will win a prize from Michigan Runner Girl and the Michigan DNR.

Check out last week’s winner here »

Get out there and have fun!

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