How I Learned To Love Winter Walking
(Photo: iStock)
In the fall of 2004, Karen Venema, then 45, was feeling unhealthy. “I was working in recreation, but in a sit-down job,” says the Ottawa resident. She had gained weight, and was feeling depressed more often. So she decided to join a 10-km hike in Gatineau Park that was led by the Ottawa Voyageurs Walking Club. “Deep inside, I knew the answer to getting healthier was getting outside.”
By the time Venema had finished that first hike, which took her three hours, she had fallen in love with walking outdoors. Before the end of the year, she completed five additional 10 km walks with the group—a chapter of the Canadian Volkssport Federation (CVF), which has clubs across Canada—including several in cold weather.
Fast-forward two decades, and Venema now walks 20 km or more a week, 52 weeks of the year. What gets the now-65-year-old out the door on cold days? The social aspect of walking in a group and her year-round love of being outdoors. “You get these glorious sunny days in the winter, when the sun is reflecting off the snow,” she says. “Sunlight and fresh air do so much for your health and your mood.”
Indeed, when it comes to establishing a walking routine, “you need to find ways to inspire joy,” says Matty Maggiacomo, a New York-based Peloton instructor who leads outdoor walking audio classes on the Peloton app. “If you don’t love it, you’re not going to do it.”
Here, Venema and Maggiacomo share their best advice for consistently getting out the door and getting in a great walk—even during the winter months.
Dress for success
“My first winter, I was completely uncomfortable,” says Venema. “I just wasn’t wearing the right clothes to stay warm and dry.”
She’s since invested in waterproof winter hiking boots, a sweat-wicking base layer (essential for staying dry), long underwear, a neck buff and removable micro-spikes for icy trails.
She never wears cotton—which can get damp—and opts for zippered pieces whenever possible so that it’s easier to cool down when she starts feeling warm. Some of her fellow walkers also use walking poles with carbide or metal spikes for additional stability on icy days.
“When it’s -20, I’ll wear mitts—Goretex or some sort of microfibre—instead of gloves because your hands get cold so quickly,” she says. “There’s no bad weather, just bad clothes.”
Find out what gets you out the door
For Venema, it’s the social aspect of walking with a group. “We’re catching up but we’re walking at the same time,” she says. “A lot of therapy gets done in those two hours.”
For others, it could be listening to an incredibly likeable instructor lead you through a challenging but completely doable walking workout. “People say that I distract them, and that’s my secret weapon,” says Maggiacomo. “You’ll never get bored.”
Listeners will walk away from one of Maggiacomo’s outdoor workouts, which are available in durations from 15 to 60 minutes, feeling energized by both the frequent pace changes and also the killer playlists (we guarantee you’ll leave one of his walks in a better mood than when you started). You’ll also learn a few fun pieces of music trivia—Maggiacomo is a major culture buff.
Mix up your route and your intensity
Twenty years after her first hike with the Ottawa Voyageurs Walking Club, Venema now sits on the CVF’s national board of directors, and leads her own Tuesday morning walks—rotating between 10 different routes in the winter. “Otherwise, people will say, Not that route again,” she says.
Maggiacomo keeps things interesting in his outdoor walking workouts by leading participants through a variety of paces and strides. (You can also do this on your own—walking with high knees to the nearest park bench, or power walking for the duration of a song.)
Maggiacomo notes that people tend to downplay the fitness aspect of walking. “Don’t negate how challenging and effective this is,” he says. “The idea that a low-impact workout is a low-intensity workout is a myth.”
Our top picks for winter walking gear that will help you stay warm
Keen Revel IV Polar Boots, $230
These waterproof winter boots have excellent traction, feature heat-trapping technology and are insulated for temperatures up to -25C. One of our editors invested in a pair this winter and vouches for the fact that they’re great for walking and also incredibly warm.
Icetrax Winter Grips, $20
Buff Polar Neckwarmer, $50
Team Chatelaine loves Uniqlo’s HeatTech line, with good reason: These tights are lightweight, layerable, machine washable, affordable and add the perfect amount of warmth.
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