The looming menace of winter plagues many people who live in Michigan and other northern areas. Maintaining a work-out schedule for fitness or simply staying active can be harder during the darker months, especially when the winter blues set in. Three Ann Arborites and CHS community members shed some light on ways to stay fit and happy during winter.
Marcy McCormick, a CHS FOS teacher, finds her outlet through both downhill and cross country skiing. She says many surrounding parks offer groomed trails and ski rentals.
“There are lots of places [around] Ann Arbor that have cross country skiing.”
One park even ensures adequate conditions: Huron Meadows Metropark in Green Oak County, Mich. uses a snowblower to provide snow to their one mile course, all season long.
“I love getting exercise, [and] I am a bit of an adrenaline junkie, so I get that fun from skiing downhill and going fast,” McCormick said.
This experience can be found at Mount Brighton, a roughly hour long drive from Ann Arbor. On top of having widely-used skiing amenities, they also offer snowboarding.
Skiing isn’t the only activity available in Southeast Michigan: running, especially around Ann Arbor, can be easily accessed and great for fitness. Aidan Moran, a CHS, finds local neighborhoods and tracks to be readily available and fun, and running to be a great way to fight off winter drowsiness.
“I feel like I could [just stay inside] but then again I wouldn’t get the [training] I need to become stronger,” Moran said. All you need are a pair of shoes, and running can become a quick salvation given the ease in locale and accessibility.
Moran uses nearby tracks to run during the winter.
“I usually run in my neighborhood, or the [University of] Michigan track because it’s always open,” Moran said. “It’s a fair track that you can go to pretty much any time and I would say it’s a pretty good track, definitely as good as you are going to get for a public track.”
Bridgette Kelly, a CHS {grade} and PHS tennis team member, takes advantage of indoor workout options at a local club, Liberty Athletic club. The club offers many other services including a gym, but the tennis courts are excellent.
“I usually don’t do groups there, I just hit [around] with friends,” Kelly said. “They have nice courts, and nice [tennis] balls.”

Whether you choose to fully embrace the winter and suit up for some outdoor exercise, or stay inside and work out at a gym, take advantage of some of Ann Arbor’s local offerings from Metro Parks to Indoor Gyms to the B2B trail for a scenic run.