With the cancellation of events this summer, here’s a challenge to get the family outdoors, in nature, improving health and building endurance. Get some sunshine and fresh air and earn rewards as you reach milestones! Texas is big, y’all. Just how big? Let’s find out!
The Texas Distance Challenge for Families
We are proud to be an official partner with the Texas Distance Challenge, a virtual run/walk or bike across Texas logging miles from July 1, 2020 – April 30, 2021. Families can join as a team to earn cumulative miles and watch a virtual pin move across a Texas map showing the team’s progress. Along the way, earn rewards such as shirts and decals as you complete milestones!
How to virtually cross Texas:
Participants can run/walk or bike The Crossing from El Paso to Texarkana (814 miles) or ride The Loop of the entire perimeter of Texas (3,612 miles)! There are optional extra miles with Monthly Detours along the way to learn about unique locations, and July’s detour is Big Bend! While the challenge opened in July 2020, you can join in at any time throughout the 10 month challenge.
A portion of the proceeds benefits our favorite nonprofit, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, for their ambassador program.
The kid-friendly virtual race
Our Texas Distance Challenge miles as a family looks different from those who are competing for long miles and short times. Our dog walks around the neighborhood, exploring the woods and creek bottom, bike rides, morning runs, nature walks, and hikes at Texas state parks and nature preserves all count towards our total miles for the challenge. While we will never be on the leader board due to too many fun distractions such as tree climbing, animal watching, flower picking, and snack breaks along the way, this has been such a fun experience to do as a family. The kids log around 3.5 miles on their bikes first thing most mornings, and it sets up our day for better moods and better sleep.
I hope to see y’all on this challenge, and remember to watch the heat index as temperatures increase. Keep the water (and of course snacks!) handy, and get out by 8 am to keep kids happy. This is a great challenge to complete as a family, and a motivator for family fitness. We chose the run/walk challenge, knowing that biking will also be a part of our miles since that’s what works for our family.
Special needs:
Getting outdoors is great for all abilities to reduce anxiety and depression, build muscles for happy mitochondria, gain vitamin D for happy bones and immunity, release serotonin and regulate melatonin, strengthen gross motor skills and balance, and enhance vision and hearing senses. Get outside and your body will reward you for it!
Know before you go:
Join at any time before April 2021.
Stay hydrated and wear sunscreen.
Follow @TexasDistanceChallenge and tag photos with #TexasDistanceChallenge. Find out more about the challenge and register at https://texasdistancechallenge.com/. We’ll see y’all outside!
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Texas Parks and Wildlife’s Dark Sky Program ensures that there will always be great escapes to be able to see the most stars. Find out the best places to see those big Texas stars.
