The sun had not yet risen in Edmonton, Alberta, and it was over 20 degrees below zero. Tanis Smith layered up anyway, ready to climb and descend hundreds of steps among the trees of the Saskatchewan River Valley.

When she arrived at 6 a.m., 10 other people joined her. This wouldn’t be the last time they risked freezing their toes to practice before the rest of the world woke up.

“You just invest everything you have,” said Smith, an accountant. “If you look at the photos, you don’t know who you are unless you remember what you were wearing.”

Since that winter of 2013, Smith has rarely missed a training session with the group, called November projecta network of free outdoor group exercise classes that began in Boston. Regardless of the month or the weather, participants get out of bed before dawn at least once a week and protect their faces from the bitter cold.

Part intense workout, part abject stupidity, the project is a model for how to stay motivated. exercise outside throughout the winter.

It all started when two friends challenged themselves to exercise every morning in November. By the end of the month, they were recruiting more.

“A party is better when there are more people,” said Bojan Mandaric, who created the project with Brogan Graham in 2011. “We would talk to anyone who would listen.”

Soon, their meetings attracted a few dozen people, who then carried the idea to other cities when they moved. There are now 52 chapters in eight countries, including 44 in the United States and Canada.

The workouts, which attract all ages and fitness levels, begin with a “bounce,” a jumping call-and-response chant to relax people physically and mentally. How classes continue varies depending on location and day of the week, but most include running and strength exercises like squats or burpees.

To promote the idea that exercise can be fun, they could also integrate activities it would be at home during childhood playtime in the schoolyard.

In Edmonton, they played an intense version of Duck Duck Goose, went sledding in the winter, and did Slip ‘n’ Slide in the summer. One workout in Boston involved a sort of Easter egg hunt, where you searched for plastic eggs while sprinting. Open them to find commands that could be, walk like a gorilla, do cartwheels or grab some grass and throw it at Mandaric’s head.

The goal is to lower inhibitions, which helps people connect, said Jason Shaw, co-leader of the Indianapolis chapter.

“No one is cool at November Project,” he said. “In different gyms, especially, you always have people who are so cool, or who think they are so cool. We’re trying to nip this in the bud. »

Shaw said chapters mark different milestones, much like Scout merit badges, by painting a tag on your shirt to, say, introduce you on your first single-digit day.

But they don’t spray when it’s too cold. The paint freezes.

If you don’t have a section nearby, many cities offer some sort of running or outdoor exercise group, although many aren’t free. Otherwise, the organizers of the November project offered some suggestions on how to stay motivated and continue working during the colder months.

Responsibility is a fundamental principle of the project. Members verbally promise to show up, and you almost feel like you’re disappointing your teammates if you don’t, said Mandaric, who moved from Serbia to Boston to join the Northeastern University rowing team.

There’s no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing, Shaw said. At a minimum, buy a moisture-wicking base layer that will help keep you warm and dry. Avoid cotton, which keeps sweat in contact with your body and will make you colder. And add a top jacket with windproof fabric.

Commit to exercising on the same days and times for a month. Creating a predictable routine will help you get into a routine that’s easier to maintain, Mandaric said.

One of the things Smith enjoys most about the project is its social aspect. She called it “a chosen family” that formed in part because they had fun while exercising.

“Fitness doesn’t have to be a hard-nosed, drill sergeant-type activity,” she said. “You can have fun and get fit.”

EDITOR’S NOTE: Albert Stumm writes about wellness, food and travel. Find his work on