As the snow melts and the school year mercifully comes to a close, it’s finally time to get back outside and take advantage of Saskatchewan’s beautiful outdoors. Furthermore, it’s the wonderful time of year where couples can once again get active and are no longer forced to watch Netflix for every date night.

During a long winter, it can definitely be a difficult task to remain active and stay in shape. Luckily, the warm weather and beautiful Saskatoon scenery can be just the motivation you need to get off the couch and back on your feet.

Running can be a boring activity on your own, but jogging with your significant other cannot only motivate both of you to be active, but it can also make it fun. Changing your route regularly and cracking jokes along the way can help make running seem like less of a chore and more of a beneficial activity that you and your partner both enjoy. There are plenty of scenic trails along or near the river that will help you forget you’re running and let you immerse yourselves in the beauty of nature.

If running isn’t your thing, going for a walk on the same trails is just as romantic, especially at sunset. There are plenty of parks around the city and going for a long walk together sure beats the hell out of watching another episode of Making a Murderer. So save the shows for a rainy day and get outside and soak up the spring weather!

There are plenty of sporty activities you can do together that don’t require much equipment. Grab a Frisbee, a football or a soccer ball and find some green space and have some fun. It can be enjoyable to learn a new sport together — or maybe one of you does the teaching and you share some laughs.

Chasing down a Frisbee or a football may not seem like a lot of work, but 20 to 30 minutes of exercise will be plenty for one day. If you keep at it, you’ll be running the no-huddle offence to perfection by the end of the summer.

A lesser known but very rewarding sport is tennis. You’ll probably have to purchase rackets and tennis balls, but there are handfuls of courts all around the city, which are usually empty. It’s a little more difficult to master the basics of tennis, but with a few hours of practice you’ll be rallying back-and-forth with the best of them.

You don’t have to treat it like the Wimbledon final, but you’ll find the constant movement and stopping and starting will have you sweating in no time. Be sure to bring plenty of water and try to play in the morning or late afternoons, avoiding the peak heat of the day.

Going for a bike ride is always fun and it’s easy too. You can pedal at your own pace, but even a leisurely ride around the neighbourhood is a great leg workout and is sure to get the blood pumping. It’s always exciting stopping for a snack along the way, so try biking for an ice cream treat instead of driving to the store.

The most important part of all these activities is to have fun. Working out can be a challenge for many people, but making it pleasant is the easiest way to enjoying a healthy lifestyle. These are just some ideas, as there are plenty of ways to get active together this spring. Try joining a rec team together, which is not only fun and functional, but you’ll meet plenty of new people too.

It’s scientifically proven that physical activity helps improve your happiness and overall health, so what are you waiting for? Doing some of these activities is not only valuable for you and your partner, but it can also be fun and bring you closer together. With the final-exam grind in your rearview mirror, some outdoor therapy and physical activity is just what you need to start the summer off right.