Getting the office involved in sports events, fun days and charity challenges is a fantastic way to switch off, get fitter and have a little fun together while you do it.  But it’s about more than just a bit of fun. Healthier workplaces are shown to be happier workplaces with less stress, less absenteeism, enhanced self-esteem and greater productivity being just some of the benefits.  Clearly, it’s important that workplaces make an effort to think about getting healthier, with simple steps like including more fruit and veg in workday diets (our fruit baskets are an easy way to do that), to encouraging participation in sports.

This year there are literally hundreds of amazing ways to get the office out and about and active. We’ve scoured the schedules to bring you a roundup of some of the most noteworthy events happening in and around Dublin this year.

March-May – Spring Tag Rugby 
Taking place in locations such as UCD, Harold’s Cross, Castleknock, Clontarf and Irishtown, Tag Rugby is fantastic way to keep fit and have fun. It’s a really social sport with mixed teams of men and women. You don’t need to have any experience to play and Tagrugby.ie organises weekly evening leagues in spring (6 weeks from Mar-May) and summer (9 weeks from May-July).  With over 35 leagues taking place 6 days a week throughout the country, you should be able to find a venue and night to suit your work crew! There’s also a Corporate Cup in July and an amazing beach league in Sandymount in August.

Image via – tagrugby.ie

27th March – National Workplace Wellbeing Day

March 27th 2015 marks Ireland’s first National Workplace Wellbeing Day.  Organised by the Irish Nutrition and Health Foundation, the nationwide campaign aims to help improve employee health through promoting better nutrition and physical activity in workplaces. Get started by offering fruit in the office with one of our fruit boxes, arrange a healthy cooking demo in the canteen, host a lunchtime fitness or yoga class or organise lunchtime walks. There’s endless ways to get involved.

Image via – National Workplace Wellbeing Day

9th May  – Darkness into Light

Starting at 4.15am and crossing the line just as dawn is breaking, the remarkable Darkness into Light, will celebrate its seventh year on Saturday, May 9th 2015, with over 80 venues across Ireland. Not so much a race, but with more of an emphasis on fun and involvement (you can even bring your dog!), this 5km walk/run, is an annual event to raise awareness and funds for Pieta House the centre for the prevention of self-harm or suicide.

Image via – Darkness Into Light

13th May – All Ireland SME Summit

Not a sporting event, but still an important date to mark in the SME calendar, the All-Ireland SME Summit takes place on 13th May and will provide Irish SMEs with the platform to take their businesses to the next level. The event will provide participants with an opportunity to hear business leaders speak and to build new business relationships with fellow attendees, speakers, exhibitors and SME support organisations.

Image via – All Ireland SME Summit

21st May – Dublin Staff Relay 

A really fun and unique team event, the Dublin Staff Relay takes place on 21st May this year and is one event not to be missed.

Consisting of a 5 x 5km fun relay, companies from all around the Dublin area take part. Each team has five members and each member runs a 5km leg of the relay – simple! And don’t worry, it’s not a super-competitive, overly serious environment, it’s more about having a bit of craic, getting fitter and having fun with your teammates… of course there’s no rule to say you can’t get competitive either! If you want to get ahead you can start devising your training routine now.

 

Image via – Dublin Staff Relay

1st June VHI Women’s Mini Marathon

This year over 40,000 participants are expected to walk, jog or run the 10K route through Dublin city on Monday, 1st June 2015, raising vital funds for a whole host of charities while they do it. Always a wonderful, feel-good event, you can get training now for this one with lunchtime or after work jogs.

Image via – VHI Women’s Mini Marathon

 

13th June Hell & Back

The name says it all really! Expect to be tested to your limits with mud, obstacles, water and running galore in this ‘midsummer nightmare,’ event.

If you’ve never heard of Hell & Back, it’s a gruelling challenging off-road, obstacle course that will push participants to their limit. It has a massive emphasis on camaraderie and teambuilding, as many of the obstacles require participants to help each other out, so it’s perfect for an office fitness challenge! This one takes place in the magnificent grounds of Killruddery Estate, a stunning private venue in Bray, Co Wicklow at the foot of the Sugar Loaf Mountain.

Whether you decide to do it for a charity fundraiser or as a spot of teambuilding, there’s no doubt you will feel a massive sense of accomplishment when you cross the line.

27th June – The Color Run Dublin

One of the most unusual 5K events out there, the Color Run [sic] spectacle is coming back to Dublin this summer. The one of a kind experience is all about having a crazy, colourful fun day with your teammates! The race is untimed and all about enjoying yourselves.  Start off in your pristine white t-shirts and prepare for some major colour action! It’s impossible not come out smiling after this one.

Image via – The Color Run
 

15th August-  D4 Strand Tag Blitz 

Put the Tag Rugby skills you’ve been practicing in the league to good use, in this wonderful blitz day on 15th August. Sanydmount Strand will play host to this fabulous event and hopefully the sun will be shining too! Get your teams registered and ready to blitz.

Image via – Tagrugby.ie

19th September Dublin Half Marathon

If you’re planning to take on the Dublin Marathon later in the year, this half marathon is an ideal warmer-upper. Part of the SSE Airtricity Series, the event takes place in the Phoenix Park on Saturday September 19th at 10am.

Image via – Dublin Marathon

19th September Dublin Liffey Swim

If you’re a total water baby and want to take on an iconic race, then the Dublin Liffey Swim is for you! Scheduled for 19th September, it’s set to be a total crowd gatherer once again this year as brave participants dive into the capitals famous river and swim through the fair city.

In order to compete in the Liffey Swim, swimmers must complete four qualifying races from the Leinster Open Sea Calendar to show that they are capable of competing the arduous course.

Image via -Leinster Open Sea Swimming

 

October – Red Bull Cúl 5 

The Red Bull Cúl 5, the only 5-a-side Gaelic Football competition in Ireland was a massive success last year and is no doubt set for return in October of 2015. The name ‘Red Bull Cúl 5’ tells its own story. ‘Cúl’, Irish for goal, refers to the fact that only goals can be scored. There are no points! And ‘5’ refers to 5 players-a-side. With corporate leagues and leagues for men and women it’s a great way to get back into Gaelic. Keep an eye on their website for this year’s dates

Image via – Red Bull Cúl 5’

26th October –  Dublin Marathon

It’s the big one. The Dublin Marathon takes place on 26th October and provides a wonderful challenge. Attracting runners from all over the world, it’s a huge achievement to take part and cross the line on Dublin’s famous city streets.  Buddy up with your work mates and start training early, so come race time you’ll be ready to take on the challenge.

Image via – Dublin Marathon

3rd -5th November –  Web Summit 

Not a sporting event, but probably one of the world’s most influential and international tech events, the Web Summit is a must. Last year there were a diverse range of speakers such as Dropbox founder Drew Houston, to stars like Eva Longoria and Bono! It is the networking event of the year and will no doubt spawn a variety of spin off events worth seeing that week too.

Image via – websummit.net
 

11th November – Run in the Dark 

Join The Mark Pollock Trust and thousands of fellow runners in Dublin on the 11th of November and support their ongoing research to find a cure for spinal cord injury.

With both 5k and 10K routes on offer, you can walk or run this one and take inspiration from the amazing and ‘unbreakable’ Mark Pollack who hasn’t let blindness or paralysis stop him from accomplishing the incredible.

Image via – Run in the Dark