Business advisors Grant Thornton and Athletics Ireland have announced a new running event to take place in the heart of the Irish business district. The Grant Thornton Corporate 5k Team Challenge will take place through the streets of the Dublin Docklands on the evening of 6 September 2012 and is aimed at encouraging social running amongst Dublin’s business community.
Former European Cross Country champion, Catherina McKiernan, has been enlisted as an event ambassador and has launched an online twelve week beginners’ training programme, ‘From Desk to the Docklands 5k.’
“I think that this new event is a fantastic idea and a great way to attract people into running”, McKiernan said. “The twelve weeks’ training build-up is ideal and beginners can see themselves make real progress during this period.”
The target audience for the Grant Thornton Corporate 5k Team Challenge will be both the regular running community as well as beginners – all are welcome. This is a Team Event and a minimum of four participants will enter, with each scoring; the winning team being determined by combined times.
Athletics Ireland CEO John Foley also welcomed the new Dublin event, which he sees as an exciting new addition to the running fixtures calendar. “This is another big event that Athletics Ireland will manage and we have already delivered some very successful mass-participation events this year including the RTE Operation Transformation 5k, The Run with Ray D’Arcy, 5k Countrywide Series and the Samsung Run Dublin @ Night event.”
Colin Feely, Partner with Grant Thornton, said. “This event offers a challenge to both employers and employees and is an excellent way of involving the entire staff in a fun, healthy and rewarding activity. Grant Thornton is delighted to have developed this new association with Athletics Ireland and we hope to field several teams ourselves.”
Olympic Marathon runner and event ambassador Mark Kenneally said, “I think that the time is right for this type of Corporate Team Challenge to ignite in Dublin and it should be a great opportunity for both seasoned runners and first-timers to join together in a lively team challenge,“.
The Grant Thornton Corporate 5k Team Challenge will follow a flat, fast course around Dublin’s Docklands and will include two bridge crossings: The Samuel Beckett and the Venerable Matt Talbot structures that span the River Liffey.
There will be prizes on offer for the top five teams in the Male, Female and Mixed categories and all entrants will receive a souvenir technical t-shirt and a goody bag.
Entry fee per team will be €100, with a contribution from every entry being made to St. Vincent De Paul. The event will have chip timing – a fast & accurately measured course and a great atmosphere!
To ENTER your team now and download Catherina McKiernan’s twelve week training programme go to www.grantthorntoncorporatechallenge.ie