Marchathon 2024

Published: 12 Feb, 2024

This year as part of Marchathon, TU Dublin Sustainability together with TU Dublin Sport are encouraging students and staff to walk for their health and the environment.

Marchathon is the Smarter Travel walking challenge that takes place annually in March. Campuses and workplaces across Ireland take part in the challenge and teams compete to win prizes. The aim of the NTA Marchathon step-challenge is to encourage and support students and staff across Smarter Travel workplaces and campuses nationwide to walk more throughout their day, particularly on the commute to campus, and to support and facilitate long term physical activity where possible.

As partners of the NTA Smarter Travel for Campuses programme students and staff at TU Dublin are eligible to compete. If walking to campus is not an option, you might consider engaging in walking on campus as part of your study or workday. While some of our students and staff may work or study remotely as part of their week, we are encouraging our people to step away from the desk during breaks and get walking.

How to take part

Participants organise themselves into teams of three-to-six people, register their team online, and use the NTA activity tracker to record their steps count between Monday 04 March and Sunday 31 March 2024. 

1. Form a team of 3-6 people and nominate a captain
2. Register your team on www.activetravellogger.ie 
3. Use any step tracking device or app to record your steps and log them to the active travel logger
4. Team members or captains must enter their steps for the previous week by 14:00pm each Monday. The deadline to submit your steps for the final week of the challenge is 14:00pm on Wednesday 02 April.

The health benefits of walking

In Ireland a recent survey showed that more than a third of Irish people said that they never engage in any form of physical exercise. Taking the time out of busy study and work schedules to get involved in sport is a common barrier to people maintaining physically active lifestyles. However, keeping fit and healthy doesn't need to be complicated. Walking daily, as a form of exercise is one of simplest and most effective ways to improve your health. By travelling actively, such as walking to or within campus, people have an opportunity to improve their physical health and sense of well-being.

The health benefits of walking include:

• Increased fitness, energy, and alertness levels
• Improved cardiovascular health
• Increased bone density
• Improved sense of well-being
• Opportunity for socialisation and time spent outdoors

Experts recommend us to walk at a brisk pace to enjoy the associated physical health benefits – however far you choose to walk is dependent on your ability and availability, but as a guideline, the recommended 10,000 steps daily is equivalent to approximately eight kilometres.

Walking as an environmental action

By travelling actively, such as walking to or within campus, people are contributing to the reduction of air pollution and the creation of safer and more sustainable cities and communities. As part of Marchathon and Green Week this year we are encouraging students and staff to take action to reduce litter on campus by bringing a litter pick pack with you on your walk. Litter pick packs will be available at the below stations during the month of March.

• Blanchardstown – Connect Block C Foyer (collected litter can be dropped off at the back yard of Block D)
• Tallaght – Main Building Foyer
• Grangegorman – Rathdown House Foyer
• Bolton Street – Students' Union 
• Aungier Street – Students' Union 

Tag @TUDublinsustainability and @TUDublinSport and use the hashtag #TUDublinSustainability.