Dundalk IT community ready to hit the ground running for this year’s steps challenge

Last autumn, staff and students at Dundalk Institute of Technology (DkIT) walked their way to an incredible 10.5 million steps during “DkIT’s Fittest” STEPS Challenge. Over four weeks, 26 teams competed for the title, with last year’s champions averaging nearly 558,000 steps each. The challenge, which is funded by DkIT’s Healthy Campus, returns on 29 September and staff and students are already lacing up to beat that record.

Father and daughter duo, Enda and Aoibheann Fields, from Emyvale in Co. Monaghan, were part of last year’s winning team “Slow and Steady.” For both, the challenge wasn’t just about counting steps, it was about making time for health, headspace, and shared motivation. For Enda, a lecturer in the Department of the Built Environment and Aoibheann, Digital Marketing and Advertising student, DkIT’s Fittest was an experience they both embraced and one from which they really reaped the rewards.

For Enda, the event was also a way back to fitness after a serious sporting accident left him with two ruptured knee tendons, over three months in a wheelchair and a long journey learning to walk again. “The competitive side of me couldn’t resist,” he reflects. “It was tough going, but looking back it was fantastic craic and well worth doing.”

For Aoibheann, an Irish dancer since the age of eight and an avid gym goer and runner, taking part in the challenge seemed like a natural fit. “I'm a competitive person and I like to have a goal to work towards, said Aoibheann.  “The challenge really helped me in staying active and consistent with my daily steps and seeing them clock up on my watch pushed me to perform to the best of my ability.”

Performing to the best of her ability might be considered an understatement for the steps Aoibheann achieved.  On her best day, she clocked up an astonishing 43,805 steps, no mean feat for anyone, but particularly impressive for someone in full-time study.

“It was madness looking back to be honest, Aoibheann reflected.  “A marathon is 42.2 kilometres so it probably wouldn’t be that massively far off! I just wanted to put my everything into it and motivate the team to do the same! “

The motivation from being part of a team was a huge factor in the success of team “Slow and Steady” and having other people to encourage you along on days where the drive to up the step count wasn’t as high was essential for their success. “Checking the leader board each week became a huge source of motivation for our team, Aoibheann recalled. I remember the excitement when we saw ourselves in third place, it really pushed us to give that extra bit of effort, especially in the final week when we were determined to finish strong and go for the win.” 

Completing the challenge together made it a particularly special experience for Enda and Aoibheann. 

“Some days we did our own thing as I couldn’t keep up with Aoibheann,” Enda admitted. “But we motivated each other, had fun, shared ideas and spent more quality time together. It definitely brought us closer.”

For Aoibheann the support and having a healthy dose of competition kept her pushing on: “We’re both quite competitive, so I made it my mission to keep my step count higher than his throughout the challenge,” she laughed. “We also went on regular walks together which helped motivate each other to stay consistent and push ourselves to do our best.”

Some of the more challenging days actually turned out to be the most memorable. Aoibheann recalled a particularly dark and rainy October evening near the end of the challenge when she encouraged her dad to come out walking with her. “Despite the weather, we had great chats and lots of laughs along the way, it turned into one of the best memories of the challenge,” she remembered.

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For many people, committing to a challenge at such a busy time of year, with the days getting darker and work and college getting busier, might seem like too big a commitment, but for Aoibheann and Enda, the benefits they felt throughout were worth it. “It was definitely a challenge to balance everything, especially with college assignments and trying to maintain a social life, but I found that staying organised and using walking as a break from studying really helped me stay on top of things. It became something I looked forward to every day,” said Aoibheann. For Enda early morning walks, getting out more on his lunch breaks, and prioritising longer walks on the weekends were key to his success.

Both have maintained their fitness since last year. Enda says walking has become his go-to way to clear his head, while Aoibheann recently kept up high step counts during a working season in Albufeira, exploring the Algarve on foot with friends.

The Fields are urging fellow staff and students to get involved this year. “Go for it,” says Enda. You don’t need to be super fit to start. With focus and a ‘mind over matter’ attitude, you’ll make progress each week.” Aoibheann says a little effort each day goes a long way: “It’s about consistency, mindset and small weekly improvements. Even on busy days, every step counts and adds up. More importantly, it’s a fun way to stay active, clear your mind and connect with others.”