#TheBigRugbyRun 2021 will take place virtually on May 22nd 2021, with funds raised going toward initiatives run by Tackle Your Feelings, a mental health and well-being programme run by Rugby Players Ireland.
Now in its second year, #TheBigRugbyRun aims to connect the grassroots of the Irish rugby community together following an extremely challenging season for clubs and their members. This years event is being organised once more by the PSA Academies team, headed by Johne Murphy and Graham Ross, with the support of Rugby Players Ireland (RPI), Zurich Ireland and the Z Zurich Foundation, and it is hoped that it will build upon the success of last years event, which saw over 60,000 raised for Feed the Heroes by 117 teams made up of 1,700 runners from all four corners of the country.
This years event format will once more see each registered team committing to running the 42 kilometer distance of a full marathon all while carrying a rugby ball! This distance can be completed as a relay, by teams of between 2 to 21 members of all ages. Teams will have their own fundraising pages, and will also be able to log their individual times, with each relay squad also able to compare their overall run times to others in their category.
Funds raised by #TheBigRugbyRun 2021 will go towards training up and fully equipping each represented club with a dedicated Tackle Your Feelings ambassador a person that anyone in the club can go to for advice, support and help. Specific Tackle Your Feelings programmes will be rolled out by RPI with each club to ensure volunteers, coaches, and teammates are equipped to help support anyone who is facing a challenging situation, while working towards building and maintaining an environment that encourages and supports positive mental wellbeing.