This Run Club Is Redefining How Dublin Socialises
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What started as a few mates going for a jog has quietly grown into one of Dublin’s biggest social running clubs. Mild Activity wasn’t launched with a grand vision. There was no branding push, no performance goals, just a love of running and a hunch that others might feel the same.
“The run club was inspired by our love of running,” says one of the founders. “Back in 2020, run clubs had already started popping up in London but there was nothing like it here in Dublin. A few of us would meet up together regularly to run anyway, formalising that into a club was just an organic evolution.”
Fast forward four years, and Mild Activity is now a community fixture. Dozens of runners meet up multiple times a week, rain or shine, with events that often roll on to social meet ups after the run.
The word “community” gets thrown around a lot, but Mild Activity has earnt this description. “We’ll always be a running club first,” they explain. “But the community piece happens over time.”
There’s no central figure, no ego at the helm. Instead, different members lead runs, give the weekly speech, and gradually take ownership. “Over time our regular attendees can become contributors and decision makers. It’s no one’s vanity project. We try not to get in the way too much, the community builds itself.”
Over time, friendships form. Sometimes, so do relationships. “With 4 years in the bank, seeing each other multiple times a week, you couldn’t avoid making friends if you tried. If you commit to showing up week-in week-out, [connections] will happen. The proof is the growing list of Mild people at parties, holidays, weddings.. and all after meeting at the club.”
“you couldn’t avoid making friends if you tried”
In a time where loneliness is rising, particularly among young adults, something as low-stakes as a run club can be surprisingly powerful. “Attending a run club is both hard physically and it’s hard socially. It’s a leap of faith, like your first day at school. You’ll always remember the first person who talked to you.”
That’s why the bonds formed through running tend to stick. It’s not just movement, it’s shared effort. “Doing hard things brings people together.”
“Doing hard things brings people together.”
While some run clubs are driven by pace and race results, Mild Activity has always taken a softer approach. The clue’s in the name. The club is also leaning into a wider cultural shift, young people trading drinking culture for something more balanced. A recent Friday evening event, dubbed Mild Flows, saw 50 people doing yoga in Herbert Park, followed by cold non-alcoholic beers, crisp sandwiches and Rush strawberries.
In a wider sense, young people are looking to connect with each other in more meaningful, IRL ways. “Young people crave social connection” one of the founders tells me.
But the Mild Activity philosophy cuts through the hype. There’s no finish line here, just people turning up for each other. The hope, they say, is that everyone who joins leaves with two things: “A love of running, and a friend for life.”
Promoting overall well-being is at the heart of what Level Health offers.
Level Health is Ireland’s newest health insurance provider. Whether you’re managing everyday health, starting a family, or simply wanting peace of mind that won’t cost the earth, explore what works for you at levelhealth.ie/district.
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