Alpin’s story of unity and togetherness during difficult times

Back in 2019 shortly before the pandemic lockdown, a team of us from Alpin got together from around the UAE to participate in the Bloomberg Square Mile Relay Dubai.

Taking part in the Bloomberg Square Mile Relay gave us all some very special moments that can only be experienced when you put a group of resourceful engineers on the track and get them working together (especially when not all of them are athletically inclined). For us, the race wasn’t about where we finished on the leaderboard but about the shared memories we created and the fun we had. These hilarious and intangible moments are the ones we’ll look back on fondly 20 years from now. How we cheered for each other, the excitement in the air as we waited to grab the baton from a teammate and the energy (or lack of it!) as we made our way round the course. But these experiences have the power to bind us closer together as a team.

What we didn’t realise at the time was just how much we were going to rely on those new, stronger bonds in the months and year ahead. Just 38 days after our special evening at the DIFC on 20 March 2020, the first coronavirus related death in the UAE was confirmed. The atmosphere in the country changed immediately and as a team we had to adjust to remote working at short notice. People were confused and frightened about what was happening around the world and how it would impact on us as individuals – as well as our company.

In amongst all of this uncertainty, we learned that the people behind the Bloomberg Square Mile Relay had developed a new online platform to keep us all engaged, fit and our team morale high during a very difficult period. The weekly events and monthly challenges on this new Virtual Club platform allowed the Alpin team from across the region to start recording their physical activity. But more importantly, it gave them a fun non-work related reason to talk to each other. The pressure to stay at the top of our own company leaderboard was a welcome distraction for all of us.

The Alipin team at the Bloomberg Square Mile Relay Dubai in 2019.

“Ever since its inception, the Virtual Club has been a great motivator and has encouraged the team to stick to their exercise regime and achieve their personal goals. Knowing that so many of us around the world were participating in different challenges together while clocking up points for charity made it all the more exciting”, said Camille Hubert, Alpin’s Strategic Client Consultant.

“The camaraderie my colleagues and I have developed, along with friendly competition, is truly something to be cherished – especially at these times when were unable to physically meet up at the office or take part in any live sporting events. We’ve been having fitness challenges at work too, and we were all eager to do a group activity together – that’s where the Virtual Club came in to offer us a convenient virtual platform and encouraged us to be physically active.”

For us it was also exciting to be part of something that was truly global as well. To compete against others in a diverse global community was a great feeling. This really added to the community spirit we had already harnessed from the Bloomberg Square Mile Relay and now the Virtual Club. That is what we missed the most – and as the pandemic regulations in Dubai lift, that is what we look forward to most.

So, we have now come full circle. Everyone at Alpin was excited to hear the news that the Bloomberg Square Mile Relay was returning to Dubai in February next year. The Alpin team is already warming up for the big race, which has now become a significant date in our work and personal calendars. Not only for members of the team to flex their competitive side but to remind ourselves how valuable our time together as a team is.

Want to take on Alpin? Enter a team in the Bloomberg Square Mile Relay Dubai, 9 February 2022.