Profile of a Parkrunner: Meet Patrick

Meet Patrick O'Keeffe who recently completed his 100th parkrun at Mountlucas parkrun.

When did you first complete a parkrun?

I completed my first parkrun at Mountlucas parkrun back in August 2022, and was hooked straight away. I had never ran with a group or a race before and found it much more fun than jogging on my own. It was my wife that told me about parkrun and suggested I give it a go.

What is your favourite thing about parkrun?

I like that it gets me up early on the Saturday morning, and makes me accountable for getting a bit of exercise as I know that the parkrun will always start at 9.30 sharp. It sets me up for the weekend.

How does it feel to have reached the significant milestone of 100 parkruns?

It only feels like yesterday that I did my first parkrun, time flies! I am now much fitter than I was back before I found parkrun, and it has pushed me to go on to do challenging races including the Dublin marathon last October.

What is your favourite parkrun memory?

I like to think back to my first parkrun and remember how pleased I was at getting around the 5k without stopping or collapsing!

What words best describe Mountlucas parkrun?

Free, fun, fitness!