Welcome to Park Run: 'People of all ages and abilities turn up; it’s clear that everyone belongs'
Emer Harrington windiing down after the Park Run at Midelton Greenway. Picture: Noel Sweeney.
Until a few months ago, I wouldn’t have dreamed of doing a 5K on a Saturday morning. I used to enjoy running, but hadn’t so much as run for a bus since my daughter was born three years ago.
Lacking motivation and confidence, I wondered if my running days were behind me.
Then, at the beginning of February, parkrun came to my local town, Midleton.
Parkrun is a free, timed event where you can run, jog, or walk 5k. It’s a run, but not a race. It’s an international initiative, with runs in countries such as Australia, USA, United Kingdom, Germany, and Japan.
The first parkrun in Ireland was in 2012, and now there are over 110 events around the country. Ireland is currently the leading parkrun nation globally, with nine per cent of the population registered – the highest percentage in any country in the world.
The Midleton parkrun takes place on the recently opened Midleton to Youghal Greenway. It’s a flat, safe path – ideal for novice and seasoned runners alike. Curious to give it a go, I joined over 600 runners on the morning of the inaugural event.
I brought along my daughter in her buggy, thinking I’d just walk near the back. Once I got going, the energy was infectious and I jogged the whole way. I felt brilliant after it, and was hooked.
Since that first run, I’ve been back several times. Each week my time is logged using my personalised barcode, and my official result is recorded online. Whenever I get a PB – personal best – it’s displayed next to my time in celebration.
There’s also online kudos for volunteers, and people who hit milestones such as their 50th run. Everything about parkrun feels encouraging.
For those who might find run clubs intimidating, parkrun is an accessible, community-focused initiative. People of all ages and abilities turn up each week, and it’s clear that everyone belongs.
“The distance is doable for walkers, beginners. Advanced runners can do a time trial on it. So it caters for everybody,” says runner Catriona McGregor, 64, from Midleton.
It's been a good morning for Catriona, who set a new personal best. “I broke 27 [minutes],” she says with a smile. A former runner, it continues to be an important part of her wellbeing. “It's good for your mental health, it's good for your physical health,” she says.
For anyone considering parkrun, her advice is to just give it a go.
“The surface is brilliant. There's all shapes and sizes. So just so come and start, and then it's just a matter of getting into routine, and you'll enjoy it,” she says.
It can help to have a running buddy. Friends Aoife O’Sullivan and Alannah Berkeley, both 18, like to do the run together. They are in the middle of Leaving Cert preparation, and running is a great way to take a break from study and have fun.
“It's so nice to have the community of it, and everyone running together. There’s a good environment, and it's not personal, it's not competitive. You can beat your own time, but it's not a race,” says Alannah.
They love the fact there’s all ages at the event. “Even the little kids are passing us when we turn around,” laughs Aoife. “And I love watching all the really fast people come past us. It’s crazy, they go so fast.” With 5k done, the pair are off to the nearby Midleton Farmers Market. “We’re going to the market to get pizza!” says Alannah. “We have to treat ourselves,” adds Aoife.
For many runners, parkrun is a family affair. Ross and Sandra Keogh both take part, taking turns each week pushing their nine month old son Dillon in his buggy. “I thought it was easier, running with the buggy, because you're kind of distracted, “ says Sandra. Dillon enjoys it too.
“It won’t be long now and he’ll be running himself,” says Ross.
Sandra has found parkrun helpful for her postpartum recovery. “I had him nine months ago, so it’s good for me to get back into it. I find it hard, but I’ve kept going,” she says.
“I’ll get stronger and stronger, and I love running.” Ger O’Regan, 55, is Chair of the local running club Midleton AC. He regularly runs the course while pushing grandkids Luke, 5, and Joey, 3, in a double buggy.
“It’s great. It's fun, and the lads enjoy it,” he says. Luke even joins him to run some of the route. “He asked me at Christmas will I train him, so he’s going to be a runner, I reckon.”
One of the younger runners, Alex Fowley, 13, enjoys doing parkrun with his dad. He says running helps with all the sports he plays in Midleton: “I like doing things with him, and it’s good for fitness for soccer and Gaelic.”
Alex admits that he is faster than his dad, but that doesn’t bother him. “I have to slow down, but I don’t mind,” he says.
Overseeing the whole operation in Midleton is Event Director Liagh Miller, assisted by a group of dedicated volunteers. Liagh is responsible for establishing the Midleton Greenway parkrun. She moved back to Cork from Dublin a couple of years ago, and was surprised that there was no event in her local area. With encouragement from parkrun Ireland, she decided to set one up.
At the time, the Greenway was still being constructed.
“It took probably about a year, working with the County Council and Cork Sports Partnership, and then we finally got the permission,” she says.
When her house was severely damaged in the floods during Storm Babet in October 2023, parkrun gave Liagh something to look forward to. “It was pretty much destroyed,” she says.
“Parkrun, even though it was a lot of work, it ended up being this amazing channel, something positive to focus on.” Liagh’s warmth and enthusiasm has a ripple effect, and she has gathered a “merry band of volunteers” who make each event happen.
"The organisers are always looking for more people to come and lend a hand. “I wish people would do it more, not just to help, but the craic we have and the camaraderie and the fun, it's a huge thing,” she says.
Margaret McDonnell has volunteered at all 13 of the Midleton parkrun events to date. She first heard of parkrun back in 2016. She had recently taken up running, and a friend encouraged her to give it a try. A big plus for Margaret was that she would never be last. “Somebody's job is to be last, because parkrun always has a tail walker. So I was like, if I can run 5k and I won't be last, I'll try it,” she says.
Since then, she has taken part in events in Scotland, England and Cork. She decided to spend some time volunteering to help get the Midleton event off the ground. “It's a nice way to meet people. It's a really nice thing to do on a Saturday morning. By the time you get up and you do it, you feel good. You've been out in the fresh air. You've seen people,” she says.
For those who still want to run, they can combine that with volunteering. “You don't have to stand around and go home for the day. You can actually do jobs and walk or run your parkrun and still get your movement done.” Margaret hopes to give back and help other runners grow in confidence and connect with community too.
“When I started running, 5k was a long way. And it's still a long way, but it's a doable long way, and you can do it with other people.” Find your local event at www.parkrun.ie
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