Profile of a Parkrunner: Meet Michelle
Meet Michelle Kearney, from Clonbullogue, who is a regular at Mountlucas parkrun. Michelle tells us about what Mountlucas parkrun means to her and describes how much she enjoys regular completing the 5km walk.
When did you first complete a parkrun?
I completed my first parkrun on 14th September 2019. I started couch to 5k with my Dad when he first retired. We went to Mountlucas not knowing anybody and have been there ever since. It’s only in the last year I have a gotten back into the parkrun on a Saturday morning or should I say a park walk as I have found out running isn’t for me but the 5k of a Saturday morning is great way to start the day off right and get the steps in. I’m looking forward to building up to my 50 park walks, which is a slow process with working, but I am slowly getting there.
What is your favourite thing about parkrun?
My favourite thing about the parkrun is getting up early and getting out and putting the world to right. I love meeting people and seeing faces that I don’t see often and having the craic and banter. For me what makes me laugh in Mountlucas is when someone says “oh, you’re Michael’s daughter, I don’t know how you do it!” After all these years it still makes me laugh on a Saturday morning as the slagging does be gas.
I have also gotten to know some new people through the parkrun who have now become fantastic friends and funny enough we would have known each other from dancing or other activities.
At the moment a friend of mine Lily, Dad and myself are in training for a 35km Camino at the end of August and for me it all started on a Saturday morning walking alone at a parkrun, to falling in sync with a lady having a great chat, and now months and months later the rest is history; and now we’re in training for a 35km Carrick Camino at the end of August.
I love doing a bit of parkrun tourism (going to different parkrun venues) and meeting new faces and hearing about all the different ones they have done and when they ask where your local parkrun is and you say Mountlucas they will always have something nice to say about the friendly people and the experience they had there which is lovely. Also, when someone says “oh you run 5k on a Saturday morning” I get great pleasure in telling people “no I walk!” They do be shocked and say I never knew you could walk a parkrun. Recently a friend has joined the parkrun and absolutely loves walking it and hasn’t missed a Saturday since and it’s brilliant to see.
What is your favourite parkrun memory?
My favourite parkrun memory for me was seeing my Dad complete his 100th parkrun and celebrate his 70th birthday at Mountlucas. Our family wasn’t long after losing my Mam and the Saturday morning in Mountlucas made the day a little bit lighter for us and a morning of laughter.
What words best describe Mountlucas parkrun?
The words I would use to describe Mountlucas parkrun are friendly, welcoming and a big family. When we suffered a huge loss in our family it was lovely to see so many friendly faces and for me it’s everyone who had kept an eye on Dad for me on a Saturday morning and ever since then. Who would have thought back in 2019 what meeting was going to be like in 2025, it’s fantastic.
Mountlucas parkrun takes place at Bord na Móna Mountlucas windfarm every Saturday morning at 9.30am sharp. There's something for everyone at Mountlucas parkrun, whether you want to walk, run, volunteer, or just meet new people. For more information see parkrun.ie/mountlucas