Parkrun almost at the starting line in Trim
A TRIM man who went from 24 stone to running a marathon is one of a group of local residents who have been working during lockdown to bring parkrun to Trim.
Ronan Malone has been busy and has already secured the venue for the Saturday morning runs at the Porchfields.
Parkrun is a free, weekly, timed 5K event open to all abilities. You can walk, jog, run, walk the dog or push a buggy.
The events are community owned and managed and are part of a global series of events.
In Ireland there are 96 weekly events with approximately 15,000 participants weekly. The focus of the events is community health, both mental and physical.
“We are working on fundraising and the final details to get the event started, and can hopefully commence when restrictions are lifted to allow for mass gatherings.
"We hope to start the Trim parkrun when all the others are resuming.” It costs €6,000 to set up a parkrun event. Half of this is provided by parkrun and it is left to the organisers to raise the other half.
“We have applied to various groups for funding. Meath Sports Partnership have pledged €500, Cllr Aisling Dempsey has pledged €500 from her discretionary funds and Trim Credit Union have pledged €200, meaning that we need to raise €1800.”
Ronan has set up GoFund me page to raise the remaining €1,800.
The money is to cover insurance, a defibrillator and hi vis vests with the parkrun logo for the volunteers.
“If we can raise the funds, we hope to have the event in place for when restrictions around mass gatherings allow. “
Ronan explains that when you complete your parkrun, you are handed a token which is scanned and it gives you your time and how it compares to previous runs.
“While we have to fundraise now, the important thing is that all parkruns are free - you don’t have to pay a penny to take part.
“There are park runs on a Saturday morning all over the world so no matter where you are you can participate and have your results scanned.
“There is also what people now call parkrun tourism - people getting up a bit earlier and going to a different town for a parkrun. They have a cup of coffee afterwards and spend a few euros in the town, so it could be a big benefit to Trim.”
Ronan is delighted that Meath County Council has approved permission for the use of the Porchfields, as the route takes in the beautiful and historic surroundings of Trim and the river Boyne.
“The route can be fully run on a path so is suitable for parents with buggies and wheelchair users and brings you on two laps of the Porchfields (or Sheepfields as it is sometimes called) in the heritage town in a beautiful setting with Trim Castle, Newtown Abbey and the River Boyne as a picturesque backdrop.”
Ronan explains that he got involved in running after losing weight.
“I was over 24 tone and needed a serious chat with myself. I started losing weight and started cycling and then a bit of running. The first parkrun I did was the longest I had ever run,
“It gave me great encouragement and built up my stamina and I built up to a half marathon and then a marathon.
“The parkrun is good for you. Everybody is in good form and if they aren't when they are starting, they are when the finish,” he says.
Pictured top: Ronan Malone (right), with George Craig at the last parkrun in Kilcock before lockdown on 7th March.