'It's something that is just built into me”....Parkrun pensioner completes 400th 5k run'

Navan man Michael Murray ran his 400th parkrun this weekend putting his his dedication down to “something that is just built into me”.

Michael who set off to great cheers from the dozens of fellow parkrunners runs in the 70-75 year age category has barely missed a Blackwater Park Saturday morning run since they started in nine years ago as race director Olaf Dennison explains

"There have only been 423 Navan parkruns so it shows his unwavering support to the local event and the community.”

Michael said his dedication “is something that is just built into me” and the weekly runs “keeps me sedated”.

He goes to this parkrun every week because it fits his routine and is close by, having only done two parkruns outside of Navan.

"I get up in the morning, I do my walk, get up and do shopping, and then I come run out here and it saves me from travelling".

He does acknowledge “some people can’t come here every day” as they have other responsibilities such as their children, but encouraged new runners to “keep it up though, don’t let it stop”.

He encourages people to join no matter the running level they are at and helps those who are starting out because of the “joy I see when they complete their first 5k”

Navan Parkrun has been ongoing for over nine years and will be celebrating its tenth anniversary next October that includes but had break during the pandemic.

Olaf says the Blackwater Park parkrun averages 120 participants every week.

“Since lockdown there is a few other park runs in Meath that have started up,” said Dennison.

“We were among the first ones in Meath, now there is one Trim, there is one in Carlanstown, one in Oldbridge and now there is one in Laytown on the beach there."

Navan parkrun is held every Saturday at Blackwater Park at 9am with the run starting at 9:30am and involves just over 3 loops of the park walkway.

There was another cause for celebration on Saturday with participant couple Jack McConnell and Claudia Garcia completing the parkrun hours before their wedding.

Navan man Michael Murray ran his 400th parkrun this weekend putting his his dedication down to “something that is just built into me”.

Michael who set off to great cheers from the dozens of fellow parkrunners runs in the 70-75 year age category has barely missed a Blackwater Park Saturday morning run since they started in nine years ago as race director Olaf Dennison explains

"There have only been 423 Navan parkruns so it shows his unwavering support to the local event and the community.”

Michael said his dedication “is something that is just built into me” and the weekly runs “keeps me sedated”.

He goes to this parkrun every week because it fits his routine and is close by, having only done two parkruns outside of Navan.

"I get up in the morning, I do my walk, get up and do shopping, and then I come run out here and it saves me from travelling".

He does acknowledge “some people can’t come here every day” as they have other responsibilities such as their children, but encouraged new runners to “keep it up though, don’t let it stop”.

He encourages people to join no matter the running level they are at and helps those who are starting out because of the “joy I see when they complete their first 5k”

Navan Parkrun has been ongoing for over nine years and will be celebrating its tenth anniversary next October that includes but had break during the pandemic.

Olaf says the Blackwater Park parkrun averages 120 participants every week.

“Since lockdown there is a few other park runs in Meath that have started up,” said Dennison.

“We were among the first ones in Meath, now there is one Trim, there is one in Carlanstown, one in Oldbridge and now there is one in Laytown on the beach there."

Navan parkrun is held every Saturday at Blackwater Park at 9am with the run starting at 9:30am and involves just over 3 loops of the park walkway.

There was another cause for celebration on Saturday with participant couple Jack McConnell and Claudia Garcia completing the parkrun hours before their wedding.