Couch to 5K Milestones Celebrated at Lough Moss Leisure Centre

January 14, 2019

Local parkrun participant, Patricia McKnight, is encouraging members of the community to get out and get active after she recently became the first Lough Moss Leisure Centre Couch to 5K graduate to reach the 100 parkrun milestone on Saturday 22nd December.

Held at Wallace Park, Lisburn, the Couch to 5K initiative, part of Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council’s Every Body Active 2020 programme is a popular programme for getting people off the sofa and running 5K within 10 weeks. 

Regarded as a huge inspiration in the running community, being registered blind has not stopped Patricia from achieving success and participating in local running events.

Other accomplishments on the day included Julia Tolan completing her 75th parkrun, Colette Boyle completing her 50th parkrun while Deborah Foster ran her 40th parkrun.

Since the launch of the EBA 2020 programme in April 2016, over 300 participants have registered and completed at least one of the Council’s six Couch to 5K programmes. On completion of the programme, participants are invited to join the ‘Lough Mosskateers’, a small social running group that was formed after the first Couch to 5K group graduated in 2016.

Alderman Paul Porter, Chairman of the Council’s Leisure & Community Development Committee congratulated the group and said “It is widely recognised that staying active offers huge health benefits and protects against many health risks. Initiatives such as Couch to 5K are extremely valuable in contributing to physical health and mental well-being.

“I recognise the individual success of Patricia, Julia, Colette and Deborah as well as the success of all participants. Their accomplishments is down to incredible hard work and dedication each and every week.
 

“I would like to thank the EBA 2020 team for all their support over the years and would warmly encourage others to sign up and get active in the new year,” concluded Alderman Porter.

The next Couch to 5K will start on Monday 25th February and Thursday 28th February and will run for ten weeks. For more information contact Kevin Grieve on 07879 994 163 or Christine Duncan on 07786 338 030.