Irene celebrates unique landmark at Kirkcaldy Parkrun

Irene Leask became the first woman to complete 750 parkruns in Scotland, and achieved it at Beveridge Park.

She celebrated her remarkable milestone afterwards with cake and coffee at Kirkcaldy Golf Club alongside family and fellow runners from Jog Cowdenbeath and Pitreavie.

Irene ran her first parkrun in October 2009 at the inaugural Edinburgh event. Along with her husband, Laurence, she was invited by a friend to attend, as the organisers were unsure how many people would take part.

She enjoyed it so much that she returned the following week and has been running 5km most Saturday mornings at 9.30am ever since.

She said: “We have made so many friends through parkrun. It’s a fabulous community. You don’t have to run fast, although you can if you want to, but joggers and walkers are equally welcome. It’s also a multi-generational activity, with parents, grandparents and children all taking part.

“I have travelled all over Scotland, from Bressay, an island off Lerwick in Shetland in the north, to Stranraer in the south-west, as well as visiting a few parkruns in England and Stormont in Belfast.

“We have so many great memories of the different places we have visited just to do a parkrun. I don’t have just one favourite as we’ve been to 89 different venues. After 750 parkruns, I think the mixture of a little exercise and a lot of socialising will keep us going back week after week.”

There are weekly parkruns across Fife, with gatherings in St Andrew’s, Lochore Meadows, Glenrothes, Dunfermline andKirkcaldy - and at over 80 different venues across Scotland. More details at www.parkrun.org.uk