Pat Farmer
Ultra-marathon runner
Born in Sydney, Pat was one of seven children. After attending Granville TAFE he began his working life as a mechanic.
In 1984 he began ultra-marathon running while working as a landscape gardener with his brother Tony.
He married Lisa in 1992 and they went on to have two children. In 1998, Lisa passed away unexpectedly, aged 34, and Pat was left to raise their two children on his own.
Throughout this time Pat had continued with his ultra-marathon running, breaking numerous Australian and world records to become one of the elite in the sport.
Pat was named “Achiever of the Year” in 2000 by Australian Prime Minister John Howard, who then encouraged Pat into politics. In 2001 Pat was elected MP for Macarthur as a member of the Liberal Party. In 2004 he was re-elected with an increased margin.
Beginning in April 2011, Pat ran from the North Pole to the South Pole via the Americas. His journey can be seen at www.poletopolerun.com.
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