Pat Farmer

Pat Farmer is one of the world’s best marathon runners and a former federal politician. Over the course of an amazing running career he has run from the North Pole to the South, across Australia, New Zealand, Vietnam, India and North America. In the process he has raised millions of dollars for multiple causes. Pat’s history of courage, determination and endurance places him in a class of his own.

A patriotic Australian, Pat Farmer is high-profile leader, with a large media following and the ability to unite and inspire action for a vision or solution.

He has transitioned an internationally renowned athletic career into a highly-respected career as an inspirational and motivational speaker known for his captivating and entertaining addresses.

Pat Farmer established the fastest Around Australia record of continuous running over 14,662.4 km during his Centenary of Federation Run that began and ended in Canberra. He retains the record for crossing the Simpson Desert and he set the vertical run record, the equivalent of running up Mount Everest in 24-hours. He has run across the US twice and today is still breaking records.

In June 2010, he announced a plan to embark on the longest non-stop run on earth in an attempt to raise millions of dollars for global water programs in the world’s neediest regions. On 19 February 2012, after 20,919 agonising kilometres, Pat completed ‘The Greatest Run in History’ – an incredible trek from the North Pole to the South Pole. After completing the North Pole he ran through Canada, USA, Mexico, Panama, and the Darien Jungle; the deserts of Peru and Chile prior to commencing the final leg of running in the Antarctic on his way to the South Pole. When Pat completed his run, he had travelled through 14 countries, completing two marathons per day with no days off, for a total of 10 months and 13 days.

From 2012 to 2013, Pat raised funds for the International Red Cross by running the length of Vietnam, which also highlighted the 40th anniversary of the Relationship agreement between Australia and Vietnam. Symbolically Pat an Australian Runner and Huy Mai a Vietnamese runner completed the 3000 kilometre journey together.

In 2016 he completed a 64 day-long run through India, raising $30,000 to help educate disadvantaged girls in India. The 4,400 kilometre ‘Spirit of India’ run took Pat from Kanyakumari in the South, to the foothills of the Himalayas in the North of the country. The Indian press referred to Pat’s run as ‘one of the most significant diplomacy missions between Australia and India on a grassroots level’.

Pat has also served as a Liberal Member of Australia’s Parliament, with three years as Parliamentary Secretary for Education, Science and Training. He is an Australia Day Ambassador and was named Achiever of the Year at the Australian of the Year Awards in 2000 presented by former PM John Howard. He was a member of the House of Representatives from 2001 to 2010.

Pat featured in This is Your Life and in his own book Running on a Dream. In addition he was the subject of a documentary which focused on his Federation Run around Australia.

Pat Farmer talks about:

• Leadership
• Government/Politics
• Risk Management
• Goal Setting/Planning
• Overcoming Obstacles
• Effective Teamwork
• Motivation/Inspiration