And so next month - although they can't quite believe it - they say, "he's taken us at our word!"
But he's gained the unconditional support of wife June, daughter Siobhan (who, he says, has 'wielded the big stick!'), his work force at Kiernan Construction Ltd, business colleagues - and a bunch of friends he's cycled with regularly since 1992.
They number five altogether and include that good friend, Seth Krasnow, who is flying in specially from Alaska to make up this intrepid group.
And 'intrepid' is the word! It's defined as 'without fear, undaunted, brave, firm' and with 'unshaken courage'...all totally apt for a quintet which is currently preparing to cycle from Land's End to John O' Groats in ten days!
They are aiming to average about 90 miles a day and hope the result will be a whopping £10,000, which will all go to St Catherine Hospice.
Speaking at the family home in Longridge, Patrick said he had a particular admiration for St Catherine's and for the specialist care it provided for people in need.
"My own dad died from cancer in 1968," he explained. "At that time, there was very little in the way of special care to help him cope with the pain of the disease.
"That's why I feel the work St Catherine's does is so vital, and it's important to me to be able to help by getting them some of the funding they need each and every year."
And he's chosen the sponsored bike ride because, although this particular jaunt won't be exactly a doddle, he has enjoyed cycling as an exercise, a relaxation and a therapy for many years.
His local training routes have included the testing Longridge Fell, Pen dle Hill, through Waddington and then further afield to the even greater tests in the Lake District---although there he has also enjoyed more gentle journeys and holidays with June on their tandem!
The couple met when Patrick moved from Ireland to work at DJ Ryans in Longridge, where June's brother was also employed.
June went on to become a councillor in the town for 15 years, and was mayor in 1986 with Patrick as her consort.
The family worships at St Wilfrid's Church in Longridge, where June arranges the flowers and Patrick is a eucharistic minister and is also on the financial committee.
With his cycling group, one of Patrick's early tour destinations was his native Ireland on what he jovially called 'the Guiness cycle.' They have met up every October for the past 15 years for an annual trip in this country or abroad...and another inspiration for his sponsored run in April was the success of a similar ride for St Giles' Hospice in the midlands, where the remainder of his April team comes from.
"The others are Andy Wilson, Jon Coleman and Ian Bennett, and I'll be picking them up at Solihull to go down for our start at Land's End on April 4," Patrick explained.
His 200-employee company, Kiernan Construction Ltd, which he founded in 1970 with June who is financial director, is providing the transport while support back-up is being organised by Jon Coleman's father.
Colleagues in his sphere of business - which is both county and nationwide on a school and supermarket scale - are backing this special ride with sponsorship, and Patrick hopes that anyone else wishing to contribute will access his online sponsorship site on www.justgiving.com/patspedalpush.