Given the location was Swansea parkrun we’re going to assume that Liam Lloyd is the Swansea/Llanelli athlete coached by Adrian Webb. If someone knows otherwise then please do let us know.

If this is the case then it’s brilliant to see the young Welsh athlete back in action. The last two races on Power of 10 are from early 2020, with a PB of 15:13 at Armagh International 5k and a half marathon debut of 74:13 at the Vitality Liverpool Half Marathon. Welcome back Liam, just in time for some cross country hopefully.

Sophie Wallis has already topped the parkrun rankings this summer and does so again on a fast weekend, by just two seconds. 16:47 at Lincoln parkrun is a new parkrun best for the Lincoln Wellington Runner by six seconds. It’s also under Wallis’ 5k best, set at Leicestershire Chase the Sun 5K earlier this year.

Just last weekend also saw a fastest time on leg three of the ERRA Women’s National 4-Stage Relays so we think there is more excitement to come this Autumn.

Cross country stars warming up

Fresh off a 2:22:48 at the London Marathon, which involved a 67:28 first half and a slight positive split that suggest a tough second half, it is good to see Jamie Crowe is just getting warmed up for the cross country season.

The 2020 Scottish XC Champion ran 15:05 at Camperdown parkrun in Dundee, so clearly is recovering well from the 26.2 miles in London.

Philippa Stone of Middlesbrough AC has mostly been on the track this season and has the PBs to show for it, including 2:08.05 for 800m and 4:19.44 for 1500m.

Like Crowe, Stone is another who excels on the cross country, with great success at the National and Northern Champs over the years.

Fast marathoners running fast parkruns

Both third place runners, Rose Harvey and Jordan Skelly, have had strong marathons this year, with Harvey’s 2:29:45 at London Marathon a fantastic jump for the Phil Kissi coached athlete.

Skelly’s 15:06 at York parkrun follows on from a sub 15 minute effort at Market Rasen last weekend, whereas Harvey clocked 17:09 at Evesham parkrun, a little slower than the 16:30 Burgess in July, but October has been a bit busier than normal for marathons.

The fastest parkrun of the week

Both Lincoln and Poole parkruns feature twice this week, with Lincoln grabbing fourth male and fastest female, thus winning this week’s fastest course.

Men’s top 10

1) parkrun: Swansea
Liam Lloyd, 15:03, Swansea/Llanelli
2) parkrun: Camperdown, Dundee
Jamie Crowe, 15:05, Central AC
3) parkrun: York
Jordan Skelly, 15:06, Gainsborough & Morton Striders AC
4) parkrun: Lincoln
Matthew Bowser, 15:11
5) parkrun: Poole
Will Brewin, 15:15, Southampton AC
6) parkrun: Watermead Country Park
Sam Stabler, 15:17, Wreake and Soar Valley AC
7) parkrun: Leicester Victoria
Mohammed Hussein, 15:20, Roadhoggs Leicester AC
8) parkrun: Poole
Niall Caley, 15:21, Bristol and West AC
9) parkrun: Cardiff
Iestyn Irvine Williams, 15:29, Carmarthen & District Harriers AC
10) parkrun: Redcar
Lewis Gamble-Thompson, 15:39, New Marske Harriers AC

Women’s top 10

1) parkrun: Lincoln
Sophie Wallis, 16:47
2) parkrun: Albert, Middlesborough
Philippa Stone, 16:49, Middlesborough AC
3) parkrun: Evesham
Rose Harvey, 17:09, Clapham Chasers RC
4) parkrun: Severn Bridge
Olivia Tsim, 17:12, Cardiff AAC
5) parkrun: Bushy
Isabel Clark, 17:23, Serpentine RC
6) parkrun: Telford
Sophie Lloyd, 17:23, White Horse Harriers AAC
7) parkrun: Seaton
Innes Fitzgerald, 17:31
8) parkrun: Durham
Alice Crane, 17:32
9) parkrun: Doddington Hall
India Barwell, 17:33, Lincoln Wellington AC
10) parkrun: Finsbury
Katie Brown, 17:36, Trent Park Running Club

If you would like to run faster at parkrun we highly recommend 1001 Running Tips by Robbie Britton, found here.

The post 10 fastest UK parkrun times on 16th October (2021) appeared first on Fast Running.

Firs lady was Sophie Harris at Northampton parkrun. The Herne Hill Harrier ran 16:45, which is a parkrun PB, but still about 20 seconds slower than the 5000m and 5k PBs with the 16:23 5k best being run this year at Bedford Autodrome.

We appreciate Andrew Heyes choosing a different parkrun this week and adjusting his time by 2 seconds to 14:47. Otherwise it might just have been a little confusing for everyone reading when the speedster turned up on the top of the rankings for a consecutive week.

David Barratt, our second quickest male with 15:04 at Oldham parkrun is used to being first across finish line in 2021. Barratt looked to have a great weekend at the Tour of Tameside, with wins over 10k, 7 miles and half marathon.

Two more female ran under 17 minutes this week with Metro Aberdeen’s Virginie Barrand and Cambridge Harrier’s Holly Dixon running 16:50 and 16:59 respectively.

Barrand set a new 10k PB this year at the Back to Basics 10k in Forres, with 35:29, after an excellent 50k debut in May at the UltraX Scotland.

Dixon, who has PB’d from 800m up to 10k, and every distance in between, in 2021, added a new parkrun PB to the list that includes a Kent County Championship over 1500m and South of England over 5000m.

Is that a man and his dog, or just a man?

In seventh spot we have youth international Duncan Robinson, who’s club is listed as Cani-Sports Fife. There is the possibly that Duncan isn’t getting a dog assisted performance though, as the U20 has run the 3000m in8:26.33 at the European U20 Champs this summer  and has a PB of 8:15.90 so the time is well within his capabilities.

The fastest events this week, courtesy of both having a pair in the top 10 rankings, were Woodhouse Moor and Northampton parkruns.

Men’s top 10

1) parkrun: Eastville
Andrew Heyes, 14:47, Hallamshire Harriers Sheffield AC
2) parkrun: Oldham
David Barratt, 15:04, Salford
5) parkrun: Bushy
Jake Shelley, 15:13, Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers
4) parkrun: Chelmsford Central
Stephen Strange, 15:14, Tonbridge AC
5) parkrun: Lincoln
William Strangeway, 15:24, Lincoln Wellington AC
6) parkrun: Worthing 
Andrew McCaskill, 15:29
7) parkrun: Pollok
Duncan Robinson, 15:29, Cani-Sports Fife.
8) parkrun: Linwood
Jack Heathwood, 15:32, Bellahouston Harriers
9) parkrun: Woodhouse Moor
Cameron Reilly, 15:37, Ilkley Harriers AC
10=) parkrun: Wolverhampton 
Jamie Lambie, 15:38, Shrewsbury AC
10=) parkrun: Aylesbury
Kieran Lindars, 15:38, Vale of Aylesbury AC

Women’s top 10

1) parkrun:  Northampton 
Sophie Harris, 16:45, Herne Hill Harriers
2) parkrun: Aberdeen
Virginie Barrand, 16:50, Metro Aberdeen RRC
3) parkrun: Littlehampton Prom
Holly Dixon, 16:59, Cambridge Harriers
4) parkrun: Folkestone
Chloe Tighe, 17:06
5) parkrun: Strathclyde 
Jenny Bannerman, 17:13, Inverness Harriers AAC
6) parkrun: Doddington Hall
Sophie Wallis, 17:21
7) parkrun: Woodhouse Moor
Katy Wood, 17:23, York Acorn RC
8) parkrun: Northampton
Lauren Hall, 17:24, Aldershot, Farnham & District AC
9=) parkrun: Tamar Lakes
Sophie Wood, 17:36, Sale Harriers Manchester
9=) parkrun: Penrose
Issy Waugh, 17:36, Sheffield Tri

If you would like to run faster at parkrun, top tips to help runners of all abilities can be found here.

The post 10 fastest UK parkrun times on 14th August (2021) appeared first on Fast Running.

The parkrun world record has a special place in the hearts of thousands of runners. Sure it doesn’t have the status of a 1500m, 5000m or marathon best, but it somehow feels more touchable and real for runners of all abilities.

It seems anyone who runs, at no matter what level, knows about Parkrun. Unfortunately, due to the current circumstances, it has now been almost a year since we were last able to partake in Parkrun in this country, but fortunately for those across the globe in Australia, it is on its way back.

On the 23rd of January 2021, the women’s Parkrun world record, previously held by Saucony athlete, Charlotte Arter, was taken by Scottish-born athlete Lauren Reid.

At the Parramatta Parkrun in Greater Western Sydney in Australia, a course which is not completely flat, Reid knocked four seconds off Charlotte Arter’s record of 15:49, clocking 15:45 for the 5km distance.

Arter eagerly awaits parkrun return

Former record holder Arter, said, “Records are there to be broken and I’d like to congratulate Lauren for her great run and for breaking the record. It’s great to see Parkruns have returned in some parts of the world and hopefully they will return to the UK at some point this year.

I’m sure all Parkrunners are eagerly awaiting the day this happens! No doubt I will be back at Parkrun whenever I can and will have a good go at trying to reclaim the record!”

It is great to see records being broken after a very turbulent training year for some. Fast Running spoke to world-record holder Lauren Reid, who is coached by Nick Bromley, and delved into what it takes to be the fastest woman at Parkrun. We asked Reid what the course was like and how she handled the Australian summer weather.

Arter at Cardiff 10km. Photo: Tom Craggs

Hot work

From race pictures it appeared as though they course was off-road, however Reid confirmed, “The very start and end, not even 50m” of the event were on the grass. “It was however very hot; I think it was around 30°c & pretty humid.”

This may seem a stark contrast to Scottish weather, but for Reid, who has now lived in Australia for 15-years, it has become a norm.

Reid continues, “I knew that the course was slightly downhill at the start then obviously slightly uphill at the end, so I thought that I would go out a little quicker and bank some time for the uphill finish.

I did have a pacer, his name is Harry Summers and he’s an absolute superstar, an athlete with fine credentials himself. He turned up on short notice to help me and asked me on the start line what our plan! So yeah, that was a bit last minute!

Fast start pays off

I told him that I wanted to go out harder that 1st km. We actually ended up running 2:50 flat for that first k – a bit faster than I’d anticipated. I looked at my watch and thought “oh s***, I could be in a lot of trouble here” and then didn’t look at my watch again. Thankfully it all paid off and we got the time with a few seconds to spare so that was great.”

Pre-race routines vary from athlete to athlete. We all have our own ways of preparing for races that suit our own bodies, and Reid is no different. She said that

“In terms of pre-race nutrition and my warmup I actually got there a little bit late because I was trying to find a toilet and I didn’t know there was one really close by so I’d driven off somewhere else to find one so I only managed a couple of k’s warmup. Not ideal!

Nutrition wise, because it was a slightly later start (8 o’clock) I opted for a little bit of breakfast. I don’t normally eat before race if it’s early morning as my tummy can play up sometimes. I had a few spoons of plain rolled oats with a spoon of honey and some Chia seeds that I’d made the night before.

I had a few mouthfuls of that 6:30 with a strong coffee and of course as always, before any race – I had one of my Revvies energy strips.”

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Lauren (Hamilton) Reid (@lauren_reid85)

Enforced rest = ideal prep?

Running 15:45 over a slightly undulating course is no mean feat. We asked Lauren if this has been in her sights for a while and found out that sometimes the thing runners neglect the most, rest, can be the most beneficial.

“I had a time trial run in March last year and ran 15:49. A couple of the guys in my running group mentioned that was the PR record and that I should try to break it. Then of course park runs weren’t on and you know, coronavirus was happening & life was very different.

It was only recently that parkrun started back in Australia which is so great! I was planning to have a farewell run & coffee with a bunch of my running friends before the move & that turned into a farewell Parkrun followed by coffee and then the idea was put out that I have a shot at the world record!

We decided to give it a shot about two weeks out from doing it. I had an awful week leading up to it & was actually off work unwell following a root canal treatment gone wrong. Turns out some enforced rest worked out well for me!”

Motivation through testing times

This year has been testing at times for everyone, and the Parkrun record holder is no exception. She says how it was her friends and making herself accountable that kept her going and allowed her to be fit and fast when the time came.

“In terms of being stuck in lockdown and not being able to train the way that we normally would, I definitely did struggle with it. I actually managed to convince my husband we should buy a treadmill right at the start of the lockdown here in Australia in fear of not being able to leave the house to run! but as it turned out, we were always able to go out for a run although for a while they were largely solo runs.

I used little things to keep me motivated like getting my friends involved and sending pictures to each other of getting out there and getting it done. The virtual events were really helpful at keeping some sense of excitement and accountability.

It’s OK to struggle

I think it’s important though, to recognise that being in lockdown, losing a sense of certainty & not being able to do the things that we normally do, is a really daunting & difficult thing. It’s so normal & okay to struggle with that & to have periods where motivation is low.

I tried to find small things to keep me motivated and viewed that period of time as an opportunity to be really consistent with the things I could do, to work at all the small things. & to remember my reasons for running. I even did a little bit of Pilates for the first time, a bit more stretching and things that are more easily home-based.”

 

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A post shared by Lauren (Hamilton) Reid (@lauren_reid85)

Now the Parkrun world record has been secured, what is Reid focusing on next?

“So my next goal is to get to the Australian national championships which double up as our Olympic trials. They are in April so I’ll be working towards racing at those trials either in the 800 or the 1500.”

It is great to see a record broken, and like Arter says, that’s what they are there for, but could one of GB’s greats take the record again when Parkrun restarts in this country?

Editors note – Hannah will be stepping back from her more regular work with Fast Running to focus on her training and her studies in 2021. We want to extend a huge tank you to her for all her brilliant work over the last couple of years. We look forward to hoisting more of her articles in future, but even more importantly shouting about her results!

The post Lauren Reid breaks parkrun world record appeared first on Fast Running.

You get the feeling this weekend could be the last results we’re going to write about for a while and maybe that’s why people headed down to their local parkrun for a burn-up this weekend.

Fastest female was Cardiff AC’s Jenny Nesbitt, putting into practice the words of her own Fast10 blog from this week. The Welsh international clocked 16:39 at the home of the women’s parkrun world record, Cardiff. So what happens when your plans don’t come to fruition? You head to parkrun and smash it out of the park.

Cardiff was obviously the place to be this morning with young Piers Copeland notching up a sub 15 minutes outing at the same event. The Wimborne AC starlet ran 14:54 and we’ll use it as an opportunity to throwback to this fine interview of Piers and Grace Copeland from last year.

It seems Cardiff wasn’t the only place for a race today as a strong group of women turned up at Burgess parkrun for a session it seems. With four runners making the top ten at the same event it’s the most featured today. Hannah Viner, a Highgate Harrier, was first home in a lightening 16:43 with club mate Yasmin Goater only 15 seconds back in 16:58 to grab third spot.

At Oka Hill parkrun Alex Leprêtre also ran brilliantly to go under 15 minutes with a 14:57. Leprêtre, who is difficult to find on Power of 10 if you forget the wee hat on the e, ran a massive 5k PB on the road in Armagh earlier this year with a 14:08. Good to have some PBs banked for all your winter hard work already before the cancelation of a lot of races.

Men’s top 10

1) parkrun: Cardiff
Piers Copeland, 14:54, Wimborne AC
2) parkrun: Oak Hill
Alexander Leprêtre, 14:57, Barnet & District AC
3) parkrun: Alexandra, Moss Side
Michael Cayton, 15:12, Ribble Valley Harriers
4) parkrun: Finsbury
Seyfu Jamaal, 15:26, London Heathside
5) parkrun: Greenock
Stephen Trainer, 15:28, Greenock Glenpark Harriers
6) parkrun: Belfast Victoria
Eskander Osman, 15:30, Annadale Striders
7) parkrun: Warwick Racecourse
Ian Allen, 15:31, Spa Striders RC
8) parkrun: Peacehaven
Simon Heath, 15:35, Brighton Phoenix
9) parkrun: Coventry
Alex Jolly, 15:36, Birchfield Harriers
10) parkrun: Southampton
James Beeks, 15:37

Women’s top 10

1) parkrun: Cardiff
Jenny Nesbitt, 16:39, Cardiff AC
2) parkrun: Burgess
Hannah Viner, 16:43, Highgate Harriers
3) parkrun: Burgess
Yasmin Goater, 16:58, Highgate Harriers
4) parkrun: York
Jessica Fullagar, 17:28
5) parkrun: Portobello, Edinburgh 
Cera Gemmell, 17:34, Team East Lothian
6) parkrun: Burnley
Laura Hesketh, 17:35, Clayton-le-Moors Harriers
7) parkrun: Belfast Victoria
Kirsti Forster, 17:41, Willowfield Harriers
8) parkrun: Raphael
Emma Prideaux, 17:43, Billericay Striders RC
9) parkrun: Burgess
Emma Howsham, 17:49, Belgrave Harriers
10) parkrun: Burgess 
Sarah Hanley, 17:51, Kent AC

If you would like to run faster at parkrun, top tips to help runners of all abilities can be found here.

Are you a fan of Fast Running? Then please support us and become a patron. For as little as the price of a monthly magazine you can support Fast Running – and it only takes a minute. Thank you

The post 10 fastest UK parkrun times on 14th March (2020) appeared first on Fast Running.

Fast Running’s own Hannah Irwin was the fastest female parkrun athlete and we’re going to shout about it. This week the Guildford & Godalming athlete brought her parkrun PB a little closer to her excellent 5000m best of 16:24 that was run at the MK5000 PB Special last year.

Down on the south coast at Poole Irwin ran 16:46 and showed that the leg speed has benefitted from a strong XC season that saw Hannah finish second at the Essex Cross Country Champs and 13th at the BUCS Champs earlier in February.

For the men’s quickest time we needed only swap the name and deduct nine seconds from the time as venue and club were the same as last week. Thomas Beasley, a Birchfield Harrier, ran 15:11 at Cannon Hill Birmingham to take the top spot just as his club mate William Richardson did last week.

So far this season Beasley has been focusing on the XC and raced three times, with a 16th at the Midland Counties Champs possibly the highlight. Its done no harm to his road speed though and the 14:51 5k runner isn’t far off his best in an actual race.

Up in Scotland Kerry Prise was the second fastest female with a 17:35 in Aberdeen. A member of Metro Aberdeen RRC, Prise had already run a new parkrun best of 18:02 in 2020, but clearly wasn’t happy to sit on her laurels and smashed it out of the park this weekend. A 17:35 is nearly 30 seconds better and a great sign for things to come in 2020 for the Scot.

William Cork, a City of Norwich AC speedster, is fresh from a truly monumental PB of 14:39 at Armagh International Races earlier this month. We say monumental as his previous PB was nearly a minute slower in 15:29 (although Cork has a quicker 5000m best of 14:44). A 15:30 at Newcastle parkrun this weekend was probably just an easy run then….

Third fastest female this weekend was Lorna Russell at Whiteley parkrun in a time of 17:46. The Winchester and District AC senior had a quiet 2019 with just a run out for the road relays in September, but starts with a speedy parkrun blast on 29th February. Maybe it was the chance to run a parkrun date that won’t happen again until 2048.

Mark McKinstry of North Belfast Harriers is a regular in our Irish weekend round-up and posted a time of 15:38, quick enough for third fastest parkrun this week. A prolific racer and one of the best Masters XC athletes around, McKinstry has already won the Northern Ireland & Ulster Intermediate & Masters’ Championships in 2020 and finished third in the overall Northern Ireland & Ulster Senior Championships.

Men’s top 10

1) parkrun: Cannon Hill
Thomas Beasley, 15:11, Birchfield Harriers
2) parkrun: Newcastle 
William Cork, 15:30, City of Norwich AC
3) parkrun: Sixmilewater
Mark McKinstry, 15:38, North Belfast Harriers
4) parkrun: Woodhouse Moor
Marcos Angel Valero Palacios, 15:40, Roundhay Runners
5) parkrun: South Manchester
Arlo Ludewick, 15:41, Herne Hill Harriers
6) parkrun: Berkeley Green
Adam Wilson, 15:46, Bristol and West AC
7) parkrun: Leazes
Callum Hanson, 15:47, Pudsey & Bramley AC
8) parkrun: Telford
Patrick Townsend, 15:47
9) parkrun: Fountains Abbey
Paul Martelletti, 15:53, Victoria Park Harriers & Tower Hamlets AC
=10) parkrun: Coldhams Common
Joseph Smith, 15:57, Cambridge and Coleridge AC
=10) parkrun: Riverfront
Christopher Carpanini, 15:57, Mickey Morris Racing Team
=10) parkrun: Grangemoor
Oliver Williams, 15:57, Pontypridd Roadents AC

Women’s top 10

1) parkrun: Poole
Hannah Irwin, 16:46, Guildford & Godalming AC
2) parkrun: Aberdeen
Kerry Prise, 17:35, Metro Aberdeen RRC
3) parkrun: Whiteley
Lorna Russell, 17:46, Winchester & District AC
4) parkrun: Wyecombe Rye
Jessica Gibbon, 17:49, Reading AC
5=) parkrun: Aberdeen
Hannah Cameron, 17:55, Edinburgh AC
5=) parkrun: Burnham and Highbridge
Hannah Taunton, 17:55, Taunton AC
7) parkrun: Doddington Hall
Sophie Walis, 17:57
8) parkrun: East Park
Lauren Cooper, 17:58, Bridgnorth Running Club
9) parkrun: East Park
Sara Willhoit, 18:05, Shrewsbury AC
10) parkrun: Cannon Hill
Bryony Haines, 18:06, Birchfield Harriers

If you would like to run faster at parkrun, top tips to help runners of all abilities can be found here.

Are you a fan of Fast Running? Then please support us and become a patron. For as little as the price of a monthly magazine you can support Fast Running – and it only takes a minute. Thank you

The post 10 fastest UK parkrun times on 29th February (2020) appeared first on Fast Running.

Tonbridge AC star Nicole Taylor was the fastest female at parkrun this weekend with a 17:17 at Malling parkrun. Taylor has already won the Sussex county XC champs and a wonderful second at the southern champs at Parliament Hill, so 2020 is flying.

Jonothan Kay, who’s full name on the parkrun website is “Jonothan Kay Six times a week”, was the fastest male with a 14:58 at Stretford parkrun. We’re not sure if this is simply how many times a week Jonothan is running or it covers another aspect of his life, but whatever it is, it’s working. The 3:48 1500m has kicked off his middle distance track season this year with a 3:51 win at the Northern indoor 1500m champs.

Kiera Brady-Jones of Wirral AC was the second quickest female with a 17:24 at Birkenhead parkrun in Merseyside. The U17 youngster started the year with a win at the indoor 800m Northern championships in 2:12.29, a win at the Merseyside XC Champs and a sixth at the northern champs.

parkrun regular Seyfu Jamaal is no stranger to the top ten and ran 15:18 at Finsbury Park this Saturday morning to put the London Heathside athlete in second place. At Linwood parkrun Guy Evans-Haggerty was 11 seconds behind with a 15:29 for the triathlete.

Reading AC’s Jessica Gibbon was the third fastest lady, who ran 17:29 at Maidenhead parkrun. Much like the rest of the top ranked athletes Gibbon has been busy on the cross country and a win at the Southern XC Champs at Parliament Hill is something an athlete will remember for the rest of their lives.

With a huge amount of endurance athletes at Armagh international 3k and 5k races this week we expected a few athletes to run a bit slower this weekend, but such is the strength in depth in British endurance running we still have a huge bunch of string runners hitting parkrun on Saturday morning too.

Men’s top 10

1) parkrun: Stretford
Jonothan Kay, 14:58, Bolton United Harriers & AC
2) parkrun: Finsbury
Seyfu Jamaal, 15:18, London Heathside
3) parkrun: Linwood
Guy Evans-Haggerty, 15:29, Fusion Triathlon Club
4) parkrun: Telford
Patrick Townsend, 15:35
5) parkrun: Edinburgh 
Peter Avent, 15:42, Shettleston Harriers
6) parkrun: Newcastle 
James Scott-Farrington, 15:44, Horwich RMI Harriers
7) parkrun: Burnham and Highbridge
Kurtis Gibson, 15:48
8) parkrun: Hull
Mike Tanner, 15:48, Rochdale Harriers & AC
9) parkrun: Belfast Victoria
James Cameron Hancock, 15:49, Sutton & District AC
10) parkrun: St Andrews
Harvey Rankin, 15:54, TeamElite

Women’s top 10

1) parkrun: Malling
Nicole Taylor, 17:17, Tonbridge AC
2) parkrun: Birkenhead
Kiera Brady-Jones, 17:24, Wirral AC
3) parkrun: Maidenhead
Jessica Gibbon, 17:29, Reading AC
4) parkrun: Bushy
Muriel Coneo, 17:31
5) parkrun: Newcastle 
Phillipa Williams, 17:35, Sheffield Running Club
6) parkrun: East Park
Amelia Samuels, 17:37, Wolverhampton & Bilston AC
7) parkrun: Stretford
Laura Lombard, 17:41, Bolton United Harriers & AC
8) parkrun: Wollaton Hall
Lauren McNeil, 17:48, Buxton AC
=9) parkrun: Belfast Victoria
Georgia Malir, 17:52, Ilkley Harriers
=9) parkrun: Burnham and Highbridge 
Hannah Taunton, 17:52, Taunton AC

If you would like to run faster at parkrun, top tips to help runners of all abilities can be found here.

Are you a fan of Fast Running? Then please support us and become a patron. For as little as the price of a monthly magazine you can support Fast Running – and it only takes a minute. Thank you

The post 10 fastest UK parkrun times on 15th February (2020) appeared first on Fast Running.

To start this week we’d like to post a quick reminder about the ethos of parkrun as it’s not just about running so fast you feature in our top ten. It’s about everyone enjoying the great outdoors on a Saturday morning and includes people just out for a walk. If there’s not a smile on your face then you’ll probably going too hard.

Now let’s get to it. We hope Tom Marshall checked in with the local aviation authority before running at Bryn Bach this morning as the Saucony athlete got some serious air in the finishing straight (as seen in the fine picture taken by Robert Gale above).

Marshall is no stranger to fast times and has a 14:19 best on the track for 5000m. This week the Welsh international ran 14:36 and set a new course record.

The quickest lady this week was Lincoln Wellington’s Abbie Donnelly and it took a 16:29 at Doddington Hall parkrun to nab the number one spot. It’s a parkrun PB for the Loughborough student, but still a wee bit off her 5k road best of 16:11, set in 2019.

Second placed female was Hayley Carruthers and we wonder if Hayley was down at Cardiff parkrun in South Wales having a crack at Charlotte Arter’s parkrun world record from last week?

It wasn’t to be, but still a super quick 16:51 in south Wales and probably part of bigger training in the build up to spring half and marathon racing.

It was another middle distance runner in second place for the men with Ed Shepherd, a 3:47.51 1500m man, who ran 15:11 at Penrose parkrun. The Woodford Green and Essex Ladies athlete hasn’t been at the XC as usual this year so good to see him starting the year with a solid run.

Third lady was another runner who often features, Hannah Taunton of Taunton AC with 17:07 at Exmouth parkrun. The GB athlete has already started the year with a 10k PB at the Stoke Stampede, winning in an excellent 35:32 so 2020 looks to be another exciting year with this being a new parkrun best by four seconds as well.

Also running at Doddington Hall was Joseph Green, who stopped the clock at 15:17 and takes the final spot on the virtual podium for this week. Green, we’e assuming, is the Lincoln Wellington athlete on Power of Ten as the only unattached Joseph Green is a V75.

Its a new parkrun best for the U20 and actually quicker than his 5k best on the road by some margin as well, so this could be a break through year. We’ve already seen a fine 13th at the Northern XC Champs from the youngster.

Men’s top 10

1) parkrun: Bryn Bach
Tom Marshall, 14:36, Brecon AC
2) parkrun: Penrose
Ed Shepherd, 15:11, Woodford Green AC with Essex Ladies
3) parkrun: Doddington Hall
Jospeh Green, 15:17
4=) parkrun: Worthing
Maxwell Dumbrell, 15:26
4) parkrun: Rother Valley
Nathan Lawson, 15:26, Dark Peak Fell Runners Club
6) parkrun: Sizewell
Sam Stabler, 15:29, Wreake and Soar Valley AC
7=) parkrun: Heslington
Jordan Howe, 15:30
7=) parkrun: Dulwich
Jack Foster, 15:30
9) parkrun: Cardiff
Karl Welborn, 15:31, Birmingham Running Athletics and Triathlon Club
10) parkrun: Alvaston
Richard Weir, 15:37, Derby AC

Women’s top 10

1) parkrun: Doddington Hall
Abbie Donnelly, 16:29, Lincoln Wellington AC
2) parkrun: Cardiff 
Hayley Carruthers, 16:51, Birchfield Harriers
3) parkrun: Exmouth
Hannah Taunton, 17:07, Taunton AC
4) parkrun: Burgess
Daisy Rawlings, 17:08
5) parkrun: Raphael
Alexa Joel, 17:23, Billericay Striders RC
6) parkrun: Bushy
Isabel Clark, 17:29, Serpentine RC
7) parkrun: Hackney Marshes
Rosa Prideaux, 17:39, Chelmsford AC
8) parkrun: Southampton 
Ellie Marie Monks, 17:40, Southampton AC
9) parkrun: Wollaton Hall
Lauren McNeil, 17:42, Buxton AC
10) parkrun: Dulwich
Jess Saunders, 17:46, Fulham AC

If you would like to run faster at parkrun, top tips to help runners of all abilities can be found here.

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The post 10 fastest UK parkrun times on 8th February (2020) appeared first on Fast Running.

For the second week in a row the runners at Dulwich parkrun have knocked it out of the park. Six of the top 10 men and an additional runner in the top ten ladies means it’s seven overall for the fast and flat parkrun in SE London.

The fastest female though wasn’t at Dulwich, as Lucy Reid, a name we always see representing Tonbridge AC brilliantly in the road relays , ran 16:59 at The Leas parkrun in Minster.

Fastest male was at Dulwich though with Alex Ediker running 14:59, ahead of a slew of other sub-16 minute runners behind him. It marks a new parkrun best for the U20 and comes on the back of a strong performance at the Derbyshire / Nottinghamshire County Championships for cross country.

Just behind the Chesterfield & District AC athlete was Oliver Prior of Ashford AC. Prior is another U20 running a new parkrun best, by over a minute with a 15:13 time. Prior ran a 4:01.75 PB for 1500m in 2019 and looks to have started 2020 with an eye on another fast summer.

Second fastest lady this weekend was Stephie Pennycook of Fife AC. The Edinburgh Uni student ran close to her parkrun best of 17:16 (set back in 2016) but has quicker PBs over 5k on the road with a 16:22 at one of the popular Podium 5k events in Barrowford in 2018.

Completing a Dulwich podium for the men was Andrew Warburton, clocking 15:36. It’s a new parkrun best for the Notts AC/Herne Hill runner and also quicker than his 5k road and 5000m track best as well. 2020 might well be the year that the popular bread-maker updates both of those marks.

At Burgess parkrun there was a fine performance from Charlene Jacobs-Conradie, with a 17:39 for third fastest parkrun of the weekend. The Luton AC Masters runner had a phenomenal 2019 with a 2:46:48 marathon PB certainly one of several highlights. There was also a win at the Southern Athletics League Division 3N over 100m (in 14 seconds) so a great range of distances!

No prizes for guessing the quickest parkrun this week, with only a race between Daniel Hamilton and James Cameron Hancock, 15:37 and 15:39 respectively, stopping Dulwich filling all six top spots.

Men’s top 10

1) parkrun: Dulwich
Alex Ediker, 14:59, Chesterfield & District AC
2) parkrun: Dulwich
Oliver Prior, 15:13, Ashford AC
3) parkrun: Dulwich
Andrew Warburton, 15:36, Notts AC/Herne Hill
4) parkrun: Cardiff
Daniel Hamilton, 15:37, Abingdon AC
5) parkrun: Cardiff
James Cameron Hancock, 15:39, Sutton & District AC
6) parkrun: Mile End
Joahnnes Teigland, 15:40, King’s College London Cross Country RC
7) parkrun: Dulwich
Jack Foster, 15:43
8) parkrun: Dulwich 
Andrew Inglis, 15:47, Cambridge Harriers
9) parkrun: Dulwich
Nick Bester, 15:48, Herne Hill Harriers
10) parkrun: Rother Valley
Matthew Craig, 15:49, Hallamshire Harriers Sheffield AC

Women’s top 10

1) parkrun: The Leas, Minster
Lucy Reid, 16:59, Tonbridge AC
2) parkrun: Southwark
Stephie Pennycook, 17:21, Fife AC
3) parkrun: Burgess
Charlene Jacobs-Conradie, 17:39, Luton AC
4) parkrun: Burnley
Annabel Ralph, 17:53, Accrington Road Runners
5) parkrun: Heslington
Georgina Weston, 17:54, Notts AC
6) parkrun: Heslington 
Emily Baines, 18:00, York Knavesmire Harriers
7) parkrun: Blyth Links
Rachelle Falloon, 18:03, Morpeth Harriers & AC
8) parkrun: Dulwich
Rose Penfold, 18:10
9) parkrun: Southwark 
Emily Cai, 18:13
10) parkrun: Whitstable 
Rebecca Bunting, 18:13, London Heathside

If you would like to run faster at parkrun, top tips to help runners of all abilities can be found here.

Are you a fan of Fast Running? Then please support us and become a patron. For as little as the price of a monthly magazine you can support Fast Running – and it only takes a minute. Thank you

The post 10 fastest UK parkrun times on 18th January (2020) appeared first on Fast Running.

Andrew Milligan celebrated Christmas Day with 15:24 at Waterworks to finish with the fastest parkrun time in Ireland this week. The 8:53.73 3000m man was ran 14:52 at Belfast Victoria last week and was a winner of the Darlington Harriers Croft 5K in November.

Fresh off the back of a new 10km PB of 34:08 at Telford Nakita Burke was this week’s fastest woman breaking the course record at Letterkenny with 17:33. The Northern Irish International is a member of the Marathon Potential 2024 programme with NI Athletics.

Eskander Osman (Turki) ran a big parkrun PB clocking 15:36 to finish with this week’s second fastest parkrun time in Ireland. Thanks to expert input from Connor Curran we know Osman is a recent signing for Annadale Striders and was third at the Laganside 10km in September running 31:48.

Emma Davis was an 11th place finisher at the recent Florence Marathon in a time of 2:49:07 but faced disappointment with thousands of others after the course was deemed to be short for outside the top few finishers. Davis was a winner at the Surrey Half Marathon in a March running 80:09 and set a new 5km best of 17:01 at Battersea in August. Her tine of 17:52 at Belfast Victoria saw her finish as this week’s 2nd fastest woman.

Eoin Lennon of Carnethy Hill RC has had a busy period of competitive action with plenty of parkrun action mixed with cross country racing. So busy in fact that he appears twice in this week’s list after clocking 15:45 on Christmas Day at Waterworks, followed three days later with 16:12 at Ormeau.

Under 17 Celine Gavin also set a new parkrun PB on Christmas Day running 18:17 at Malahide which represents a big improvement over her recent times set mostly at Tolka Valley in South Dublin.

Men’s top 10

1) parkrun: Waterworks
Andrew Milligan, 15:24, North Belfast Harriers **25/12**
2) parkrun: Belfast Victoria
Eskander Osman, 15:36, Annadale Striders
3) parkrun: Waterworks
Eoin Lennon, 15:45, Carnethy Hill RC **25/12**
4) parkrun: Belfast Victoria
Jamie Knapp, 15:47, Southampton AC
5) parkrun: Ormeau
Eoin Lennon, 16:12, Carnethy Hill RC
6) parkrun: Marlay
Colm Turner, 16:14, Limerick A.C.
7) parkrun: Waterworks
Fionntan Campbell, 16:15, St Malachys AC **25/12**
8) parkrun: Malahide
Daire Bermingham, 16:21, Raheny Shamrock AC
9) parkrun: Castletown
Lee Van Haeften, 16:24
10) parkrun: Derry City
Eoin Hughes, 16:29, Letterkenny AC

Women’s top 10

1) parkrun: Letterkenny
Nakita Burke, 17:33
2) parkrun: Belfast Victoria
Emma Davis, 17:52, Ward Park Runners
3) parkrun: Malahide
Celine Gavin, 18:17 **25/12**
4) parkrun: Wallace
Kirsti Foster, 18:22, Willowfield Harriers
5) parkrun: Dungloe
Helen McCready, 18:58
=6) parkrun: Shanganagh
Sarah Baryga, 19:04
=6) parkrun: Belfast Victoria
Leann Gibson, 19:04, Victoria Park and Connswater AC
=6) parkrun: Wallace
Amy Bulman, 19:04, Willowfield Harriers
9) parkrun: Marlay
Hilkka Kontro, 19:07
10) parkrun: Armagh
Dearbhla Sheridan, 19:18, Belfast Running Club

If you would like to run faster at parkrun, top tips to help runners of all abilities can be found here.

Are you a fan of Fast Running? Then please support us and become a patron. For as little as the price of a monthly magazine you can support Fast Running – and it only takes a minute. Thank you.

The post 10 fastest parkrun times in Ireland this week appeared first on Fast Running.

Chloe Sharp was taking no prisoners at Pegwell Bay this fine Saturday morning with a 16:52 and we even think there might have been family bragging rights at stake. Just behind Chloe was Craig Sharp, who we think could be her Dad. It was a parkrun PB for the Central Park Athletics athlete and also a fair bit quicker than her 5000m and 5k bests as well.

Sharp has spent the summer running mainly middle distance, with some 400m races in there too, but now it’s cross country season and the Kent U23 is running into some great form.

Australian youngster Elliott McGaughran was visiting Dulwich Park this morning and the middle distance talent ran a 15:03 for the 5k parkrun. This adds nicely to Elliott’s recent PBs back home in Australia with 1.54 over 800m and 4:06.57 for the mile in November.

Second lady was parkrun top 10 regular Philippa Williams who ran 17:26 on Hove Promenade, which was apparently quite windy this morning. The Elswick Harrier has seen personal bests over half marathon (76:40), 10k (34:59), 5 mile (29:44) and 5k (16:33) as well as a new parkrun best of 17:17 in 2019. It seems the year isn’t over yet though.

Daniel Dixon of Morpeth Harriers & AC had a bit of a ding-dong with team mate Ross Floyd at Blyth Links parkrun today. Dixon was the first finisher in 15:13, but Floyd wasn’t far behind in 15:28. Floyd still has the better PB of the the two over the 5k distance of 15:06 but Dixon is the faster parkrunner.

Just yesterday Dixon won the Blyth Sands 5 in 28:25 and probably just carried on running through until morning to grab a new parkrun PB by 25 seconds as well. One does wonder what the U20 athlete is up to on Sunday? Is there a Blyth Half or 10k this weekend?

Emily Talbot of Cambridge and Coleridge is only an U15 but that didn’t stop the young 1500m runner from finishing first at Wimpole Estate parkrun in a very good 17:34. Talbot ran 5:05.3 for 1500m this summer at the Eastern Young Athletes’ League, but now seems to be working on some cross country and endurance for the winter months.

Third fastest male this weekend was Ribble Valley Harrier Michael Cayton, who clocked 15:22 at Haigh Woodland parkrun, which doesn’t sound like a fast course. The V35 athlete has run 14:57 at a Sale Sizzler 5k this summer and was third at the Preston 10 a few weeks back, but it seems that course was a little bit short so his excellent 49:35 PB hasn’t counted.

Pan flat Dulwich Park is our fastest location this week with four finishers getting into the top rankings. Did you know that Sir Ernest Shackleton, who was famous for feats of endurance in Antarctica, rather than the park, went to nearby Dulwich College. Probably not a coincidence.

Men’s top 10

1) parkrun: Dulwich
Elliot McGaughran, 15:03, Australia
2) parkrun: Blyth Links
Daniel Dixon, 15:13, Morpeth Harriers & AC
3) parkrun: Haigh Woodland
Michael Cayton, 15:22, Ribble Valley Harriers
4) parkrun: Coldham’s Common
Jonathan Escalante-Phillips, 15:27, Cambridge & Coldridge
5) parkrun: Blyth Links
Ross Floyd, 15:28, Morpeth Harriers & AC
6) parkrun: Sixfields Upton
Joshua Schofield, 15:35, Blackheath & Bromley Harriers AC
7) parkrun: Shrewsbury
Liam Rawlings, 15:47, Oswestry Olympians
8) parkrun: Frimley Lodge
Kurt Taylor, 15:48, Bristol & West AC
9) parkrun: Lincoln
William Srangeway, 15:52, Lincoln Wellington AC
10) parkrun: Dulwich
Jonathan Tipper, 15:53, Kent AC

Women’s top 10

1) parkrun: Pegwell Bay
Chloe Sharp, 16:52, Central Park Athletics
2) parkrun: Hove Promenade
Philippa Williams, 17:26, Elswick Harriers
3) parkrun: Wimpole Estate 
Emily Talbot, 17:34, Cambridge & Coleridge AC
4) parkrun: Greenock
Holly Thompson, 17:63, Kilbarchan AAC
5) parkrun: Dulwich 
Amelia Pettitt, 17:48, Vale Royal AC
6) parkrun:Long Eaton
Isabel Rodriguez, 17:54, City of Norwich AC
7) parkrun: MUSA Cookstown
Natalie Hall, 17:55, Armagh AC
8) parkrun: Albert Park, Middlesborough 
Chloe Louise Williams, 18:04, Gateshead Harriers & AC
9) parkrun: Dulwich
Georgina Wiley, 18:06, Melbourne Midday Milers
10) parkrun: Newbury
Georgia Hayes, 18:10, Reading AC

If you would like to run faster at parkrun, top tips to help runners of all abilities can be found here.

Are you a fan of Fast Running? Then please support us and become a patron. For as little as the price of a monthly magazine you can support Fast Running – and it only takes a minute. Thank you

The post 10 fastest UK parkrun times on Saturday 7th December (2019) appeared first on Fast Running.