Alex Ediker and Robyn McKee ran the fastest parkrun times in the UK this week (15th January).
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Another busy week at parkrun and one of the top two performances is once again at Belfast Victoria, but the average top 10 standards are always a bit lower when it’s local cross country weekends. In the same way that parkrun celebrates average times getting slower (as it means participation at all levels is increasing and slower runners are feeling welcome each Saturday) we are always happy to see a dip on weekends when people are running for their club or other local events.
So enough waffling, you’re here for the top 10 (unless you’ve already scrolled past to the rankings list and who could blame you).
Robyn McKee was 41 seconds faster than last week to jump from eighth to first place in the women’s rankings, in part, possibly, due to the change of venue to the fast Belfast Victoria course. The Annadale Strider PB’d at every single distance she raced in 2021 and this new parkrun best is surely a sign of intent for 2022.
From 800m (2:11.00) up to 10k (36:03) and a whole bunch of distances in between, the young distance runner has shown excellent improvement in the last two years.
In leafy south London, Alex Ediker was the only runner to run under 15 minutes this week. With a 14:59 at the flat Dulwich parkrun, the Chesterfield & District AC U23 is primarily a middle distance runner, with 800 and 1500m being the focus last year. With bests of 1:56.17 and 3:47.03 respectively, Ediker is also no slouch on the cross-country, finishing 20th in Milton Keynes and 31st in Liverpool in the British Athletics Cross Challenge races.
Everyone’s getting quicker
It wasn’t just first placed McKee who bumped up her performance over seven days, Seyfu Jamaal was also eight seconds quicker than last week and jumped up two spots in the rankings. The popular London Heathside runner is a regular feature in our rankings and we hope this long continues. If you weren’t aware Seyfu is having some issues with proposed deportation and any signatures to add to the list are appreciated.
At Comber parkrun Rebecca Rossiter was the first home. The Irish international youngster was recently in action at the SPAR European Cross Country Championships, as well as the Castlewellan Christmas Cracker 8.5 and Lough 5, all in December 2021. This weekend was a parkrun PB by nearly a minute with 17:23!
Another Belfast Victoria performance in our top 10 was Lughaidh Mallon. Another Irish star to watch for the future. The Lagan Valley U17 had a busy 2021 and December was no different from the rest of the year. A 15:47 over cross country at Irish Life Health National Novice and Uneven Age Cross Country Championships in December, followed by a 26:58 at Greencastle 5 on St. Stephens Day, so it’s no surprise a parkrun PB of 15:20 was coming in early 2022.
Sophie Wallis of Lincoln Wellington AC has been a regular feature in this article and this week was no different. Clocking 17:25 at Doddington Hall, whilst not quite a PB (Wallis went under 17 minutes multiple times for parkrun last year), it’s an excellent run in the middle of January and a sign of the year to come.
Fastest event
Two events had three runners in the rankings this week, Belfast Victoria and Bromley. Belfast Victoria keeps winning fastest each week so it feels like someone else should get a chance, but a 1st, 3rd and 9th is another excellent showing so they nip Bromley to the post (who had 4th, 8th & 9th).
Men’s top 10
1) parkrun: Dulwich
Alex Ediker, 14:59, Chesterfield & District AC
2) parkrun: Highbury Fields
Seyfu Jamaal, 15:08, London Heathside
3) parkrun: Belfast Victoria
Lughaidh Mallon, 15:20, Lagan Valley
4) parkrun: Kingsway, Gloucester
Ben Robinson, 15:22, Bristol & West AC
5=) parkrun: Gorleston Cliffs
Tyler Bilyard, 15:28, Great Yarmouth & District AC
5=) parkrun: Aberdeen
Sam Griffin, 15:28, Aberdeen AAC
7) parkrun: Southend
David Smale, 15:29, Southend-on-Sea AC
8) parkrun: Strathclyde
Ryan Gray, 15:33, Inverclyde AC
9) parkrun: Belfast Victoria
Chris Hutchinson, 15:34.
10) parkrun: Doddington Hall
William Strangeway, 15:38, Lincoln Wellington AC
Women’s top 10
1) parkrun: Belfast Victoria
Robyn McKee, 17:15, Annadale
2) parkrun: Comber
Rebecca Rossiter, 17:23, Loughview AC
3) parkrun: Doddington Hall
Sophie Wallis, 17:25, Lincoln Wellington AC
4) parkrun: Bromley
Hannah Roberts, 17:36, Petts Wood Runners
5) parkrun: Burgess
Julia Bijl, 17:37, London Heathside
6) parkrun: Finsbury
Naomi Taschimowitz, 17:41, Taunton AC
7) parkrun: Edinburgh
Ella Revitt, 17:44
8) parkrun: Bromley
Megan Slattery, 17:45, Blackheath & Bromley Harriers AC
9) parkrun: Bromley
Morgan Squibb, 17:50, Blackheath & Bromley Harriers AC
10=) parkrun: Shrewsbury
Zoe Gilbody, 17:58, Chiltern Harriers AC
10=) parkrun: Brockenhurst
Ellie Marie Monks, 17:58, Southampton AC
If you would like to run faster at parkrun we highly recommend 1001 Running Tips by Robbie Britton, found here.