Philippa Stone and Finn McNally ran the fastest parkrun times in the UK this week (25th December).
Our weekly parkrun top ten is sponsored by 1001 Running Tips by our editor Robbie Britton. Order your copy today.
It’s Christmas Day, but parkrun is part of the festive tradition for many, and it’s part of my day writing about the fastest times, after dinner of course. Firstly though, a big shout out to all the volunteers who made Christmas Day parkrun possible this weekend and the RDs who then uploaded all the results for us. Thanks!
The fastest lady of the bunch this weekend was Philippa Stone. Rocking up to Albert parkrun in Middlesbrough, the Middlesbrough AC and international cross-country athlete ran 16:32 to start Christmas Day with a bang.
A late addition is an excellent 14:50 from Finn McNally, at Preston Park in Brighton. The speedy athlete from Brighton Phoenix just pipped Daniel Jarvis to the fastest run of the Christmas weekend. We’ve updated the rankings but kept the 11th spot as we’re not one to take away Christmas presents, but we’ll just give extra.
Second quickest male was Daniel Jarvis at Grovelands parkrun, Enfield. Jarvis ran 14:52 to top the Christmas charts by just three seconds. The Bedford and County runner broke 14 minutes on the track for 5000m this year, with 13:55.02, so just goes to show the calibre of athlete enjoying parkrun this weekend.
Under 15/17 minutes to hit the podium
Scotland Morag Millar was another lady under 17 minutes, with 16:42 at the parkrun in Perth. The youth talent has been back in form in recent years with 2021 no different and including a track Pbs of 9:23.99 for 3000m and 15:43.57 for 5000m.
Sam Charlton at Town Moor parkrun was third quickest chap in 14:55. The Wallsend middle distance runner has mainly raced over 800/1500m this simmer and is now having a great time on the cross country too, with top 20 in the Euro Cross Trails in Sefton Park and a fifth place in Cardiff.
The two other athletes who got into third and fourth place were Bea Wood (16:53) at Salisbury parkrun and William Richardson (14:56) at Worcester Pitchcroft, young athletes with bright futures ahead of them for sure. Wood just recently represented Great Britain at the Euro Cross in Dublin-Fingal.
In case you missed it, there was an excellent interview with Sarahjane Cooke this week, who set a new course record at Belfast Victoria parkrun last weekend.
Fastest course
It seems fast people travelled in pairs this weekend, with plenty of people doubling up. Four courses saw two people feature in our rankings this week, with Grovelands Enfield, Worcester Pitchcroft, Salisbury and Bushy.
The fastest then? With a third and fourth it goes to Salisbury parkrun. Now I’m off to eat some mince pies and Christmas chocolates.
Men’s top 10
1) parkrun: Preston Park, Brighton
Finn McNally, 14:50, Brighton Phoenix
2) parkrun: Grovelands, Enfield
Daniel Jarvis, 14:52, Bedford & County AC
3) parkrun: Town Moor
Sam Charlton, 14:55, Wallsend Harriers & AC
4) parkrun: Worcester Pitchcroft
William Richardson, 14:56, Birchfield Harriers
5) parkrun: Salisbury
Jaymee Domoney, 15:00 City of Salisbury A & RC
6) parkrun: Southsea
Alex Teuten, 15:01, Southampton AC
7) parkrun: Norwich
Barclay Izzard, 15:09, Loughborough Triathlon
8) parkrun: Ecos, Ballymena
Peter Avent, 15:13, Shettleston Harriers
9) parkrun: Folkestone
Charlie Brisley, 15:14, Deal Triathlon Club
10) parkrun: Bushy
Sam Dykes, 15:15, Loughborough Students AC
11) parkrun: Coventry
Miles Clisham, 15:19, Coventry Godiva Harriers
Women’s top 10
1) parkrun: Albert, Middlesbrough
Philippa Stone, 16:32, Middlesbrough AC
2) parkrun: Perth
Morag Millar, 16:42, Central AC
3) parkrun: Salisbury
Beatrice Wood, 16:53,City of Salisbury A & RC
4) parkrun: Woodley
Kirsty Walker, 17:03, Reading AC
5) parkrun: Cassiobury
Alex Eykelbosch, 17:11, Dacorum AC
6) parkrun: Luton Wardown
Rebecca Murray, 17:27, Bedford & County AC
7) parkrun: Worcester Pitchcroft
Chloe Richardson, 17:31, Birchfield Harriers
8) parkrun: Bushy
Nancy Scott, 17:32, Aldershot, Farnham & District AC
9) parkrun: Grovelands, Enfield
Katie Brown, 17:15, Trent Park Running Club
10) parkrun: Southampton
Emma Howsham, 17:36, Reading AC
If you would like to run faster at parkrun we highly recommend 1001 Running Tips by Robbie Britton, found here.