Paul Martelletti and Jessica Anne Craig ran the fastest parkrun times in the UK this week (2nd October).

Normally we’d be confident in saying the fastest parkrun athlete of the week wasn’t running London Marathon the next day but with Paul Martelletti we had to double check. The UK based New Zealander is no stranger to these rankings, especially the top spot and it is great to see him back running under 15 minutes at parkrun.

With a 14:55 at Great Denham parkrun we hope the marathon and ultra-runner is planning a multiple week chart topping run, at the very least to save on some typing next Saturday.

Fastest lady this week was at Belfast Victoria parkrun in Northern Ireland and it must have been good conditions on the morning of the run. Jessica Anne Craig ran 16:46 and, like Martelletti was the only male under 15, was the only female athlete under 17 minutes this week.

It’s not even a parkrun PB for the North Down AC speedster, who ran 16:39 at the same event back in June of this year. Craig did finish the Antrim Coast Half with a new personal best this August, finishing eighth in 74:47.

Chuck and Pratt second best

Second fastest male was Edward Chuck at Dulwich parkrun with 15:03. The Dulwich Runner did break 15 minutes earlier this summer in Battersea Park with a 14:54 and could quite possibly be en route to a new marathon PB this autumn if he has a race in the plan.

At Fletcher Moss parkrun there was a new female record with Aimee Pratt finishing in 17:01. The GB steeplechaser hopefully didn’t have any hurdles this weekend, with the most likely being a dog on a long lead, and showed her class in what looks like her first parkrun. 2021 now includes a first Olympics and a first parkrun, that’s some year.

Belfast Victoria busy with fast legs

Neil McCartan was one of four athletes at the Belfast Victoria event this weekend who made this top 10 article. After a summer on the track the Mark Kirk coached runner clocked 15:05 to finish first ahead of Cathaoir Purvis (15:25) and Christopher Madden (15:30) not far behind.

Whilst Becky Roberts was the third fastest this weekend, we do feel it may have been as part of a dog-human team so have not included her in the results. If we’ve got this wrong then please do let us know on mydogwasntpullingmeround@fastrunning.com. Or robbie@fastruning.com.

That left Lauren Church, of Uni of Bath Tri Club, to claim the third imaginary step on the virtual podium this week. 17:19 is a huge parkrun PB (of nearly four minutes since the last one in 2014) but in line with a recent 17:16 for second place at the PB 5k in Ardingly and a season with PBs over 800m and 1500m on the track.

Men’s top 10

1) parkrun: Great Denham
Paul Martelletti, 14:55, Victoria Park Harriers & Tower Hamlets AC
2) parkrun: Dulwich
Edward Chuck, 15:03, Dulwich Runners AC
3) parkrun: Belfast Victoria
Neil McCartan, 15:05, East Down AC
4=) parkrun: Peel
Karl Darcy, 15:23, Salford Harriers and AC
4=) parkrun: Hove Prom
Ben Savill, 15:23, Lewes AC
6=) parkrun: Belfast Victoria
Cathaoir Purvis, 15:25, North Belfast Harriers
6=) parkrun: Doddington Hall
Jordan Skelly, 15:25, Gainsborough & Morton Striders AC
8) parkrun: Storeys Field 
Ian Williamson, 15:27, Birchfield Harriers
9) parkrun: Stratford-upon-Avon
Ben Kruze, 15:29
10) parkrun: Belfast Victoria
Christopher Madden, 15:30, City of Lisburn AC

Women’s top 10

1) parkrun: Belfast Victoria 
Jessica Anne Craig, 16:46, North Downs AC
2) parkrun: Fletcher Moss
Aimee Pratt, 17:01
3) parkrun: Woodley
Lauren Church, 17:19, Uni of Bath Tri Club
4) parkrun: Charlton
Holly Dixon, 17:23, Cambridge Harriers
5) parkrun: Burgess
Julia Bijl, 17:38, London Heathside
6=) parkrun: Durham
Alice Crane. 17:42
6=) parkrun: Dalby Forest
Emily Gelipter, 17:42
8) parkrun: Edinburgh
Jessica Christie, 17:43, Falkirk Victoria Harriers
9) parkrun: Charlton
Kerry O’Flaherty, 17:49, Newcastle & District AC
10) parkrun: Stevenage
Tamara Armoush, 17:49, Birchfield Harriers

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