With plenty of runners at the Inter-Counties cross country, one might expect the UK parkrun results to be a little slower this week, but no one told the runners. Here are the top times on Saturday (March 10).
Following the extreme weather that halted a lot of parkruns last week, runners were eager to get to back to some fast running. In the female ranks, seven runners ran under 18 minutes and 13 male runners under 16 minutes.
The quickest time of the week was by an unknown runner at St. Helen’s parkrun. But as is customary – no barcode – no shout out on the top 10.
Kurt Heron and Sam Hancox are this week’s top two men both running parkrun bests at Newcastle. Heron, in his 49th parkrun, ran a fantastic 15:32 with Morpeth Harriers’ Hancox only a second behind in 15:33.
Rosie Keane ran 17:02 at the Great Denham parkrun to top the women’s list. This was Keane’s first time at the Bedford based parkrun, but her 20th overall. The Luton AC runner has also won the Bramley 20 mile race in 2018.
Leed City AC’s Emma Clayton is a mountain running World and European medallist. This week Clayton ran 17:35 at Woodhouse Moor parkrun for the fourth quickest time.
As we have seen with plenty of British mountain runners in recent years, you need the flat speed too.
It’s good to see that all of the top ten runners are also members of clubs.
Men’s top 10
1) parkrun: Newcastle
Kurt Heron, 15:32, Ashington Hirst RC
2) parkrun: Newcastle
Sam Hancox, 15:33, Morpeth Harriers
3) parkrun: Long Eaton
Stuart Spencer, 15:33, Notts AC
4) parkrun: Finsbury
Adam Kirk-Smith, 15:34, Woodford Green AC
5) parkrun: Long Eaton
Daniel Rothwell, 15:39, Swansea Harriers
6) parkrun: Croxteth Hall
Chris Pownell, 15:41, Knowsley Harriers
7) parkrun: Bushy
Jake Shelley, 15:42, Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers
8) parkrun: Croxteth Hall
Martin Swensson, 15:44, Penny Lane Striders
9) parkrun: Worthing
James Bellward, 15:46, Raf AC
10) parkrun: St Andrews
Morgan Mitchell, 15:52, Fife AC
Women’s Top 10
1) parkrun: Great Denham
Rosie Keane, 17:02, Luton AC
2) parkrun: Livingston
Jo Williams, 17:28, Lothian RC
3) parkrun: Peterborough
Sophie Cowper, 17:31, Rotherham Harriers
4) parkrun: Woodhouse Moor
Emma Clayton, 17:35, Leeds City AC
5) parkrun: Wimpole Estate
Emma Bailey, 17:39, Canicross Cambridgeshire
6) parkrun: Dulwich
Amy Clements, 17:41, Kent AC
7) parkrun: Hampstead Heath
Hannah Viner, 17:46, Highgate Harriers
8) parkrun: Sherwood Pines
Vikki Hubbard, 18:09, Canicross Midlands
9) parkrun: Roundhay
Lizzie Browne, 18:12, Hallamshire Harriers
10) parkrun: Eastville
Phillipa Williams, 18:16, Elswick Harriers