Padraig Moran and Katie Kirk ran the fastest parkrun times in the UK this weekend (26th October)

Padraig Moran of Mullingar Harriers ran the fastest parkrun time in Ireland this weekend to clock the second fastest time run on the Mullingar course. Moran has been in fantastic form in 2019 including clocking a 5000m PB of 14:26.21 in Belgium in July and 31:29 at the Dunboyne 10k.

Coach Mark Kirk had a good day at Belfast Victoria with several athlete’s he coaches featuring in the men’s and women’s top 10. The Ballymena man is coach to Neil Johnston, Luke Dinsmore, Conall Kirk and also the fastest woman this week Katie Kirk.

Kirk is a well known name in Irish athletics having competed at the 2014 Commonwealth Games and picking up a British Championships bronze medal in the same year. The 800m specialist has a PB of 2:02.63 and her time of 17:39 at Belfast Victoria was just five seconds outside her parkrun best.

With 15:17 at Belfast Victoria Neil Johnston was the second quickest parkrunner in Ireland this week. The Ballymena & Antrim man is the Northern Ireland & Ulster 5000m champion and has a 5000m best of 14:22.74 and was 2nd at the Manchester International 3000m in August.

Close behind Johnston was Brendan Conway whose time of 15:24 was enough to break the course record at Westport. Conway was a winner of last week’s Aughagower 10k and the week before won the North East Galway 10km in a busy competitive period for the Westport man.

Usually to be seen at the top of the listings it was second this week for Annette Kealy this week with 17:42 at Malahide parkrun but it was a notable performance for the masters athlete as she clocked a new parkrun PB with an amazing WAVA grading of 95.86%.

Rachel Gibson of North Down AC was third fastest with 17:47 at Waterworks. Gibson who ran her first sub 17 5km at last month’s Rathfarnham 5K finished 13th at last week’s SPAR Autumn Open International Cross Country.

Men’s top 10

1) parkrun: Mullingar
Padraig Moran, 15:11, Mullingar Harriers
2) parkrun: Belfast Victoria
Neil Johnston, 15:17, Springwell RC
3) parkrun: Wesport
Brendan Conway, 15:24, Westport AC
4) parkrun: Belfast Victoria
Luke Dinsmore, 15:40, Springwell RC
5) parkrun: Belfast Victoria
Conall Kirk, 15:44, Lagan Valley AC
6) parkrun: Belfast Victoria
Peter Gracey, 15:56, Beechmount Harriers
7) parkrun: Waterworks
Tony McCambridge, 16:01
8) parkrun: Malahide
Daire Bermingham, 16:18, Raheny Shamrock AC
9) parkrun: Waterford Nature
Brian Murphy, 16:29, Carrick-on-Suir AC
10) parkrun: Belfast Victoria
Conor Curran, 16:31, North Belfast Harriers

Women’s top 10

1) parkrun: Belfast Victoria
Katie Kirk, 17:39, Queen’s University AC
2) parkrun: Malahide
Annette Kealy, 17:42, Raheny Shamrock AC
3) parkrun: Waterworks
Rachel Gibson, 17:47, North Down AC
4) parkrun: Dundalk
Laura Mathews, 18:36, North East Runners
5=) parkrun: Griffeen
Sarah MacMahon, 18:44, Dundrum South Dublin Athletic Club
5=) parkrun: Castlewellan
Mari Troeng, 18:44, Newcastle & District AC
7) parkrun: Ballincollig
Carol Finn, 18:46
8) parkrun: Poppintree
Eimear Wisemaan, 19:02, Letterkenny AC
9) parkrun: Porterstown
Adrienne Jordan, 19:08, Metro St Brigid’s
10) parkrun: Oldbridge
Mary Leech, 19:14

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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