Holly Archer and Andrew Heyes ran the fastest parkrun times in the UK this week (14th August).
Firs lady was Sophie Harris at Northampton parkrun. The Herne Hill Harrier ran 16:45, which is a parkrun PB, but still about 20 seconds slower than the 5000m and 5k PBs with the 16:23 5k best being run this year at Bedford Autodrome.
We appreciate Andrew Heyes choosing a different parkrun this week and adjusting his time by 2 seconds to 14:47. Otherwise it might just have been a little confusing for everyone reading when the speedster turned up on the top of the rankings for a consecutive week.
David Barratt, our second quickest male with 15:04 at Oldham parkrun is used to being first across finish line in 2021. Barratt looked to have a great weekend at the Tour of Tameside, with wins over 10k, 7 miles and half marathon.
Two more female ran under 17 minutes this week with Metro Aberdeen’s Virginie Barrand and Cambridge Harrier’s Holly Dixon running 16:50 and 16:59 respectively.
Barrand set a new 10k PB this year at the Back to Basics 10k in Forres, with 35:29, after an excellent 50k debut in May at the UltraX Scotland.
Dixon, who has PB’d from 800m up to 10k, and every distance in between, in 2021, added a new parkrun PB to the list that includes a Kent County Championship over 1500m and South of England over 5000m.
Is that a man and his dog, or just a man?
In seventh spot we have youth international Duncan Robinson, who’s club is listed as Cani-Sports Fife. There is the possibly that Duncan isn’t getting a dog assisted performance though, as the U20 has run the 3000m in8:26.33 at the European U20 Champs this summer and has a PB of 8:15.90 so the time is well within his capabilities.
The fastest events this week, courtesy of both having a pair in the top 10 rankings, were Woodhouse Moor and Northampton parkruns.
Men’s top 10
1) parkrun: Eastville
Andrew Heyes, 14:47, Hallamshire Harriers Sheffield AC
2) parkrun: Oldham
David Barratt, 15:04, Salford
5) parkrun: Bushy
Jake Shelley, 15:13, Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers
4) parkrun: Chelmsford Central
Stephen Strange, 15:14, Tonbridge AC
5) parkrun: Lincoln
William Strangeway, 15:24, Lincoln Wellington AC
6) parkrun: Worthing
Andrew McCaskill, 15:29
7) parkrun: Pollok
Duncan Robinson, 15:29, Cani-Sports Fife.
8) parkrun: Linwood
Jack Heathwood, 15:32, Bellahouston Harriers
9) parkrun: Woodhouse Moor
Cameron Reilly, 15:37, Ilkley Harriers AC
10=) parkrun: Wolverhampton
Jamie Lambie, 15:38, Shrewsbury AC
10=) parkrun: Aylesbury
Kieran Lindars, 15:38, Vale of Aylesbury AC
Women’s top 10
1) parkrun: Northampton
Sophie Harris, 16:45, Herne Hill Harriers
2) parkrun: Aberdeen
Virginie Barrand, 16:50, Metro Aberdeen RRC
3) parkrun: Littlehampton Prom
Holly Dixon, 16:59, Cambridge Harriers
4) parkrun: Folkestone
Chloe Tighe, 17:06
5) parkrun: Strathclyde
Jenny Bannerman, 17:13, Inverness Harriers AAC
6) parkrun: Doddington Hall
Sophie Wallis, 17:21
7) parkrun: Woodhouse Moor
Katy Wood, 17:23, York Acorn RC
8) parkrun: Northampton
Lauren Hall, 17:24, Aldershot, Farnham & District AC
9=) parkrun: Tamar Lakes
Sophie Wood, 17:36, Sale Harriers Manchester
9=) parkrun: Penrose
Issy Waugh, 17:36, Sheffield Tri
If you would like to run faster at parkrun, top tips to help runners of all abilities can be found here.