Gemma Steel and GrahamRush ran the fastest parkrun times in the UK this week (14th May).

Our weekly parkrun top ten is sponsored by 1001 Running Tips by our editor Robbie Britton. Order your copy today.

First I would like to start with a huge thank you to the two fastest females this week who held the same position at the same events and saved a tired chap from having to change those rankings. Gemma Steel was six seconds faster this week at Watermead Country Park with a blistering 16:33. Great to see Steel running well and week to week as well.

Second placed Holly Lathwell was 17 seconds quicker, an even bigger improvement, but not quite enough to grab the top spot. The Luton AC runner clocked 17:09 at Great Denham parkrun and again looks to be set for a stellar 2022 ahead.

Leeds City athlete Graham Rush was the fastest man and only one under 15 minutes with 14:55 at York parkrun. Having already been on form on the country, with a Yorkshire champs win and 7th at Northerns, the clubman has been an important part of the road relays team for Leeds too. A bit off his parkrun best of 14:37, but with a road 5k mark of 13:49 you know that it was probably a controlled training effort today.

The rest of the podium

Next up for the chaps was William Richardson. The Birchfield Harrier ran 15:01 at Worcester Pitchcroft and got a new best for 2022. Seeing as all of Richardson’s results on Power of 10 for this year are parkruns, it’s great to see them getting faster and closer to his 14:56 personal best set last year.

At Normanby Hall it was Lindsay Skinner who was first female across the line and third in our rankings. Already this Spring Skinner has seen a half marathon PB and win at Boston Half Marathon (UK) with 79:35, which looks like her marathon PB of 3:24 is in danger!

Third male Lee Gratton was in the top ten last week too, but jumps up from middle table into the European Champions League spots this week with 15:14 at Isabel Trail parkrun. Given the name we’d assume that’s not on road, so a decent effort in less than speedy conditions, although the event does feature regularly in our rankings. Gratton has been racing all over the shop this year, on the road, cross country and trails. The Staffordshire county champ has won the Rugeley 10 and was second at the Forest of Dean Spring Trails Half Marathon.

Fastest course?

Having just returned from three days of cycling up and down hills for 7-8 hours a day, I might well be missing something here but it looks like we have 20 results from 20 different parkruns. So everyone’s a winner. Or no one. You can choose, depending on which you prefer.

Men’s top 10

1) parkrun: York
Graham Rush, 14:55, Leeds City
2) parkrun: Worcester Pitchcroft 
William Richardson, 15:01, Birchfield Harriers
3) parkrun: Isabel Trail
Lee Gratton, 15:14, Run and Ride
4) parkrun: St Albans
James McMurray, 15:15, St Albans AC
5) parkrun: Cyclopark
Ed Bovingdon, 15:17, Istead and Ilfield Harriers
6) parkrun: Long Eaton
Nick Castle, 15:21, Loughborough Triathlon
7) parkrun: Tilgate
James Westlake, 15:30, Crawley AC
8) parkrun: Rutland Water
Michael Kallenberg, 15:23, Carmathen & District Harriers AC
9) parkrun: Lincoln
William Strangeway, 15:24, Lincoln Wellington AC
10) parkrun: Dulwich
Jack Millar, 15:25, Bristol & West AC

Women’s top 10

1) parkrun: Watermead County
Gemma Steel, 16:33, Charnwood AC
2) parkrun: Great Denham
Holly Lathwell, 17:09, Luton AC
3) parkrun: Normanby Hall
Lindsay Skinner, 17:26
4) parkrun: Sutcliffe
Katie Rowland, 17:30, Kent AC
5) parkrun: Oak Hill
Rebecca Bunting, 17:33, London Heathside
6) parkrun: Springburn, Glasgow
Valencia Wright, 17:37, Giffnock North AAC
7) parkrun: Northampton
Hayley Munn, 17:38, Kettering Town Harriers
8) parkrun: Belfast Victoria
Sarahjane Cooke, 17:46, Annadale Striders
9) parkrun: Southampton
Vicky Gill, 17:53.
10) parkrun: Edinburgh 
Rhiannon Kirk, 18:01, Edinburgh University Hare and Hounds.

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