Charlotte Arter and Paul Graham ran the fastest parkrun times in the UK this week (1st February).

Dulwich parkrun: We’ve been dominating the parkrun rankings recently.

Cardiff parkrun: Hold my beer…

Charlotte Arter showed her international class with a new fastest parkrun in the world this weekend. The Cardiff AC and GB star ran 15:49 at the fast south Wales event, with training partner Clara Evans only 15 seconds behind in 16:04.

After ending 2019 with a seventh place finish in the SPAR European XC Championships in Lisbon, Portugal, Arter opens 2020 with a blistering performance at parkrun. It’s not far off the Saucony athlete’s 15:39 5k best on the road or her 15:40.15 on the track for 5000m.

Clara Evans’ 16:04 actually brings her sixth on the UK all time parkrun rankings too and it’s only a matter of seconds away form her own 5k road best. What a way to start the year for the Welsh international. As we’ve said a lot recently British distance runner is in an exciting place with so much talent around.

There were some speedy chaps too

The men’s quickest performance of the week was also at Cardiff, with Paul Graham, a Pontypridd Roadents like Evans, running 14:50 and being one of three meant to break 15 minutes this week, the others being ever-present Seyfu Jamaal of London Heathside (14:55) and James McCrae of Hallamshire Harriers Sheffield AC (14:57), who was also at Cardiff.

It was a Welsh 1-2-3 for the ladies, with Alaw Beynon-Thomas running 17:07 at Llanelli Coast, which is a parkrun PB and comes off a strong 36:05 at Speedway 10k for fourth spot.

Men’s top 10

1) parkrun: Cardiff
Paul Graham, 14:50, Pontypridd Roadents AC
2) parkrun: Dulwich
Seyfu Jamaal, 14:55, London Heathside
3) parkrun: Cardiff
James McCrae, 14:57, Hallamshire Harriers Sheffield AC
4) parkrun: Exmouth
Phil Wylie, 15:09, Cheltenham & County Harriers
5) parkrun: Blyth Links
Daniel Dixon, 15:12, Morpeth Harriers & AC
6) parkrun: Pegwell Bay
Christopher Thomas, 15:15, Thames Valley Harriers
7) parkrun: Cardiff
Jack Bancroft, 15:23, Wells City Harriers
8) parkrun: Bushy
Andrew Douglas, 15:25, Inverclyde AC
9=) parkrun: Dulwich
Matt Dickinson, 15:28, Clapham Chasers RC
9=) parkrun: Blyth Links
George Lowry, 15:28, Jarrow and Hebburn AC

Women’s top 10

1) parkrun: Cardiff
Charlotte Arter, 15:49, University of Wales Institute Cardiff AC
2) parkrun: Cardiff 
Clara Evans, 16:04, Pontypridd Roadents AC
3) parkrun: Llanelli Coast 
Alaw Beynon-Thomas, 17:07, Swansea Harriers AC
4) parkrun: Aberdeen
Jenny Bannerman, 17:12, Inverness Harriers AAC
5) parkrun: Alexandra, Moss Side
Harriet Knowles-Jones, 17:22, Warrington AC
6) parkrun: Heaton 
Sinead Bent, 17:31, Salford Harriers & AC
7) parkrun: Walsall Arboretum 
Kelly Butler, 17:33, Birchfield Harriers
8) parkrun: Burnham and Highbridge 
Hannah Taunton, 17:40, Taunton AC
9=) parkrun: Cannon Hill, Birmingham
Bryony Haines, 17:41, Birchfield Harriers
9=) parkrun: Burgess
Charlene Jacobs-Conradie, 17:41, Luton AC

If you would like to run faster at parkrun, top tips to help runners of all abilities can be found here.

Are you a fan of Fast Running? Then please support us and become a patron. For as little as the price of a monthly magazine you can support Fast Running – and it only takes a minute. Thank you