Sophie Wallis and Callum Hanlon ran the fastest parkrun times in the UK this weekend (20th January).

Our weekly parkrun top ten is now sponsored by Vertebrate Publishing (my publisher) and here’s a link to buy my book on their website. They actually have a bunch of great books to choose from, especially the mountaineering ones, so don’t feel like you have to buy 1001 Running Tips.

This week it’s the women results that stand out as stronger with two runners under 17 minutes, but no men breaking 15, and that’s without looking at the parkrun Down Under results (see below).

Sophie Wallis is top of the pops with 16:20 at Doddington Hall parkrun, where she has a stellar course record of 15:50 set in December 2022. The Lincoln Wellington athlete has already ran two strong 10k times in 2024, with a 33:18 at the world record course of 10K Valencia Ibercaja and 33:35 at the not so world record course (but still lovely) Cleethorpes AC New Years Day 10K.

Callum Hanlon, of Leamington C & AC was first home at Warwick Racecourse parkrun in 15:19. It’s two seconds slower than his fastest parkrun of the year and not quite the 14:51 parkrun PB set in July 2022 at the same event, but after an outing at Birmingham League cross country as well it’s a good month to start 2024 for Hanlon.

The best of the rest

Emily Rose Moyes was the other female athlete under 17 minutes at the home of parkrun, Bushy Park. The AFD runner clocked 16:51 and took a massive chunk off of her parkrun best of 17:28 from last year. It’s also one second quicker than a 5k road best from 2018 and it’s only a 5000m mark ahead with 16:30.99. It’s only January though, so this could be a year of PBs ahead!

Harry Lawson was also at Bushy Park for a double second place for the event and it was 15:24 for first finisher. The Holland Sports AC athlete was eight seconds quicker than his previous parkrun best and, the same as Moyes, it’s only on the track is the time quicker with a 5000m PB of 15:23.33. Maybe Bushy Park was a place to show your intent for the year today!

Two runners ran 17:20 today to tie for third place with Amy Clements of Kent AC and Rebecca Bunting of London Heathside both running well at Dulwich and Lordship Recreation Ground parkruns. Even then there was two more runners close by in 17:21 and 17:22, a high quality weekend at parkrun.

Same drill for the chaps, two runners tied on 17:26 with William Strangeway and James Tucker. Like Wallis in 1st place, Strangeway is another Lincoln Wellington athlete and has a 2:18:01 marathon PB. Tucker is a City of York AC runner with a 3:06 marathoner PB (2021) but given he has a 14:39 5k and 31:03 10k best that marathon PB will be quicker in future if he wants to run one.

The fastest course

Three courses featured twice, Bushy, Southampton and Walsall Arboretum, but with matching second places it’s Bushy Park that takes the win this week.

The fastest time in the world?

Special mention to Lissy Duncan at Maribyrnong parkrun in Australia. We know it’s summer time there, but 15:39 is some going regardless of the weather. The Australian International has a 5000m best of 15:18.43.

Women’s Rankings

Men’s Rankings