Kate Holt and Jake Shelley ran the fastest parkrun times in the UK this week (21st August).

Kate Holt cruised throughs the 16 minute barrier for the first time today with a sublime 15:55 at The Wammy parkrun.

With actually one of the fastest female parkruns we’ve ever seen in the UK, the City of Stoke athlete went faster than her PB for 5000m and 5k on the roads, so it will be great to possibly see those revised in the near future too.

The Midlands XC Champ is a regular in the top ten at the Nationals, but has never before entered the cross country season with this kind of form over the five kilometre distance, so it could be an exciting time ahead this Autumn for Holt.

Jake Shelley decided to finally pull his finger out after a couple of weeks hidden in our top ten, despite us knowing he was more than capable of topping the charts. A swift 14:43 at Bushy parkrun was all it took for the sub 8 minute 3000m man.

We’re actually not sure what changed to take the 30 seconds off Shelley’s time this week, maybe he just left the oven at home and realised halfway through?

High calibre ladies at parkrun

Normally a 16:13 would be enough to be right at the top of the women’s rankings and Nicole Taylor of Tonbridge is someone who normally is ranked #1. 2021 has already seen a 15:54 at Podium 5k in May, so a parkrun PB was always on the cards this year.

Ben Davies of Bedford & County AC was another athlete to break 15 minutes this week with 14:51 at Great Denham parkrun. The U23 has a 14:01 PB from the super fast and competitive Ipswich Twilight 5k, but this is his first parkrun under 15 minutes.

The two other ladies under 17 minutes this week were Sophie Harris (16:33) and U13 starlet Emer McKee (16:59), who has a 16:27 PB from the Lisburn Festival of Running earlier this year.

William Richardson is a regular on the parkrun top 10, when the top 10 was a little more regular too, and clocked 15:00 flat at Cannon Hill in Birmingham.

With two runners a piece, Cannon Hill and Great Denham were the two most frequent, but Great Denham dipped at the line to grab fastest event with a 2nd and 8th position. Chapeau.

Men’s top 10

1) parkrun: Bushy
Jake Shelley, 14:43, Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers
2) parkrun: Great Denham
Ben Davies, 14:51, Bedford & County AC
3) parkrun: Cannon Hill, Birmingham 
William Richardson, 15:00, Birchfield Harriers
4) parkrun: Lincoln
Matthew Bowser, 15:12
5) parkrun: Littlehampton Prom
Jacob Cann, 15:14, Horsham Blue Star Harriers
6=) parkrun: Market Rasen
Tom Straw, 15:15
6=) parkrun: Norwich 
Tyler Bilyard, 15:15, Great Yarmouth & District AC
8) parkrun: Conwy
JBryn Woodall, 15:16, Colwyn Bay AAC
9) parkrun: Nonsuch
James Cameron Hancock, 15:17, Sutton & District AC
10=) parkrun: Maxima
Cameron Milne, 15:18, Central AC

Women’s top 10

1) parkrun:  The Wammy
Kate Holt, 15:55, City of Stoke AC
2) parkrun: Tonbridge
Nicole Taylor, 16:13, Tonbridge AC
3) parkrun: Northampton
Sophie Harris, 16:33, Herne Hill Harriers
4) parkrun: Belfast Victoria
Emer McKee, 16:59, Willowfield Harriers
5) parkrun: Leicester Victoria
Amy Griffiths, 17:01
6) parkrun: Lincoln
Sophie Wallis, 17:23
7) parkrun: Cardiff
Tamara Beach, 17:31, Les Croupiers RC
8=) parkrun: Great Denham
Amy Killick, 17:33, Leighton Buzzard AC
8=) parkrun: Alness
Catriona Fraser, 17:33, Inverness Harriers AAC
10) parkrun: Cannon Hill, Birmingham 
Bryony Haines, 17:34, Birchfield Harriers

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