Abbie Donnelly and Toby Cooke ran the fastest parkrun times in the UK this week (29th January).

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

We’re not 100% what’s happening with the results this week, but it’s probably fair to say five people in Glossop didn’t break 12:43 for 5k. Just in case Michael Cooke and chums did herald in the new era of jet-packed super shoes, you heard it here first.

Toby Cooke, of Winchester AC, does have some serious wheels and looks to have led home a charging horde at Dulwich parkrun. The 14:30.64 5000m runner stopped the timer at 14:34 in the south-east London park this morning, and in less than one minute five other runners had joined him.

Fastest female was a familiar name in Abbie Donnelly of Lincoln Wellington AC. Taking only 16:43 to leg it round Doddington Hall is always a good way to end up atop the weekly parkrun rankings and following on from an outstanding 1oth at the World Athletics Northern Ireland International cross country last weekend, it’s been a great start to 2022.

Following fast

It must have been a surprisingly busy morning for whoever was on the finish line at Dulwich Park. 15 seconds after Cooke there was Charlie Eastuagh charging across the line in 14:49. The Hercules Wimbledon athlete broke his own PBs for 800, 1500, mile, 5000m and 5k in 2021, then finished the year with a 5 mile best of 24:33 at the Friday Under the Lights Christmas 5 in December.

Third, fourth, fifth and sixth were also all runners at Dulwich, being possibly the biggest shut out of the rankings since we started the top 10s. Flurry Grierson was the only other runner under 15 minutes with 14:57, but all six were under 15:21.

Gemma Kersey was the second quickest female this weekend and also broke 17 minutes. Coming off the back of a 2021 that saw a focus on 1500, 3000 and steeplechase, the Basildon AC athlete ran 16:55 at Raphael parkrun after some strong cross country last Autumn obviously a great endurance base.

At Northampton parkrun Alice Bates was the third fastest female this weekend with 17:12. A member of Kettering Town Harriers, Bates is still an U20 athlete who has been improving year on year, with an excellent 4:29.33 for 1500m in July last summer.

The fastest event this week?

Feels a bit silly even typing this out this weekend. Six men and one woman made the top 10 this week from Durham. Maybe there was a following wind for the whole loop, but we think that’s called a hurricane, so unlikely. Just a bunch of hardworking athletes enjoying a fast parkrun on a Saturday morning.

Men’s top 10

1) parkrun:Dulwich
Toby Cooke, 14:34
2) parkrun: Dulwich
Charlie Eastaugh, 14:49, Hercules Wimbledon AC
3) parkrun: Dulwich
Flurry Grierson, 14:57, Sidmouth
4) parkrun: Dulwich
James Cameron Hancocks, 15:04, Sutton & District AC
5) parkrun: Dulwich
Sean Fitzpatrick, 15:10, Kent AC
6) parkrun: Dulwich
Henry Hart, 15:21.
7) parkrun: Cardiff
Max Davis, 15:25, Avon Valley Runners
8) parkrun: Burgess
Adam Milberry, 15:27, Victoria Park Harriers & Tower Hamlets AC
9) parkrun: Telford
Philip Nicholls, 15:29, Birchfield Harriers
10) parkrun: Charlton
Chris McGurk, 15:32, Notts AC

Women’s top 10

1) parkrun: Doddington Hall
Abbie Donnelly, 16:43, Lincoln Wellington AC
2) parkrun: Raphael
Gemma Kersey, 16:55
3) parkrun: Northampton
Alice Bates, 17:12, Kettering Town Harriers
4) parkrun: Comber
Rebecca Rossiter, 17:19
5) parkrun: Stretford
Ty Brockley-Langford, 17:29, Salford Harriers & AC
6) parkrun: Poole
Vicki Ingham, 17:35, Poole Runners
7) parkrun: Congleton
Laura Gray, 17:41, Vale Royal AC
8) parkrun: Dulwich
Michelle Pearson, 17:43
9) parkrun: Burgess
Julia Bijl, 17:46
10) parkrun: Croxteth Hall
Kirsty Longley, 17:53, Liverpool Pembroke & Sefton Harriers & AC

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