Paul Martelletti is the fastest male, whilst Tamara Beach and Olivia Tsim both ran the fastest parkrun times in the UK this week (30th October).

It was a virtual photo finish for the ladies this week, with Tamara Beach and Olivia Tsim in Cornwall and South Wales repetitively. Both clocked 17:11 with it being enough to jointly take the top spot by just two seconds.

It’s been fantastic consistency for Tsim this October with not one, not two, but now three 17:12 performances, all three at different events too. We’re not sure what happened at Pontypridd on the 9th October, when Tsim ran 17:22 but can only imagine there was some congestion that stop it being four lots of 17:12.

Beach, who ran 16:07 at Trelissick parkrun when running with her hound in a cani-cross run at the start of the month, is a 2:45 marathoner, but has only run at parkrun events this year.

Paul Martelletti, no stranger to the top spot, was the only runner under 15 minutes with 14:49 at Great Denham parkrun, apparently running past the window of ultra-runner and author James Adams who thought someone has stolen something, before seeing the rest of the field chasing the Kiwi endurance star.

The rest of the podiums

At the fast Northampton parkrun it was Sophie Harris, of Herne Hill Harriers, who was fastest female. Just two seconds behind the top two in 17:13, but a solid 12 seconds quicker than 70.3 Ironman world champ Lucy Charles at Gunpowder parkrun.

With the South Wales theme continuing it was Felix McGrath who was quickest at Cardiff parkrun with 15:09. Having already run a 14:43 5k PB in July, McGrath is well into cross country now, having already finished 17th at the competitive Cardiff Cross this month.

Up in Scotland it was Peter Avent, another regular in these rankings, who ran 15:15 at Edinburgh parkrun. The V35 athlete is still running PBs with his first sub 15 min 5k coming in July, followed by one more of 14:52 to win the Eyemouth Twilight 5k and a sub 15 at parkrun too.

Fastest event

Cardiff parkrun is fast course and also a city with a lot of fast athletes, so is often the fastest course in our rankings too. If you’re near the South Wales city and want a new parkrun PB, it’s certainly one to check out.

Men’s top 10

1) parkrun: Great Denham
Paul Martelletti, 14:49, Victoria Park Harriers & Tower Hamlets AC
2) parkrun: Cardiff
Felix McGrath, 15:09, Newcastle (Staffs) AC
3) parkrun: St Andrews
Peter Avent, 15:15, Shettleston Harriers
4=) parkrun: Albert, Middlesbrough
Max Creasey, 15:19, Middlesborough AC
4=) parkrun: Crichton
Conan Harper, 15:19, Teviotdale Harriers
6) parkrun: Southport
Joseph Monk, 15:24, Preston Harriers
7) parkrun: Long Eaton
Tony Payne, 15:24, Notts AC
8) parkrun: Maidstone
Marshall Smith, 15:25, Ashford AC
9) parkrun: Redcar
Kieran Walker, 15:26
10) parkrun: Tamar Lakes
Chris Livesey, 15:26, Salford Harriers and AC

Women’s top 10

1=) parkrun: Penrose
Tamara Beach, 17:11, Les Croupiers RC
1=) parkrun: Tremorfa
Olivia Tsim, 17:11, Cardiff AAC
3) parkrun: Northampton
Sophie Harris, 17:13, Herne Hill Harriers
4) parkrun: Gunpowder
Lucy Charles, 17:25, Orion Harriers
5=) parkrun: Fletcher Moss
Sophie Wood, 17:29, Sale Harriers Manchester
5=) parkrun: Coventry 
Abbie Milnes, 17:29, Aldershot, Farnham & District AC
7) parkrun: Bushy
Olivia Matthews, 17:32, Clapham Chasers RC
8) parkrun: Belfast Victoria
Caitlyn Harvey, 17:36, Annadale Striders
9) parkrun: York
Bryony Haines, 17:39, Birchfield Harriers
10) parkrun: Cardiff 
Georgia Palmer, 17:48, Cheltenham & County Harriers

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