Adam Kirk-Smith and Jessica Anne Craig ran the fastest parkrun times in the UK this week (6th November).

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

If you wanted to feature in our parkrun top 10 rankings this week there was only one place to be. Belfast Victoria parkrun is known for being fast, but this weekend was a first. A whole bunch of speedsters rocked up at the same event and caused a right stir.

Fastest of the ladies was Jessica Anne Craig of North Down AC. Leading three under 17 minutes, two at the same event, Craig ran 16:45 at Belfast Victoria parkrun to take the top spot this week. Not quite a new parkrun best for Craig, who ran 16:39 this summer, but continuing a consistency strong and rewarding year. The highlight possibly being an excellent 34:11 at Leeds Abbey Dash in October.

Fast male was Adam Kirk-Smith leading an unprecedented top four at the same event. Belfast Victoria had five of the top six males this week. With two breaking 15 minutes it was a big parkrun PB for the Northern Irish athlete, clocking 14:46. Equalling his 5000m best from the track back in 2018. It comes off the back of a late summer 1500m focus that saw a new PB of 3:43.07.

Only one could break the Belfast Victoria podium dominance

It took an athlete of true international calibre to break the Northern-Irish podium storm this weekend. Mhairi MacLennan ran 16:47 at Edinburgh parkrun up in Scotland. Whilst 16:47 is a new parkrun best for the Scot, it is still a whole minute behind the 15:47 PB set at Podium 5k earlier this year, such is the calibre of athlete we’re talking of.

Second fastest chap, also under 15 minutes, was Luke Dinsmore. The Annadale Strider ran 14:57, just eleven seconds behind Kirk-Smith. The middle distance focused runner did break 15 for the first time on the track this year with a 14:59.91 and we have no doubt there will be an equivalent sub 15 5k on the roads in the future too.

Both third place spots were at Belfast Victoria too with Tony McCambridge running 15:05 and Aoife McGreevy 16:52. Both youngster ran parkrun PBs, and McGeevy’s jump from 18:35 (2019) to under 17 minutes shows the huge progress she has made in the last couple of years.

The fastest parkrun this week?

No prizes for guessing this one. Belfast Victoria took five of the top six in the mens and three of the top four in the womens. They fill both top spots and 70% of the top five across both genders. Worth noting that Stretford parkrun had three spots in our mens rankings, which would normally be enough for fastest event of the week.

Men’s top 10

1) parkrun: Belfast Victoria
Adam Kirk-Smith, 14:46, Woodford Green AC and Essex Ladies
2) parkrun: Belfast Victoria
Luke Dinsmore, 14:57, Annadale Striders
3) parkrun: Belfast Victoria
Tony McCambridge, 15:05.
4) parkrun: Belfast Victoria
Stephen Connolly, 15:09, Annadale Striders
5) parkrun: Ashford
Marshall Smith, 15:16, Ashford AC
6) parkrun: Belfast Victoria
Adam Spratt, 15:18
7) parkrun: Stretford
Tom Charles, 15:20, Trafford AC
8) parkrun: Linwood
Robbie Ferguson, 15:21, Kilbarchan AAC
9) parkrun: Stretford
Simon Crawford, 15:22, Long Eaton RC
10) parkrun: Stretford
Steven Curley, 15:23, Chorlton Runners

Women’s top 10

1) parkrun: Belfast Victoria
Jessica Anne Craig, 16:45, North Down AC
2) parkrun: Edinburgh 
Mhairi MacLennan, 16:47
3) parkrun: Belfast Victoria
Aoife McGreevy, 16:52.
4) parkrun: Belfast Victoria
Sarahjane Cooke, 17:13, Victoria Park and Connswater AC
5) parkrun: Pegwell Bay
Chloe Sharp, 17:15, Central Park Athletics
6) parkrun: Bryn Bach
Lauren Cooper, 17:18, Parc Bryn Bach Running Club
7) parkrun: Prospect
Jessica Gibbon, 17:20, Reading AC
8) parkrun: Bushy
Katie Brown, 17:29, Trent Park Running Club
9) parkrun: Worthing
Rachel Gifford, 17:38, Birmingham Running Athletics and Triathlon Club
10) parkrun: Cannon Hill, Birmingham
Bryony Haines, 17:39, Birchfield Harriers

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