Gemma Steel and Andrew Heyes ran the fastest parkrun times in the UK this week (7th May).

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

Great to see GB&NI cross country star Gemma Steel back flying over 5km on a Saturday morning. Steel, who has been popping up n the rankings a few times this year, ran an excellent 16:39 at Watermead County parkrun today. The Charnwood AC athlete won on the roads just two weeks ago with a 34:17 at Leicester’s Big 10K, so keeps 2022’s strong running on the up and up.

Nothing beats a bit of family rivalry, and Andrew Heyes told us it was a “pleasure to join my wife as a Roberts Parkrun record holder.”

After recently being selected to run for Great Britain over the marathon at the European Championships, Heyes  ran 15:01 at Robert s Park on the back of a solid week of training for the bigger distance.

On keeping up with his wife, Lauren Heyes, who often features atop our rankings as well, the chair of the UKA Athletes Commission said “Lauren has decided that we aim to jointly hold as many of possible when we get the opportunities to run one.”

The rest of the virtual podium

Only five seconds separated the next two runners in the women’s rankings with Holly Lathwell and Lucy Lavender both running well. Lathwell’s  17:25 at Luton Wardown parkrun was only three seconds off the PB the U17 distance runner clocked earlier this year of 17:22 at the same event.

Lavender ran a parkrun PB of 17:30 on Hove Promenade, taking 14 seconds off her previous best at the same event. The athlete, seemingly based on the south coast, has been in fine form in 2022 with PBs at 10k (36:28) and half marathon (81:14).

The men’s second and third were even closer with just three seconds between Steven McAlary and James Cameron Hancock in 15:11 and 15:14 respectively.

At Lower Drummans parkrun, a closed event in the grounds of Magilligan Prison in Co Derry, Steven McAlary took two minutes from the course record. The 2:26 marathoner ran for N.I. & Ulster at the Antrim Coast Half and Leeds Abbey Dash 10k in 2021.

James Cameron Hancock has already run a 5k PB of 14:37 at the Friday Night under the lights 5k in February this year, and then agin went under 15 minutes at the same event last weekend. 15:14 at Dulwich parkrun didn’t trouble the course record, but is another solid run for the Croydon/Exeter Uni athlete.

The fastest course?

It seems Norwich was the fastest parkrun this weekend, with two appearances. Reuben Andrews ran 15:32 for 6th male and Mabel Beckett 17:51 for 10th lady.

Men’s top 10

1) parkrun: Roberts Park
Andrew Heyes, 15:01, Hallamshire Harriers Sheffield AC
2) parkrun: Lower Drummans
Steven McAlary, 15:11, City of Derry AC
3) parkrun: Dulwich
James Cameron Hancock, 15:14, Croydon/Exeter Uni
4) parkrun: Tilgate
James Westlake, 15:30, Crawley AC
5) parkrun: Littleport
Christopher Smith, 15:30, Huntingdonshire AC
6) parkrun: Norwich 
Reuben Andrews, 15:32
7) parkrun: Cannock Chase
Lee Gratton, 15:37, Run and Ride
8) parkrun: Aberdare
Adam BUll, 15:43, Pontypridd Roadents AC
9) parkrun: Morecambe Prom
Ben Thomas, 15:45
10=) parkrun: Rutland Water
Cameron Dockerill, 15:45, Kent AC

Women’s top 10

1) parkrun: Watermead County
Gemma Steel, 16:39, Charnwood AC
2) parkrun: Luton Wardown
Holly Lathwell, 17:25, Luton AC
3) parkrun: Hove Promenade
Lucy Lavender, 17:30
4) parkrun: Endcliffe
Laura Day, 17:38, Hallamshire Harriers Sheffield AC
5) parkrun: Bushy
Lesley Locks, 17:40, Aldershot, Farnham & District AC
6) parkrun: Scunthorpe
Nicola Curtis, 17:45, Scunthorpe & District AC
7) parkrun: Linwood
Amy Teasdale, 17:45
8) parkrun: Sale Water
Sophie Wood, 17:48, Sale Harriers Manchester
9) parkrun: Princes Park, Liverpool
Georgia Holden, 17:50
10) parkrun: Norwich
Mabel Beckett, 17:51, City of Norwich AC

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