Nicole Allan and Daryl Reid ran the fastest parkrun times in the UK this week (9th July).

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It was a close affair at the top of the women’s rankings this week with just four seconds keeping them apart. Pick of the bunch was Nicole Allan of Horsham Blue Star Harriers with 17:06 at Worthing parkrun. The event is known to be quick if it isn’t too windy and today Allan ran nearly as quick as her 16:57 parkrun PB from January this year to show some good consistency coming into the summer.

Up in Strathclyde it was Daryl Reid dipping for the line ahead of everyone else and the only runner under 15 minutes this week. 14:53 isn’t quite a parkrun PB for the East Kilbride athlete, who has a mightily impressive 5k best of 14:35 from 2021 and a 14:37 this year from the popular Sri Chinmoy 5K in May.

Jennifer Wetton was second fastest this week with 17:10 at Elder Park parkrun. Central AC’s Wetton has a 2:46 marathon  PB and under 17 minutes for parkrun from a few years back but this is her fastest 5k or parkrun in over five years, which is an excellent sign!

Prolific racer in second spot

Second fastest male was none other than the man with the most parkrun first finishes world-wide, Ollie Garrod. The Team Hour 7 athlete loves to race and is a prolific parkrun tourist, but Nonsuch could well be his favourite event. This weekend saw a 15:11, possibly in part due to Ugur Altan putting up a good fight in 15:31 for the first place this week. Garrord is training for the World 100k Champs at the end of August and looks in great form.

Third placed female and male athletes this week were Rachel McGuinness and Chris Livesey, the latter a mere second slower than Garrod, but just a second faster than Mohammed Hussein in 4th.

McGuinness, part of the Crosbie Crew, ran 17:19 at Eastville parkrun and to say 2022 has been a breakthrough year would be an under statement. Clocking 2:36 for the marathon and 76:31 for the half, after starting 2021 with a parkrun best of 18:44 it was only a matter of time until that dropped this year to just over 17 minutes.

The fastest course

There was a whole bunch of doubles this week, with Preston, Nonsuch, Watermead Country Park, Exmouth and… I think that’s it. With so many it’s not an easy choice, so I’m going to give a joint prize four ways this week. Top marks for effort by all.

Women’s top 10

1) parkrun: Worthing
Nicole Allan, 17:06, Horsham Blue Star Harriers
2) parkrun: Elder Park
Jennifer Wetton, 17:10, Central AC
2) parkrun: Eastville
Rachel McGuinness, 17:19, Crosbie Crew
4) parkrun: Felixstowe
Maddie Jordan-Lee, 17:28, Stowmarket Striders RC
5) parkrun: Worcester Pitchcroft
Chloe Richardson, 17:32, Birchfield Harriers
6) parkrun: Porthcrawl 
Kate Roberts, 17:33, Bridgend AC
7) parkrun: Preston
Carla Davies, 17:40, Preston Harriers
8) parkrun: Watermead Country Park
Charlie Nurse, 17:43, West End Runners
9) parkrun: Watermead Country Park
Claire Fitzpatrick, 17:44, West End Runners
10) parkrun: Poole
Vicki Ingham, 17:45, Poole Runners

Men’s top 10

1) parkrun: Strathclyde
Daryl Reid, 14:53, East Kilbride AC
2) parkrun: Nonsuch
Ollie Garrod, 15:11, Epsom & Ewell Harriers
3) parkrun: Preston
Chris Livesey, 15:12, Salford Harriers & AC
4) parkrun: Leicester Victoria
Mohammed Hussein, 15:13, Roadhoggs Leicester AC
5) parkrun: Nonsuch
Ugur Altan, 15:31, Sutton Runners
6) parkrun: Cleethorpes
Ryan Page, 15:39, Lincoln Wellington AC
7) parkrun: Seaford Beach
Simon Heath, 15:39, Brighton Phoenix
8) parkrun: Exmouth
Robert Ellis, 15:41, Exmouth Harriers AAC
9) parkrun: Exmouth
Wayne Loveridge, 15:45, Chard RRC
10) parkrun: Scunthorpe
Elliot Stones, 15:47, Lincoln Wellington AC

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