Two of our most frequent athletes Paul Martelletti and Hayley Carruthers were the quickest at UK parkruns this weekend (April 20).
Such is the frequency the pair feature we’ve considered just creating a draft post celebrating them once again topping the Fast Running rankings for parkrun each week. It’d be correct more often than not. But do not worry, we’ll keep up the work to let you know who were the fastest in your local parks each weekend.
Hayley Carruthers was celebrating her birthday by running 16:16 at Walsall Arboretum parkrun with her coach Dan Robinson, although Carruthers’ fancy dress was of a much higher standard. The Birchfield Harrier is not far from her goal race of the London Marathon at the end of April and it will be exciting to see how the England marathoner fares in the capital.
It was an unusually short session for New Zealander Paul Martelletti this weekend with only a total of 14 miles surrounding his 14:40 parkrun blowout and course record at Hackney Marshes. The 2:16 marathoner has a huge level of versatility and has represented Great Britain over the 100km distance and has a 5000m best of 14:19.20 form the track last summer.
Second placed female was Welsh runner Elinor Kirk who ran 34:47 for 10k at the competitive Brighton Marathon festival just last weekend. Kirk is a 2:36 marathoner who finished 15th at the Commonwealth Games in hot conditions on the Gold Coast last year.
There were four male runners under 15 minutes this week with Marelletti joined by Tom Merson of Exmouth Harriers (14:44), Irish international Paul Pollock (14:51) and Kent AC’s Jon Gilbert (14:59). Runner and coach Pollock is actually offering coaching for runners attempting to break three hours for the marathon with his DreamRun Dublin applications still open here.
Six female runners were under 17 minutes this week with a host of international standard athletes taking to parkrun, possibly as part of tapering for bigger races ahead.Grace Carson ran 16:46 at MUSA Cooktown, Annabel Gummow posted 16:48at Ellenbrook Fields, Bryony Haines had a strong 16:54 at the fast Cannon Hill event in Birmingham and Tonbridge AC’s Nicole taylor nipped under with a 16:59 at her home event in Tonbridge.
Last week’s second placed female Fionnuala Ross was back in action this week to win the Scottish 10,000m title on the track. For all the action in Scotland our report is here.
Men’s top 10
1) parkrun: Hackney Marshes
Paul Martelletti, 14:40, Victoria Park Harriers & Tower Hamlets AC
2) parkrun: Exmouth
Tom Merson, 14:44, Exmouth Harriers AAC
3) parkrun: Belfast Victoria
Paul Pollock, 14:51, Abbey AC
4) parkrun: Dulwich
John Gilbert, 14:59, Kent AC
5) parkrun: York
Joseph Smith, 15:01
6) parkrun: Hackney Marshes
George King, 15:03, Winchester and District AC
7) parkrun: Edinburgh
Maciej Bialogonski, 15:07, Bristol and West AC
8) parkrun: Bryn Bach
James Bellward, 15:11, RAF AC
9) parkrun: Dulwich
Seyfu Jamaal, 15:11
10) parkrun: Gunnersbury
Jonathan Poole, 15:12, serpentine RC
Women’s top 10
1) parkrun: Walsall Arboretum
Hayley Carruthers, 16:16, Birchfield Harriers
2) parkrun: Swansea bay
Elinor Kirk, 16:33, Swansea Harriers AC
3) parkrun: MUSA Cookstown
Grace Carson, 16:46
4) parkrun: Ellenbrook Fields
Annabel Gummow, 16:48, Winchester and District AC
5) parkrun: Cannon Hill, Birmingham
Bryony Haines, 16:54, Birchfield Harriers
6) parkrun: Tonbridge
Nicole taylor, 16:59, Tonbridge AC
7) parkrun: Croxteth Hall
Laura Gent, 17:15, Aldershot, Farnham & District AC
8) parkrun: Gunpowder
Danielle Nimmock, 17:16, City of Norwich AC
9=) parkrun: Chelmsford Central
Elizabeth Davies, 17:20, Springfield Striders RC
9=) parkrun: Edinburgh
Cera Gemmell, 17:20, Team East Lothian
If you would like to run faster at parkrun, top tips to help runners of all abilities can be found here.
RELATED: 7 ways to run faster at parkrun
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