Charlotte Arter breaks the women’s parkrun record and Zac Randall is the fastest male this weekend.

Welsh and British international Charlotte Arter ran 15:50 to break the women’s record on the first weekend of parkrun in 2019 (5 January).

Fresh from running 16:10 in the past few months at Cardiff as well and some fine efforts over the cross country, the old record didn’t stand long in 2019.

Run Fast’s Hannah Walker held the old mark of 15:55 since 2013 and it wasn’t far from the athlete’s 5000m best of 15:48.69. Like Arter, Walker was also a fantastic runner one the cross country, which might be key to running a fast parkrun.

Arter tweeted that she has “got the lungs and legs going again after a solid three weeks training. Next stop, Stirling XC!”

In a slower time than usual for the men’s winner, Zac Randall ran 15:11, whilst being chased by Ben Harding (15:28) at Dulwich parkrun, who saw three men in the top 10.

The fact that many athletes were taking part in their country cross country championships across England may have affected some parkrun results, but we’re happy to see athletes prioritising running for their club on such weekends.

Randall is a middle distance runner who has PBs of 1:49.56 for 800m, 3:45.03 for 1500m and an indoor 4:07 mile whilst competing for Oklahoma University in the USA. He actually equalled his parkrun PB today as his bets is a 15:11 at Northala Fields in 2016.

Men’s top 10

1) parkrun: Dulwich
Zac Randall, 15:11, Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers
2=) parkrun: Dulwich
Ben Harding, 15:28, Kent AC
2=) parkrun: Hove Promenade
Todd Leckie, 15:28
4) parkrun: Great Denham
David Hudson, 15:31, BRJ Run and Tri
5) parkrun: Stratford-upon-Avon
Ronny Wilson, 15:31, Lincoln Wellington AC
6) parkrun: Bryn Bach
Howard Clark, 15:33, Ealing, Royal Navy AC
7) parkrun: Aberdeen
Myles Edwards, 15:35, Aberdeen AAC
8) parkrun: Dulwich
Chris McGurk, 15:37, Notts AC
9) parkrun: Lincoln
William Strangway, 15:37, Lincoln Wellington AC
10) parkrun: Chelmsford Central
Robert Warner, 15:37, Blackburn Harriers & AC

Women’s top 10

1) parkrun: Cardiff
Charlotte Arter, 15:50, University of Wales Institute
2) parkrun: Black Park
Pippa Woolven, 16:32, Wycombe Phoenix Harriers & AC
3) parkrun: Newbury 
Georgia Hayes, 17:14, Reading AC
4) parkrun: Burgess
Isabel Clark, 17:18, Serpentine AC
5) parkrun: Long Eaton
Lori Handbury, 17:24, Rotherham Harriers & AC
6) parkrun: Swansea
Sian Edwards, 17:26, Corby AC
7) parkrun: Long Eaton
Ellie Stevens, 17:29, Birchfield Harriers
8) parkrun: Riverside 
Sophie Burnett, 17:34, Birtley AC
9=) parkrun: Gateshead
Katie Waugh, 17:53, Birtley AC
9=) parkrun: Dulwich
Una English, 17:53, Havering AC

If you enjoy running at parkrun but want to develop and get a bit faster then find a running club near you. Clubs have all the social aspects of parkrun and cater for all levels to help you progress. More information can be found here.

Also 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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