Tom Marshall and Jessica Gibbon are your fastest athletes at UK parkruns this weekend (September 7th).

Someone light a fire under the UK’s parkrun athletes this weekend. Whereas Seyfu Jamaal ran over 15 seconds quicker this week, he dropped from first place to ninth as there were some quick times across the UK.

Tom Marshall, part of the Fast 10 in 2018, is better known for his 800 & 1500m antics on the track, but his 14:19.30 5000m class showed when he finished first at Aberdare parkrun in 14:40, a three second parkrun best for the Welsh international.

Although European champion Canicross athlete Elaine Sherwin was quickest this week, we don’t include assisted runs in the rankings so Jessica Gibbon got herself top spot with a 16:55 parkrun PB. The Reading AC has had a fine 2019 so far with a 4:36.17 1500m and a 9:46.63 3000m. Even more impressive is that both were run on the 9th June to win both races at the UK Women’s League match in Bedford.

Three men broke 15 minutes today, with Gus Cockle of Aldershot, Farnham and District running 14:57 at Bushy parkrun and midlands regular William Richardson 14:58 at Cannon Hill, Birmingham. It i the first 2019 mark on Power of 10 for Cockle so we hope it’s a late start to 2019, just in time for some XC. The U23 has a 14:03.26 5000m best from 2015.

Richardson, also an U23, equalled his parkrun best, but also has a fast 5000m mark of 14:10.56 from 2018.

Arena 80 AC’s Maisie Trafford has recently ran a 5000m PB of 16:52.9 at the Brighton Birthday Boys 5000m and was second at the Kings Head Canter four days later, so is in good form. This weekend the Sussex runner ran 17:13 on Hove Promenade to finish second fastest female for the week.

Elizabeth Renondeau of Ufukuzo Road Racing Club ran 17:16 at Burgess parkrun and the excellent Masters athlete has focusing on 1500m races this summer. A member of the Fast Running Performance Project, Renondeau is targeting a marathon later in the year and it will be exciting to see her take this speed into the longer distance.

Men’s top 10

1) parkrun: Aberdare
Tom Marshall, 14:40, Brecon AC
2) parkrun: Bushy
Gus Cockle, 14:57, AF&D AC
3) parkrun: Cannon Hill, Birmingham
William Richardson, 14:58, Birchfield Harriers
4) parkrun: Pegwell Bay
Louis Small, 15:01, Ashford AC
5) parkrun:Bushy
Jonathan Cornish, 15:06, Hercules Wimbledon
6) parkrun: Morecambe Prom
Joseph Monk, 15:07, Preston Harriers
7) parkrun: Morecambe Prom
Joseph Beech, 15:11, Brackla Harriers
8) parkrun: Cardiff
Stephen Morris, 15:12, Cardiff AAC
9) parkrun: Finsbury
Seyfu Jamaal, 15:17, London Heathside
10) parkrun: Great Denham
David Hudson, 15:18, BRJ Run and Tri
10) parkrun: Isabel Trail
Jordan Weaver, 15:18, Kent AC

Women’s top 10

1) parkrun: Higginson, Marlow
Jessica Gibbon, 16:55, Reading AC
2) parkrun: Hove Promenade
Maisie Trafford, 17:13, Arena 80 AC
3) parkrun: Burgess
Elizabeth Renondeau, 17:16, Ufukuzo Road Racing Club
4) parkrun: Derry City
Rachel Gibson, 17:29, North Down AC
5) parkrun: Bushy
Floren Scrafton, 17:30, Westbury Harriers
6) parkrun: Hastings
Grace Baker, 17:32
7) parkrun: Mile End
Beth Hawling, 17:33, Cheltenham & County Harriers
8) parkrun: Norwich
Iona Lake, 17:39, City of Norwich AC
9) parkrun: Burnley
Laura Hesketh, 17:48, Clayton-le-Moors Harriers
10) parkrun: Longrun Meadow
Kate Drew, 17:51, Taunton AC

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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