Megan Davies and Alex Carter ran the fastest parkrun times in the UK this weekend (13th January).

Our weekly parkrun top ten is now sponsored by Vertebrate Publishing (my publisher) and here’s a link to buy my book on their website. They actually have a bunch of great books to choose from, especially the mountaineering ones, so don’t feel like you have to buy 1001 Running Tips.

At Richmond parkrun it was Megan Davies who topped our rankings this week with an excellent 16:34. The Sale Harrier has a 5k road PB of 16 minutes flat, but this is a new parkrun best by five seconds so a great way to kick off a new season.

Alex Carter of Team Bath AC was the only runner under 15 minutes this week with 14:51. It’s a big parkrun PB, but over 30 seconds, but the 14:42 5k runner still has his best mark on the road. Last year saw a half marathon PB of 66:41 in October and that form seems to have continued into the new year.

The best of the rest

At Preston parkrun it was Jessica Bailey who was next in our list with 16:49. The youth athlete is a mountain running world champion and excels on all surfaces, including parks. This is a big parkrun PB, but Bailey’s road 5k of 16:22 is still faster!

It was a tie for second place with the chaps this Saturday with Joshua Benford and Samuel Stapley both clocking 15:11. Benford, who seems to have started running in 2022, has already got himself to 2:30:07 for the marathon and a new parkrun PB of 15:11 (to go with his 15:09 5k PB) could be a sign that the 2:30 barrier is in danger this spring.

Stapley, more an 800m runner it seems, is another young athlete and this was a parkrun PB by over a minute so some longer distance training might have featured this winter.

2:30:54 marathoner Louise Small is starting 2024 with a sub 17 minute parkrun to hit third in the rankings this week. A strong 16:52 at Southampton parkrun was one of four sub 17 minute outings with Ellie Stevens in fourth also dipping under at Long Eaton parkrun.

The fastest course?

Southampton and Storey’s Field featured twice this week, with the former getting a third and 10thin the women’s, whilst the latter fourth and sixth in the mens. The smaller total was Storey’s Field so that’s where the imaginary trophy goes this weekend.

Women’s Rankings

Men’s Rankings