Chelsea Rose Baker and James Westlake ran the fastest parkrun times in the UK this weekend (20th April).

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.

March was a cracking month for Chelsea Rose Barker with PBs over 5 and 10k with 16:20 at Podium Festival 5K and 33:45 at Trafford 10K, so it’s no surprise to she her top of the list today with 16:39 at Pegwell Bay parkrun. It’s four seconds from a parkrun PB, which is 16:35 at the same event last December, but it’s probably only a matter off time.

James Westlake was the quickest male runner and his 15:02 at Hove Prom parkrun isn’t a PB for the former England marathoner, but it is his fastest since 2018 and the Hassocks FC player-manager has been back focused more on football so it is great to see him running well. Hopefully the team take note of Westlake’s winning form and make the playoffs on the final day of the season after an exciting 4-3 loss last week.

The best of the rest

Amber Gascoigne of Team Bath AC and Ella Revitt of Edinburgh AC both ran 17:15 for joint second this week, with them running at the Old Showfield and Worthing parkruns.  The year has already seen a half marathon PB of 80:58 at Brass Monkey Half Marathon for Revitt and Gascoigne a 79:17 at Bath Half Marathon.

At Storey’s Field it was Tom Vickery with 15:11 who was first home. It’s the third parkrun PB of the year for the Cambridge and Coleridge athlete who’s probably feeling the benefits of his 7:14:12 100k at the British 100k Champs a few weeks back. Big day of training bringing the 5k gains.

Ed Bovingdon was third fastest today, just two seconds off second, with 15:13 at Swansea Bay parkrun. The 14:31 5k runner has had a quiet year so far, but ran 15:11 for the win at the excellently named DonFaster 5K in Doncaster in March.

The fastest course

It wasn’t as good a game as Hassocks 4-3 thriller last week, but it was 3-3 for Storey’s Field and Dulwich this week with it going to Storey’s Field on the count back!

Women’s Rankings

Men’s Rankings