Charlotte Penfold and George Couttie ran the fastest parkrun times in the UK this weekend (20th May).

Our weekly parkrun top ten is sponsored by 1001 Running Tips by our editor Robbie Britton. Want to run faster at parkrun in 2023 or your next marathon then order your copy today.(PBs not guaranteed, but very likely).

As per normal we see a drop in the parkrun times when there is a big event on that brings club endurance runners into the same place. Not only have we had Highgate’s Night of the 10,000m PBs yesterday, which also has a great range of 10,000 races throughout the day too, but there is the Loughborough International today that picks up some speedsters too.

That said, Charlotte Penfold has made our lives a tiny bit easier by keeping herself top of the pile for this week. With 16:47 at Albert parkrun in Middlesbrough, it’s even a bit quicker than last week as well. The North Shields Polytechnic AC athlete might be eyeing up a 16:30 next week if she races at Cardiff or Dulwich… Actually Albert is one of our quickest events normally too.

George Couttie was the fastest chap with 15:15. The Harrogate Harrier was at Fountains Abbey parkrun and it is a parkrun PB by two seconds for the 14:09 man who ran that time just a few weeks back at the Cardiff Race For Victory 5K. The U20 has been strong on the cross country and already run a 1500m PB of 3:50.26 at the BMC meet in Trafford last weekend.

The next best of the rest

Kate Drew, of Taunton AC, was just over 17 minutes with a 17:04 at Turnham and Highbridge parkrun. The 2:45 marathoner has already been in PB action in 2023 with a fine display of distance running at the Berlin Half marathon and a 73:05 time to show for it.

Sam Stabler continues on the comeback trail with a near parkrun PB with 15:20 at Long Eaton parkrun after running 29:24 at Trafford earlier in the spring. With 7:53 3000m and 13:30 5000m PBs we hope to see the track star flying around parkruns and the track this summer.

Catherine Whoriskey ran 17:12 at Derry City parkrun, which must be good as a City of Derry AC athlete. It is the second parkrun PB of the year for the V35 and by a whopping 14 seconds. Sub 17 could well be possible in 2023 we reckon. No surprise though as the year started with a win at the Northern Ireland & Ulster Intermediate & Masters’ Championships on the cross country too.

Up in Scotland it was Gregor Yates of Bellahouston Harriers who as the third fastest male athlete this weekend. 15:21 equals the V35’s parkrun best but given a marathon PB of 2:22:57 came around the same time it’s probably a sign of fast times to come this summer as well.

The fastest event?

Looks like it was Long Eaton with two runners, Charlotte Ward and Sam Stabler, which was the fastest event this weekend. Not to be confused with Longleat Safari park, which also has lots of fast animals.

Women’s Rankings

Men’s Rankings