Photo: Robert Gale (@awv)

Tom Marshall and Abbie Donnelly ran the fastest parkrun times in the UK this week (8th February).

To start this week we’d like to post a quick reminder about the ethos of parkrun as it’s not just about running so fast you feature in our top ten. It’s about everyone enjoying the great outdoors on a Saturday morning and includes people just out for a walk. If there’s not a smile on your face then you’ll probably going too hard.

Now let’s get to it. We hope Tom Marshall checked in with the local aviation authority before running at Bryn Bach this morning as the Saucony athlete got some serious air in the finishing straight (as seen in the fine picture taken by Robert Gale above).

Marshall is no stranger to fast times and has a 14:19 best on the track for 5000m. This week the Welsh international ran 14:36 and set a new course record.

The quickest lady this week was Lincoln Wellington’s Abbie Donnelly and it took a 16:29 at Doddington Hall parkrun to nab the number one spot. It’s a parkrun PB for the Loughborough student, but still a wee bit off her 5k road best of 16:11, set in 2019.

Second placed female was Hayley Carruthers and we wonder if Hayley was down at Cardiff parkrun in South Wales having a crack at Charlotte Arter’s parkrun world record from last week?

It wasn’t to be, but still a super quick 16:51 in south Wales and probably part of bigger training in the build up to spring half and marathon racing.

It was another middle distance runner in second place for the men with Ed Shepherd, a 3:47.51 1500m man, who ran 15:11 at Penrose parkrun. The Woodford Green and Essex Ladies athlete hasn’t been at the XC as usual this year so good to see him starting the year with a solid run.

Third lady was another runner who often features, Hannah Taunton of Taunton AC with 17:07 at Exmouth parkrun. The GB athlete has already started the year with a 10k PB at the Stoke Stampede, winning in an excellent 35:32 so 2020 looks to be another exciting year with this being a new parkrun best by four seconds as well.

Also running at Doddington Hall was Joseph Green, who stopped the clock at 15:17 and takes the final spot on the virtual podium for this week. Green, we’e assuming, is the Lincoln Wellington athlete on Power of Ten as the only unattached Joseph Green is a V75.

Its a new parkrun best for the U20 and actually quicker than his 5k best on the road by some margin as well, so this could be a break through year. We’ve already seen a fine 13th at the Northern XC Champs from the youngster.

Men’s top 10

1) parkrun: Bryn Bach

Tom Marshall, 14:36, Brecon AC

2) parkrun: Penrose

Ed Shepherd, 15:11, Woodford Green AC with Essex Ladies

3) parkrun: Doddington Hall

Jospeh Green, 15:17

4=) parkrun: Worthing

Maxwell Dumbrell, 15:26

4) parkrun: Rother Valley

Nathan Lawson, 15:26, Dark Peak Fell Runners Club

6) parkrun: Sizewell

Sam Stabler, 15:29, Wreake and Soar Valley AC

7=) parkrun: Heslington

Jordan Howe, 15:30

7=) parkrun: Dulwich

Jack Foster, 15:30

9) parkrun: Cardiff

Karl Welborn, 15:31, Birmingham Running Athletics and Triathlon Club

10) parkrun: Alvaston

Richard Weir, 15:37, Derby AC

Women’s top 10

1) parkrun: Doddington Hall

Abbie Donnelly, 16:29, Lincoln Wellington AC

2) parkrun: Cardiff

Hayley Carruthers, 16:51, Birchfield Harriers

3) parkrun: Exmouth

Hannah Taunton, 17:07, Taunton AC

4) parkrun: Burgess

Daisy Rawlings, 17:08

5) parkrun: Raphael

Alexa Joel, 17:23, Billericay Striders RC

6) parkrun: Bushy

Isabel Clark, 17:29, Serpentine RC

7) parkrun: Hackney Marshes

Rosa Prideaux, 17:39, Chelmsford AC

8) parkrun: Southampton

Ellie Marie Monks, 17:40, Southampton AC

9) parkrun: Wollaton Hall

Lauren McNeil, 17:42, Buxton AC

10) parkrun: Dulwich

Jess Saunders, 17:46, Fulham AC

If you would like to run faster at parkrun, top tips to help runners of all abilities can be found here.

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