Charlotte Arter and Paul Graham ran the fastest parkrun times in the UK this week (1st February).

Dulwich parkrun: We’ve been dominating the parkrun rankings recently.

Cardiff parkrun: Hold my beer…

Charlotte Arter showed her international class with a new fastest parkrun in the world this weekend. The Cardiff AC and GB star ran 15:49 at the fast south Wales event, with training partner Clara Evans only 15 seconds behind in 16:04.

After ending 2019 with a seventh place finish in the SPAR European XC Championships in Lisbon, Portugal, Arter opens 2020 with a blistering performance at parkrun. It’s not far off the Saucony athlete’s 15:39 5k best on the road or her 15:40.15 on the track for 5000m.

Clara Evans’ 16:04 actually brings her sixth on the UK all time parkrun rankings too and it’s only a matter of seconds away form her own 5k road best. What a way to start the year for the Welsh international. As we’ve said a lot recently British distance runner is in an exciting place with so much talent around.

There were some speedy chaps too

The men’s quickest performance of the week was also at Cardiff, with Paul Graham, a Pontypridd Roadents like Evans, running 14:50 and being one of three meant to break 15 minutes this week, the others being ever-present Seyfu Jamaal of London Heathside (14:55) and James McCrae of Hallamshire Harriers Sheffield AC (14:57), who was also at Cardiff.

It was a Welsh 1-2-3 for the ladies, with Alaw Beynon-Thomas running 17:07 at Llanelli Coast, which is a parkrun PB and comes off a strong 36:05 at Speedway 10k for fourth spot.

Men’s top 10

1) parkrun: Cardiff

Paul Graham, 14:50, Pontypridd Roadents AC

2) parkrun: Dulwich

Seyfu Jamaal, 14:55, London Heathside

3) parkrun: Cardiff

James McCrae, 14:57, Hallamshire Harriers Sheffield AC

4) parkrun: Exmouth

Phil Wylie, 15:09, Cheltenham & County Harriers

5) parkrun: Blyth Links

Daniel Dixon, 15:12, Morpeth Harriers & AC

6) parkrun: Pegwell Bay

Christopher Thomas, 15:15, Thames Valley Harriers

7) parkrun: Cardiff

Jack Bancroft, 15:23, Wells City Harriers

8) parkrun: Bushy

Andrew Douglas, 15:25, Inverclyde AC

9=) parkrun: Dulwich

Matt Dickinson, 15:28, Clapham Chasers RC

9=) parkrun: Blyth Links

George Lowry, 15:28, Jarrow and Hebburn AC

Women’s top 10

1) parkrun: Cardiff

Charlotte Arter, 15:49, University of Wales Institute Cardiff AC

2) parkrun: Cardiff

Clara Evans, 16:04, Pontypridd Roadents AC

3) parkrun: Llanelli Coast

Alaw Beynon-Thomas, 17:07, Swansea Harriers AC

4) parkrun: Aberdeen

Jenny Bannerman, 17:12, Inverness Harriers AAC

5) parkrun: Alexandra, Moss Side

Harriet Knowles-Jones, 17:22, Warrington AC

6) parkrun: Heaton

Sinead Bent, 17:31, Salford Harriers & AC

7) parkrun: Walsall Arboretum

Kelly Butler, 17:33, Birchfield Harriers

8) parkrun: Burnham and Highbridge

Hannah Taunton, 17:40, Taunton AC

9=) parkrun: Cannon Hill, Birmingham

Bryony Haines, 17:41, Birchfield Harriers

9=) parkrun: Burgess

Charlene Jacobs-Conradie, 17:41, Luton 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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