10 fastest UK parkrun times on 24th February (2024)

Abbie Donnelly and Jack O’Farrell ran the fastest parkrun times in the UK this weekend (24th February).

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.

With the late cancellation of the National Cross Country due to a flooding of the car park we were expecting some parkrun fireworks today. The ladies didn’t disappoint, but the chaps might have just gone for an extra lie in instead.

The National Cross Country can be the culmination of months of work for some of our parkrun and club running athletes, but it’s an occasion for runners of all levels too so if you a parkrun regular and fancy an additional muddy outing or two in the winter we do recommend cross-country as a good option. Hopefully the National can be rearranged this year!

Abbie Donnelly of Lincoln Wellington was our fastest this weekend, with a 15:56 at Doddington Hall being the quickest time for the ladies. Having already run a 69″05 half marathon PB this year and run for Great Britain on the cross country, she was likely going to be one of the top contenders at the Nationals.

At Widnes parkrun there was our only sub 15 minute runner of the weekend in Jack O’Farrell. Another athlete who has already PB’d in 2024, over 3000m indoors (8:17:00) and 5k (14:21) the Newry runner might have been heading for the Nationals or could just have been getting ready for some more PBs to come!

The best of the rest

Another name that features regularly at the cross country is Innes Fitzgerald and she ran 16:02 at Exmouth parkrun today. Like Donnelly, Fitzgerald was first in her age category at the World Cross Trials in London in January and has won the SW Schools Champs since then as well. A parkrun PB by five seconds will have to be enough for celebration this weekend, but an excellent run all the same.

Ben Davis had a race on his hands at Raphael parkrun with Joseph Grange just six seconds behind, but 15:06 was quick enough to grab second in the UK rankings this weekend. One of 15 Ben or Benjamin Davis’ on Power of 10, it could be a parkrun PB for Egdon Heath’s Ben Davis or a PB for Havering’s Ben Davis, both of whom have the pedigree. I’m going for the latter, due to the parkrun location. Ben, talk to us.

Kate Estlea-Morris was the third fastest female with 16:37 (and one of five under 17 minutes) and the AFD runner was at the super quick Dulwich parkrun south east London. At Storey’s Field parkrun it was Chris Darling (who we hope is a captain in the Army) who was first home, only two seconds ahead of club mate Liam Conway, in 15:08.

The fastest field

The heading might have given it away, but its was actually a tie between Storey’s Field and Dulwich parkrun, who both had four runners in the top ten. We’ll add the points up then I guess?

With 6th, 3rd, 4th and 9th it is 22 points for Storey’s Field and 3rd, 8th, 8th and 9th making it 28 points for Dulwich.

Bravo Darling, you led Storey’s Field to the win.

Women’s Rankings

Men’s Rankings