Ben Parkes

Running creator

Athlete IDATH-017805

Serpentine Running and Triathlon ClubSports:RunningAthletics

Biography

Ben Parkes is a British runner, coach and content creator who shares the experience of training and racing with a global running audience. His videos combine race-day diaries, practical training advice and reviews of running shoes and equipment, giving viewers a close look at both the rewarding and difficult parts of pursuing a running goal.

Alongside his videos, Parkes runs a business offering training plans and running clothing and accessories. His plans cover distances from 5 kilometres to the marathon and beyond, and include free beginner programmes. He also organises community shakeout runs around major races, bringing online followers together in person.

Parkes's own running remains central to his work. His club's published results include a 2:25:56 marathon at Valencia in 2018. In September 2026 he completed the Berlin Marathon in 2:39:29, describing the race in his own activity post as one of his best. His appeal lies in sharing the preparation, setbacks and enjoyment behind those performances.

Ben Parkes's published record includes performances from 2008 to 2026 in Marathon, Marathon Multi-terrain, 77.6K, 10 Kilometres, 160.7K. Selected recorded events include ING New York City Marathon (2008; source checked); Berlin Marathon (2026; source checked); Portsmouth Coastal Waterside Marathon (2015; unverified record).

Source-checked results include 1st overall over Half Marathon at Run Dorney Half Marathon (2019-06-08).

Source-checked results include 2nd in the 35-39 category over 10 Kilometres at Great Manchester Run 10K (2019-05-19).

Source-checked results include 1st overall over 78.6 km at Centurion South Downs Way 50 — 50m (2019-04-06).

Achievements & next milestones

Achievements update from recorded results. A tick means the supporting results are verified.

Achieved

83 finishes completed
Based on 83 distinct completed events in your linked record.
Awaiting verification
31 marathons completed
Based on 31 distinct completed events in your linked record.
Awaiting verification
16 ultras completed
Based on 16 distinct completed events in your linked record.
Verified
3 5K finishes completed
Based on 3 distinct completed 5K finishes in your linked record.
Verified
4 10K finishes completed
Based on 4 distinct completed 10K finishes in your linked record.
Verified
16 half marathons completed
Based on 16 distinct completed half marathons in your linked record.
Awaiting verification
12 countries raced
One completed event in each different country; UK home nations count together.
Verified
First marathon major
Different qualifying major marathons. Repeated finishes of one major count once here.
Verified
2 marathons in 7 days
Two distinct full marathons within seven consecutive calendar dates.
Verified
2 sports completed
At least one completed result in each sport; track and field count as Athletics, while road running and parkrun count as Running.
Awaiting verification
Raced in 15 calendar years
At least one recorded finish in each year; this does not imply an uninterrupted streak.
- 2008
- 2010
- 2011
- 2015
- 2016
- 2017
- 2018
- 2019
- 2020
- 2021
- 2022
- 2023
- 2024
- 2025
- 2026
Each year counts once. A tick means at least one result from that year is verified.
Verified
PB improved
A faster result after an earlier performance in the same sport, distance, surface and timing category.
Awaiting verification

Race wins by sport and distance

Overall, gender and age-category wins are listed separately. Ticks show checked results.

Running · Overall race
41K · 1 win
Verified
Running · Gender classification
41K · 1 win
Verified
Running · Overall race
78.6K · 1 win
Verified
Running · Gender classification
78.6K · 1 win
Verified
Running · Overall race
Half marathon · 1 win
Verified

Next milestones

100 finishes
17 more finishes needed
83 of 100 recorded
5 5K finishes
2 more 5K finishes needed
3 of 5 recorded
5 10K finishes
1 more 10K finish needed
4 of 5 recorded
20 half marathons
4 more half marathons needed
16 of 20 recorded
50 marathons
19 more marathons needed
31 of 50 recorded
25 ultras
9 more ultras needed
16 of 25 recorded
25 different countries
13 more different countries needed
12 of 25 recorded
20 calendar years with a finish
5 more calendar years with a finish needed
15 of 20 recorded

Personal bests (PBs) & best performances

Ben Parkes’s road 5K best recorded on AthRecs is 00:16:32 (verified), at Chase the Moon Battersea Park 5K on 2021-11-24.

Athletics · Mile · Track

04:39.91

Awaiting verification

Highgate Night of 10,000m · 2019-07-06

Running · 5K · Road

00:16:32

Verified

Chase the Moon Battersea Park 5K · 2021-11-24

Running · 10K · Road

00:33:33

Verified

Running GP Bedford 10K · 2020-10-18

Running · 10mi · Road

00:52:06

Verified

Great South Run 10M · 2018-10-21

Running · 20K · Road

01:08:39

Verified

20km de Genève Aéroport · 2018-10-07

Running · Half · Road

01:09:09

Verified

Great North Run Half Marathon · 2019-09-08

Running · Marathon · Road

02:25:56

Verified

Valencia Marathon · 2018-12-02

Career highlights

Ben Parkes's published record includes performances from 2008 to 2026 in Marathon, Marathon Multi-terrain, 77.6K, 10 Kilometres, 160.7K.

Selected events from this athlete’s recorded career. Verification is shown for each record.

ING New York City Marathon
2008 · Marathon
Performance: 04:11:55
Source checked
Berlin Marathon
2026 · Marathon
Performance: 2:39:29
Source checked
Portsmouth Coastal Waterside Marathon
2015 · Marathon Multi-terrain
Performance: 03:23:37
Unverified record
Thames Trot
2017 · 77.6K
Performance: 07:18:53
Source checked
RunThrough Victoria Park 10k
2017 · 10 Kilometres
Performance: 00:43:27
Source checked
Centurion Thames Path 100
2017 · 160.7K
Performance: 22:58:01
Source checked

Earlier results

Showing 56–60 of 88 recorded performances.

Athlete results history
Race date	Race name	Sport	Distance / discipline	Location	Performance	Place	Category
Sat, 15 Jun 2019	mozart 100®	Running	109.9KTrail	—	DNFVerified	—	—
Sat, 8 Jun 2019	Completed event · Gold · 1st · Overall · Run Dorney Half Marathon	Running	Half marathonRoad	Dorney Lake, Buckinghamshire	01:13:53VerifiedChip time · Gun 01:27:22	1	V35
Sun, 19 May 2019	Completed event · Finisher · Great Manchester Run 10K	Running	10KRoad	Manchester	00:32:45VerifiedChip time	34Completed event · Silver · 2nd · 35-39 age/category · 35-39 · 2ndGender: 34Category: 2	35-39Bib 5515
Sun, 28 Apr 2019	Completed event · Major marathon · Finisher · London MarathonMajor marathon · final	Running	MarathonRoad	—	02:35:51VerifiedTiming unknown	225Gender: 223Category: 180	18-39Bib 1733
Sat, 6 Apr 2019	Completed event · Gold · 1st · Overall · Centurion South Downs Way 50 — 50m	Running	78.6KTrail	—	06:35:49VerifiedTiming unknown	1Completed event · Gold · 1st · Gender classification · Gender · 1stGender: 1	—

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