The PUL5K race is a joint collaboration between Friday Night Under the Lights 5K and Podium 5K held in Battersea Park in South West London. This annual get-together of the UK's finest distance runners and ambitious club athletes always delivers a plethora of PBs and this year's event – on Friday 17 February – certainly maintained that tradition.

There was a big breakthrough for Tom Keen (Cambridge & Coleridge AC, 14:07) in the men's elite race – pictured above just before the start (#209, wearing the black vest). This was a near 40 seconds improvement on his previous best set at the Essex Remembrance 5K in Saffron Walden, Essex in December 2020.

Tom was keen from the off and raced four seconds clear of a top-class field, with 39 athletes going under 15 minutes in his wake. The nearest opposition all registered season or personal bests. Joshua Grace (Aldershot, Farnham & District AC, 14:11 SB) and Ben Alcock (Bedford & County AC, 14:13 PB) completed the podium as the entire field of 44 finished inside 15:30. 

Earlier, in a pulsating PUL5K elite women's race, there was a course record bonus for Revee Walcott-Nolan (Luton AC, 15:48 PB) as the Tokyo Olympic 1500m runner trimmed two seconds off her previous best achieved in the Podium 5K at Barrowford in April 2021.

Revee was certainly revved up for this one and was clearly delighted with her £1000 first prize sponsored by Adidas and £500 record bonus personally donated by joint Race Directors, Ben Noad and Keith Scofield. Chasing hard were GB international Calli Thackery (Hallamshire Harriers Sheffield, 15:56 SB) and 2022 British 10,000m champion Georgie Grgec (Herne Hill Harriers, 16:06 SB).

The UK women's rankings for 2023 were rewritten as the top seven finishers went under the previous leading time of 16:32 by Kate Maltby (Black Combe) who was not competing on Friday night. A total of 19 women ran 17:00 or faster and there were 71 finishers who all completed the course under 20 minutes.

There were three supporting men's races for good club athletes and the fastest times came in the final race of the night by Luke McCarron (City of Derry AC Spartans, 14:36 PB), Archie Walton (Hercules Wimbledon AC, 14:37 PB) and Richard Slade (Chiltern Harriers, 14:40 PB).

The PUL5K was promoted by five times World Cross Country Championships representative Ben Noad (Highgate Harriers) and coach and team manager Keith Scofield (Hercules Wimbledon AC) who are both passionate about supporting athletes to achieve optimum performances. And that was certainly achieved on Friday with 69 athletes inside 15 minutes and 109 setting personal bests!

Videos of the elite men's race are here and elite women's race here.

Results and last year's PUL5K race report at runABC South race listing here.

Image courtesy Xiaoxuan Jerry Sun for Friday Night Under The Lights 5K on Twitter