Here’s an odd question. Did Donn Cabral become the 20th Heps runner to break four minutes in the mile?
The obvious answer is ‘yes.’ After all, he ran 3:59.1 at the Fifth Avenue Mile today in Manhattan. But what I don’t know is if the dreaded record keepers allow straight line efforts, like Cabral’s run down 5th Avenue in the shadow of the trees of Central Park. I will need to seek higher counsel on this. Cabral finished 13th, well off the speedy paces of winner Matthew Centrowitz (3:52.4) and ageless runner-up Bernard Lagat (3:52.9).
More impressive than Cabral’s finish was that of former Brown Bear Anna Pierce, who was second in the elite women’s race in 4:24.9. Only Brenda Martinez was ahead (4:24.4) while a ‘who’s who’ trailed behind, including Jenny Simpson, Shannon Rowbury and Hannah England.
Also, Yale graduate Kate Grace won the NYRR Road Mile race in 4:42.8.