Date: Oct. 5, 2025 Participant: Arun Gopalakrishnan #21504 Race: 2025 Portland 10K MindRX Group Distance: 6.2 miles

Steady Improvement with Strategic Gains Arun sustained a consistent 11:10 min/mile pace for the initial two miles, placing impressively within the top 50 in his division at the start, holding 41st position. A notable peak occurred during the fourth mile, where he accelerated with a 12:41 min/mile pace, advancing to 18th in his division. This strategic push showed significant positional improvement compared to early stages. From a statistical standpoint, Arun’s overall finish time was 1:21:11, with an average pace of 13:05 min/mile. Compared with his previous 10K at the 2024 Portland Marathon, he shaved 3 minutes off his time, evidencing steady progress. His efforts highlight an opportunity to focus on maintaining strong paces in the latter stages of the race to solidify gains made in earlier miles. This could help improve overall placement further in future events. Keep building on these positive strides with StepUpSquad!