The race, in three figures
The race, in words
In the Open division at Birmingham 2026, Karen Gunn-Smith crossed the line in 1:33:03: 128th of 279 women, faster than 54% of the field.
A station race more than a running one: 76% of the field beaten on the stations, against 38% on the runs. The burpee broad jumps were where this race was made, 1:21 ahead of the median. A harder second half: 2:05 more lost to the middle of the field after halfway than before it.
Birmingham gave the field time back: about 1:21 faster than the average race this season, by 1,285 athletes who raced both. An improvement of 24:39 on Rome 2025.
Eight blocks
Bar = field beaten · tick = median
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Block 01 11:12Running 1 6:06v median −0:02
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Block 02 8:38Running 2 5:31v median +0:04
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Block 03 10:20Running 3 5:44v median +0:07
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Block 04 11:08Running 4 5:50v median +0:09
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Block 05 11:40Running 5 6:08v median +0:22
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Block 06 8:40Running 6 6:20v median +0:42
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Block 07 10:45Running 7 6:15v median +0:37
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Block 08 12:28Running 8 6:38v median +0:43
Roxzone, per block
Approach · Exit 8:20
Against the middle of your field
Women · n = 279
A pace, not a person: at every mat, the middle of the 279 women who finished.