15th of November 1987 is a very important date for Romania in general, and for Brasov, a city in the heart of the country, in particular. Because on this day, the workers from Roman Trucks made the first anti-communist insurgence, which basically opened the path to the revolution from two years and one month later, December 1989. Now, I won’t insist on this historic and, in the end political fact – even though highly heroic – because it is not my cup of tea. Instead, on the same date, or the closest Saturday to it, every year, in Brasov there is a running event that commemorates the brave events from the ’80s. The fact is that the path of the movement has exactly five kilometers, which transforms this in, possibly, the most famous 5K run in Romania.

15th of November 1987 good for national championship

In 2022 even, it coincided with the National Championship of 5K, even that was a bit debatable, because there are certain rules that define road races to be “good for records”. However, since the 5K road is not regulated here, then I think it is useless to keep asking about the compliance of the race. Now, one of the key “allegations” for this 15th of November 1987 Run is that “my time / the time is not relevant, because is a downhill race”. Is that so? Technically speaking, indeed, it is, but how advantageous can that be in the end? I have participated there in 2018 and, now, in 2024. Eight years apart, my times where: 21:00 (not bad at all!) and 19:48 – pretty decent, but a fair witness that my progress is slow and limited.

What does the GAP of Strava has to say about this?

The thing is that Strava has a GAP pace – gradient adjusted pace – which shows exactly the true “advantage” of the three kilometers that are significantly downhill: maximum 1 sec / km! If you run like me. Indeed, I had 13 seconds of “bonus” for kilometers 2-4, but slashed 11 from the final one, which is actually uphill, the type that can slow you down if you are not properly trained. To seal the fact, to state that Brasov 15th of November 1987 is a downhill race which can improve significantly your 5K time either has some issues with his brains, or that person didn’t passed the reason for which started running, to not hit / keep three digits.

How come I ran a faster all-flat then?

I am stating this, because it happened to participate in a 5K loop run earlier this year, in October, and I’ve clocked a PB, with 19:25 – not great, I know, but it is not about me here. So then, considering at Brasov it was much cooler outside, a so-called downhill race, then in normal circumstances I should have gone very close to 19:00, if no, even below. I couldn’t do better, even if, truth being told, I’ve lost some seconds at the start – up to 15, though. I was never going below 19:30, which means that Strava really knows how to arrange things in perspective. It did it both in 2018, and did it now. 5 seconds is all you might get, guys. But you better climb that last kilometer, if you want to have any real advantage! Again, in Romania we mostly speak about running, then to actually running.