M70-74: Palacios Pulls Away for a Dominant NYC Half Title

• Jaime Palacios, 71 (Fresh Meadows, NY) won the M70-74 group in 1:41:56 (7:47/mi), finishing more than 5:30 ahead of runner-up Christopher Robinson.
• Christopher Robinson, 72, took 2nd in 1:47:31 (8:12/mi); Bradford Goz, 71, was 3rd in 1:48:48 (8:18/mi) — just 1:17 separating them.
• 4th through 6th covered in under three minutes: Carl Holmes (1:49:09), Rick Markert (1:51:31), and Gabriel Dore (1:52:08) — tight racing deep into the podium.
• 86 men aged 70–74 finished the 13.1 miles from Prospect Park to Central Park on a crisp 40°F morning.

Jaime Palacios turned in one of the most commanding performances in the M70-74 group, running 7:47/mi across the full course and building his lead steadily throughout. His gender place improved from 5,711 at the first checkpoint all the way to 3,993 by the finish — meaning he was still passing runners well into the final miles. On the 15K-to-20K stretch he posted the 3,288th-fastest split among all men in the field, a strong finishing kick that underscored just how controlled his early effort was. His winning margin of 5 minutes and 35 seconds was no photo finish — it was a statement.

Behind him, Robinson and Goz ran a genuinely competitive race for the silver. Robinson (8:12/mi) steadily climbed through the men's field as well, moving from 6,920th at 5K to 5,382nd by the finish. Goz, by contrast, showed a different trajectory — his gender place slipped from 5,220 down to 5,684 over the course of the race, meaning Robinson was the one making up ground and running the stronger second half. The 1:17 gap between them at the line reflects that dynamic: Robinson closing, Goz holding on.

The battle for 4th through 6th added another layer of drama. Holmes (1:49:09), Markert (1:51:31), and Dore (1:52:08, racing in from Ferme Neuve, Quebec) were separated by just 2:59 across three spots, with Markert's splits showing a mid-race dip before he steadied. Angelo Morrongiello (7th, 1:53:06), Eddie Floyd (8th, 1:54:43), and Marino Bruhin (9th, 1:54:59, representing Langnau am Albis, Zürich) rounded out a deep top ten that spanned four countries and three U.S. states.