The NYRR 5th Avenue Mile - 2022 Edition

Since joining a New Jersey running company as retail director in 2019, Jennifer Heiner has assisted with aspects of business development and overseen daily operations at several of the company's stores. Jennifer Heiner balances her professional responsibilities with membership in the New York Road Runners (NYRR) recreational running club.

As part of its mission to support New Yorkers in cultivating healthy habits, NYRR offers Virtual Group Training to provide community-based motivation and guidance. Suitable for beginners and experienced runners alike, the program is guided by a professional coach and offers access to an online community of supportive runners. Each week, participants receive access to two structured workouts that are varied in their difficulty and terrain. After completing the workout, runners upload their workouts to gain precise, personalized feedback from coaches. In addition to running workouts, participants receive resources aimed at maintaining physical and mental health. An online forum invites runners to connect with coaches and fellow runners, ask questions, and share their experiences.

Now that we are emerging from the restrictions of COVID, New York Road Runners' events are back and better than ever. "On Sunday, September 11, the New Balance 5th Avenue Mile heads into its 41st year with another popular race along Museum Mile. Lace up, then run your best mile down a 20-block stretch of New York City’s Fifth Avenue that’s home to world-class museums and cultural institutions." New Balance 5th Avenue Mile (nyrr.org)

"The Fifth Avenue Mile is an annual 1 mile (1.6 km) road race on Fifth Avenue in New York City. The race begins at 80th Street and heads twenty blocks south to 60th Street. First held on September 26, 1981,^[1] the race is currently organized by New York Road Runners and has attracted big-name sponsors including United Airlines and New Balance.

The competition regularly attracts world-class runners, who compete in special heats after the regular age division heats. The Fifth Avenue Mile has also inspired similar events in the same mold, including the Anlene Orchard Mile in Singapore.

The record performances of the race are Sydney Maree's victory at the inaugural race in 3:47.52, and Jennifer Simpson's time of 4:16.2 set in 2019. Jennifer Simpson of the United States has historically been the most successful athlete at the competition, having won 8 races. The winners at the most recent edition in 2021 were Jake Wightman and Jemma Reekie." Fifth Avenue Mile - Wikipedia

Now that she is working more with New York Road Runners, Jennifer Heiner is excited to see this event from a volunteer perspective, rather than a participant - the elites and novice runners alike put it all on the line to see how far they can run a mile. 

Tune in to see this 2022 version on ABC on Sunday, September 11th!