OK, thanks for that.
The datasheet linked from the Sparkfun website says (p5) that there is a breakpoint at the low end of pressure where it behaves like a switch. Around this point, the resistance drops from 100k to 10k.
With a 1k resistor in your voltage divider, "not pressed" would give a voltage into the Arduino of 5V * (1k / (100k+1k)) = about 50mV. "Pressed" would give 5Vk * (1 / (10k+1k)) = about 450mV. A ratio of 9:1. And the 450mV would give an analogRead() reading of 1023 * (0.45/5) = about 90. So you would need to lower the threshold in your code. If you wanted a larger reading, you could increase the 1k resistor to 4.7k say. But still plan to test the sensor and calibrate your threshold value, e.g. by using the Arduino example program AnalogReadSerial.
On the light sensor, Sparkfun says it ranges from 10k dark down to 1k light. Again, you should test it to see how bright the light has to be to get a sensible change in voltage at the Arduino, but it feels like your 1k resistor is reasonable here.
However, CdS photo resistors have a relatively slow response time, around 100ms I believe. This is about the same as the period you are trying to measure. If the response (output voltage change vs time since light change) of the sensor is consistent, maybe there is some way you could calibrate for it.
But it might be easier to choose a different type of sensor. I have seen photo-diode sensors with response time in single digit microseconds.
Hope this helps
Ray