Kyle Merber led a quartet of runners to the first sub 4-minute mile achieved on a track in Santa Barbara in a special event Friday night at SBCC’s La Playa Stadium.
Merber clocked 3:57.74 to win the race of 13 elite runners.
Eric Avila finished second in 3:57.91, edging out Daniel Estrada (3:57.92), and Graham Crawford was the fourth to finish under the four-minute barrier in 3:59.92.
Avila was the 2007 California High School state champion in 3200 from Bonita Vista High in San Diego.
All four sub-4 finishers received cash rewards from the event sponsor, running shoe company Hoka One One.
Merber, 27, ran for Columbia and the University of Texas and is a member of the New Jersey-New York Track Club. He has a best mile time of 3:52.52, set in February of 2016 in Boston.
In the women’s elite mile, the runners were trying to get under 4:30 for the cash reward.
C’Aira Brown was the fastest in a time of 4:36.94.
UCSB’s Jenna Hinkle came in fifth place with a UCSB-record time of 4:38.81.
First sub-4 mile in Santa Barbara. @TheRealMerb brings it home. #TimeToFlyMile pic.twitter.com/Dc2lx6cKJW
— HOKA ONE ONE (@HOKAONEONE) April 14, 2018