State Street Mile record-holder Michael Chavez crossed the finish line of this year’s event in under four minutes on Sunday, claiming his second title after setting the record in 2007.
Chavez’s time of 3 minutes and 53 seconds was one second off his course-record mark of 3:52. Chavez, from Fullerton, is 24.
Goleta’s Scott Smith also broke the four-minute barrier, completing the straight, downhill course in 3:58. Both Chavez and Smith competed in the Men’s Elite Division.
There were no elite women’s competitors, but there were some tight races in other divisions.
The 15-19 age group was close race with Paul Denlinger of Templeton edging Zander Souza of Paso Robles and Santa Barbara’s Briggs Deardorff by two seconds, 4:22 to 4:24. Goleta’s Sushchikh was fourth in 4:26.
Harley Richards , 24, of L.A. won the 20-29 division in 4:31, while Andrew Kastor, 32, of Mammoth Lakes won a competitive 30-34 race in 4:21. Kastor is the hustband of 2004 Olympic marathon bronze medalists and 2008 Olympian Deena Kastor. He finished one second ahead of Aaron Paterson of Sunnyvale and two seconds ahead of Santa Barbara’s Mike Shalhoub.
The top finishers in the 40-49 group were familiar names on the local running scene. Michael Smith and Eric Forte shared first place in 4:29, followed by Todd Booth (4:33) and Scott Deardorff (4:40).
Goleta’s Joe Hilton won the 50-59 division (5:15), Joe Kelley of Santa Barbara took the 60-69 race in 5:27 and the 70-over race was taken by Dan Truex, 73, in 6:26. John Brennand, 74, finished second in 6:27 and Gordon McClenathan was third in 7:47. Ten runners competed in the division, including one octegenarian.
Sue McDonald of Goleta won the masters elite women’s division in 5:36, while Ray Kneer captured the masters elite men’s race in 4:33.
In the under-14 race, Spencer Smith, 13, ran away from the field in 5:14.
Steve Harding won the popular Dog Mile at the brisk clip of 4:27 and Michelle Konoske finished in second in 5:22.
