Thriving Together
Local Ultrarunner Jeffrey Stern Completes 68-Mile Backbone Trail in Fastest Known Time
BY BARRY PUNZAL, NOOZHAWK SPORTS EDITOR
It wasn’t the best of days to be out running for a record, but Jeffrey Stern was determined to do it during the first winter storm of the season on Nov. 7.
Running in rain, hail and wind, Stern, the cross country coach at Laguna Blanca School and an alum of Cal Poly, completed the fastest known time (FKT) for a supported runner on the Backbone Trail, a 68-mile route that traverses the Santa Monica Mountains.
He covered the journey from Will Rogers State Park in Pacific Palisades to Point Mugu State Park in 11 hours, 10 minutes and 39 seconds. The previous record was 11:36, set in 2017 by Utah-based ultra runner Jeff Browning.
"While we prepared all summer for searing Southern Californian heat, race morning brought us the first storm of the season, featuring cold temperatures, hail, heavy rain and 30-plus mph winds,” Stern explained of the less-than-ideal conditions on race day. “But as a team we still persevered to beat our goal time. There's huge power in numbers, and so my first FKT was a group effort from the start. I feel so fortunate to have had the support from so many friends along the way.”
Fastest Known Times is a public domain for athletes all over the world to register their attempts at long-distance records. The site explains the best routes around the globe, who did them and how fast.
“Essentially speed records, whether up Mount Everest, across the Grand Canyon or, in my case, the Backbone Trail,” Stern said. “There are FKTs in Santa Barbara too, including the Los Padres Traverse.”
In tackling the Backbone's 68 miles and 13,000 feet of elevation game, Stern's main goal was to keep moving forward.
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It wasn’t the best of days to be out running for a record, but Jeffrey Stern was determined to do it during the first winter storm of the season on Nov. 7.
Running in rain, hail and wind, Stern, the cross country coach at Laguna Blanca School and an alum of Cal Poly, completed the fastest known time (FKT) for a supported runner on the Backbone Trail, a 68-mile route that traverses the Santa Monica Mountains.
He covered the journey from Will Rogers State Park in Pacific Palisades to Point Mugu State Park in 11 hours, 10 minutes and 39 seconds. The previous record was 11:36, set in 2017 by Utah-based ultra runner Jeff Browning.
"While we prepared all summer for searing Southern Californian heat, race morning brought us the first storm of the season, featuring cold temperatures, hail, heavy rain and 30-plus mph winds,” Stern explained of the less-than-ideal conditions on race day. “But as a team we still persevered to beat our goal time. There's huge power in numbers, and so my first FKT was a group effort from the start. I feel so fortunate to have had the support from so many friends along the way.”
Fastest Known Times is a public domain for athletes all over the world to register their attempts at long-distance records. The site explains the best routes around the globe, who did them and how fast.
“Essentially speed records, whether up Mount Everest, across the Grand Canyon or, in my case, the Backbone Trail,” Stern said. “There are FKTs in Santa Barbara too, including the Los Padres Traverse.”
In tackling the Backbone's 68 miles and 13,000 feet of elevation game, Stern's main goal was to keep moving forward.
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Laguna Blanca is Santa Barbara’s premier private, co-educational, college preparatory day school for students in Early Kindergarten through Grade 12.