Zach Perrin joined an elite group on Saturday.
The 2013 Flathead High School graduate ran 3:59.00 in the mile at the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Indoor Track & Field Championships in Seattle. A sophomore at the University of Colorado, Perrin placed fourth overall. His time ranks second fastest in CU history.
Perrin, who grew up in Lakeside, is only the third Montanan to run a sub four-minute mile. Patrick Casey, a Laurel native, ran 3:59.76 as a sophomore at Montana State University in February 2011. He recorded that time in Bozeman and was the first runner to break the four-minute barrier on Montana soil. Poplar’s Scott McGowan became the first Montanan to run under four minutes in Boston in January 2005 when he clocked 3:58.91. He had graduated as an All-American runner at the University of Montana the previous spring.
Before Saturday, only 466 American runners had ever broken the four-minute barrier in the mile, according to Track & Field News.
Perrin already holds the distinction of being one of the all-time great high school runners in Montana history. He graduated with the fastest 1,600 and 3,200 times ever for a distance runner from the Treasure State.
He is in the midst of a breakout season for the Buffs this winter. Earlier this month, he recorded 4:02.89 at the Husky Classic in Seattle to put him seventh on CU’s all-time list.