Greyhills distance runner hits new PR in 1600-meter run

Posted by Quentin Jodie | May 1, 2025 | Track & Field |

By Quentin Jodie
Navajo Times

WINSLOW – Despite some gusty winds, Greyhills Academy senior Benjamin Miera established a new personal best in the 1600-meter run at the Winslow Invitational on Friday afternoon.

Miera took second in the four-lap race, finishing with a time of 4:20.96, as he improved on his PR by two seconds. For much of the race, he paced off Flagstaff junior Alex Bland, who won the race at 4:19.74.

“I think that was a big factor,” Miera said of running against tougher competition. “They helped me carry along and I love the competition.”

As one would expect, the sustained wind speed of 20 mph wreaked havoc on the competitors at the one-day meet. But Miera was determined to overcome that challenge.

“I knew the wind speed today was going to be a drawback, but I was able to run strong and hit a new PR,” Miera said.

With that, the Greyhills athlete has reset the fastest recorded time in the one-mile race at the Arizona Interscholastic Association Division V level as Miera ran a 4:22.50 during the Lake Powell Invitational last month. Arete Prep senior Max Bruns has the division’s second fastest time at 4:26.13.

“I hope to finish first at the division championships,” Miera said of the AIA Division V state meet, which is slated for May 9-10 at Red Mountain High School in Mesa, Ariz.

“That is a big goal of mine,” he said. “I also hope to qualify for the state championships this time around.”

The AIA state meet will be held at Mesa Community College on May 16-17 with the top athletes regardless of division will advance to the state meet. Statewide, Miera has the 18th fastest time in the 1600-meter run with Adrian Rodriquez of 6A Hamilton leading the state with a time 4:11.61.

By training at higher elevation, Miera believes he can lower his time at the division meet next week.

“With better conditions and running at lower elevation, I believe I can get that edge I need to get a new PR,” Miera said. “There is a slight advantage running at higher altitude, but it’s not something that is massive.”

In addition to the 1600, Miera is sitting third in the 3200 at 9:44.67 and eighth in the 800 at 1:59.86 at the Division V level.

The Greyhills distance runner ran those two races on Friday as he placed third in the 800 (2:03.63) and fifth in the 3200 (10:11.51) at the Winslow meet.

In the 800, Miera worked his way up from the middle of the pack and finished behind Page runners Symond Martin (2:02.88) and Nyall Prather (2:02.89).

“I tried to kick it at the 150-meter mark, but that is when they also started to kick it, too,” Miera said of the Sand Devil runners.