Santa Barbara, Calif. (December 16, 2025) — The Santa Barbara County Trails Council successfully
hosted its 8th trail run, marking a major milestone with the debut of its inaugural 100-mile ultra-distance
event. The Island View Endurance Run, held on December 5th and 6th, drew more than 150 runners,
cementing its place as a destination race on the West Coast ultra-running calendar. Among the runners
traveling long distances, half hailed from outside Santa Barbara County, with a dozen states and Canada
represented at the multi-day event.
The Island View Endurance Run is a 2-day ultra trail event offering five distance options: 12K, 25K, 50K,
100K, and 100-mile. The course traversed the rugged and remote landscapes of the Gaviota Coast,
stretching from Baron Ranch to Gaviota State Park. Weather conditions were divine all weekend, with
sunny, clear skies, pristine views of the Channel Islands, and sweeping sunsets over the Pacific Ocean —
a much-deserved reward for the challenging terrain and seemingly endless mountainous miles that
these runners endured. As one 100-mile finisher put it, “There are worse places to suffer.”
"Hosting a race in these mountains has been a dream," said race director and Santa Barbara local Erik
Koenig. "I am eternally grateful for the volunteers, sponsors, and runners who made this such a magical
experience. We look forward to returning with an even better Island View 100 next year."
Beyond competition, the Island View Endurance Run fostered a powerful sense of community among
runners, volunteers, and organizers. The event was supported by two dozen volunteers, who worked day
and night keeping aid stations stocked and running. Moreover, runners fought through physical and
mental limits together, sharing moments of struggle and pushing each other to the finish line. The event
was widely described as one of the most challenging courses in the area, making it all the more
rewarding and deeply inspiring for runners and supporters alike.
Proceeds from the Island View Endurance Run directly support trail maintenance projects in the Santa
Ynez Mountains. The event reflects a growing movement within trail running to protect and sustain the
lands that make these experiences possible. Event sponsors include the U.S. Forest Service, California
State Parks, Channel Island District, and the County of Santa Barbara, Parks Division, as well as a dozen
other organizations.
With its successful expansion into ultra-endurance distances, the Island View Endurance Run continues
to grow into a cornerstone event for the California trail-running community and beyond.
Congratulations to the top finishers across all five distances:
100-MILE TOP FINISHERS
Timothy Brasier 23:32:25
Bridgett Heser 32:40:01
100K TOP FINISHERS
Dan Vykhopen 16:18:02
Gurinder Kaur 23:40:47
50K TOP FINISHERS
Nick Stice 5:15:43
Michelle McToldridge 6:23:39
25K TOP FINISHERS
TJ Myers 2:13:04
Anna Haddad 2:41:15
12K TOP FINISHERS
Jeff Martin 1:03:36
Alicia Martinez 1:25:59
For more information about the Island View Endurance Run and future events, visit
https://islandviewtrail.run or follow @islandviewtrailrun
About the Santa Barbara County Trails Council: The Trails Council is a nonprofit advocacy group that
supports outdoor recreation and enhances the Santa Barbara County trail system for safe, shared use by
everyone. The organization advocates conserving natural spaces to expand a countywide trail network
for recreation. The Trails Council guides and effectively manages trail planning, permitting, funding,
construction, and maintenance projects for government agencies. They also facilitate a popular year-
round recreational hiking program and a volunteer-supported trail maintenance program. On the web at
http://santabarbaratrails.org