Seattle Pacific University’s Isaiah Archer made history on the track by breaking the school record for the 400-meter outdoor race at the Pomona-Pitzer Invitational on April 8. His time of 48.24 seconds topped the previous record held by Chris Randolph, which stood at 48.27 seconds since 2006.

This is not the first time that Archer has broken a school record. He broke the indoor 400-meter record in the winter at the Husky Classic on Feb. 11. 

“Going into the season, I had a lot of personal goals, and I was aware that in meeting those goals, I would also break the school record,” Archer said. “When I crossed the line at Dempsey, I was happy to break the record but not content because, in my head, there is still so much work to do and time to shave off.”

Despite breaking the record twice, Archer is not resting on his laurels.

“The second time can’t compare to the first in terms of the whole ‘new school record’ feeling, but it definitely feels good to PR,” Archer said. “It’s honestly a funky thing because I see it as more of a PR than a school record because I’m still competing and hoping to continue setting personal records up until the conclusion of my collegiate career.”

For Archer, breaking the school record is not just a personal achievement.

 “Having my name in SPU’s history books is an accomplishment that, in a sense, validates the work I’ve put in on the track,” Archer said. “I see it as a bar that someone after me can chase as well and ultimately improve the program as a whole.”

Archer credits his success to a variety of people who have supported him throughout his athletic journey. 

“To name a few, I have my teammates who are alongside me every day working to get better, my family and friends who support me through all the ups and downs, and of course, the coaching staff who lay out the foundations for any of this to be possible,” Archer said.

Looking ahead, Archer has his sights set on achieving even greater success in his sport.

 “I would definitely like to get to that national meet, and once that goal is achieved, I would like to become an All-American.” Archer said.

Archer emphasized the importance of focusing on personal improvement rather than comparing oneself to others, a message he tries to share with younger runners and athletes. 

“Honestly, I would tell them not to compare themselves to others and just focus on being better than themselves day in and day out,” Archer said. “All that other stuff will come with it, but at the end of the day, it’s me versus me and you versus you. That’s what matters in my book.”