Ford Palmer does it again! Rips a PR 3:56 in 2015 indoor debut!!!!!

step0001-29 — Ford Palmer, shown here running for Monmouth.

Ford Palmer opened his 2015 track season is style Saturday with a PR and the fastest time ever by a South Jersey native.

Palmer, a graduate of Absegami High School and Monmouth University, ran 3:56.79 to win over a loaded field at the Valentine Invitational at the Boston University Track and Tennis Center, in the process lowering the all-time South Jersey record.

Palmer’s previous PR was 3:57.61, set in August at Meredith College in Raleigh, N.C.

Here is a look at the PRs of every South Jersey native to run sub-4 — all were set indoors:

3:56.79i….. Ford Palmer [Absegami HS], Boston, Feb. 14, 2015
 3:58.14i …. Rob Novak [Bordentown HS], Boston, Feb. 11, 2012
 3:58.62i …. Brett Johnson [Ocean City HS], Seattle, Feb. 9, 2013
 3:59.35i …. John Richardson [Ocean City HS], Lexington, Ky., Feb. 2, 2008
 3:59.85i …. Mark Sivieri [St. Augustine Prep], Boston, Jan. 28, 1994
 3:59.91i …. Brian Gallagher [Sterling HS], Boston, Feb. 14, 1998

Palmer’s time is No. 3 in the U.S. this year, behind only Ben Blankenship, who ran 3:53.13, and Riley Masters, who ran 3:56.15, both last weekend at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix at the Reggie Lewis Center 2 1/2 miles away in Roxbury, Mass. It’s also No. 6 on the IAAF world list.

Here is a list of all New Jersey sub-4 milers:

3:52.2 ……. Marty Liquori, Kingston, Jamaica, May 17, 1975
3:56.75i …. Steve Slattery, New York, March 6, 2006
3:56.79i …. Ford Palmer, Boston, Feb. 14, 2015
3:56.9 …… Ron Speirs, Philadelphia, April 30, 1977
3:58.14i …. Rob Novak, Boston, Feb. 11, 2012
3:58.4i …… Roger Jones, Boston, Feb. 13, 1982
3:58.61i …. Travis Mahoney, Boston, Feb. 8, 2014
3:58.62i …. Jim McKeon, Johnson City, Tenn., Jan. 19, 1985
3:58.62i …. Brett Johnson, Seattle, Feb. 9, 2013
3:59.18i …. Jeramy Elkaim, Seattle, Feb. 23, 2013
3:59.2 ……. Cliff Sheehan, Philadelphia, April 27, 1985
3:59.35i …. John Richardson, Lexington, Ky., Feb. 2, 2008
3:59.43i ….. Rich Kenah, Fayetteville, Feb. 12, 2000
3:59.6 ……. Jim Crawford, Modesto, Calif., May 23, 1970
3:59.85i …. Mark Sivieri, Boston, Jan. 28, 1994
3:59.91i …. Brian Gallagher, Boston, Feb. 14, 1998
3:59.98i …. Christian Gonzalez, Boston, Jan. 27, 2012

And finally, results of today’s race, including two other New Jersey natives – Travis Mahoney of Old Bridge (12th in 3:59.60) and Rob Napolitano of Red Bank Catholic (14th in a PR 4:00.64):