Trevor Dunbar is an Internet legend to some people and a master con artist to others.

I’m here to set people straight. He is no con artist.

First let me explain why people are even considering this.

Four weeks ago on a cold and snowy day, Dunbar ran a 9 minute, 1 second two-mile time trial on the snow-covered track at Joe Floyd Track and Field.

It’s the stuff legends are made of.

A week after, the must-be-there-to-believe-it performance found its way to YouTube. Then people from across the country started doubting what they were seeing on their computer.

The video soon made its way to various running Websites and quickly entire forums were devoted to the performance.

Here’s a comment from “sorry didn’t happen” on letsrun.com.

“You guys are falling for a classic hoax. Notice that they shoveled the snow off the track, but that is not really the track. They have shortened it, most likely toward the back away from the camera, or perhaps the whole things has been made somewhat short … The track is just an illusion. They are hoping everyone will just assume that the area where they have shoveled the snow is actually the track.”

That couldn’t be anymore wrong.

Other people wrote that they timed it while watching it and got a different time.

Wrong again.

What you saw was real. There was no staging, acting or mistiming.

The fact the video has spread has amazed Trevor and his father and coach Marcus Dunbar.

The YouTube video, split into two segments, has been viewed 17,669 times.

On a letsrun.com forum, there are 87 comments on the video.

“It was like a virus on a computer,” Trevor Dunbar said.

It was a virus only meant for a select few to watch.

Marcus Dunbar wanted to share the video with other Alaskan’s and thought posting it on YouTube would be easiest way.

What he didn’t know is the appeal it would have nation wide.

“Once a couple of the running sites got a hold of it all these people started watching it and we were amazed,” Marcus Dunbar said. “People that we didn’t even plan on having see it are speculating if it really happened.”

Of course, there are plenty who believe.

This is from Road Hawg on letsrun.com

“I’ve seen a few things in my 35 years, but this was particularly inspiring. This is what running is about at it’s purest. Good friends and honest effort, not matter the circumstances.”

Turkey Racer had this to say.

“Dude is a beast. I watched the video and was very impressed. Very easy to slack off in those conditions, but he was mentally and physically tough. Very impressive for a high school guy.”

People were talking on flotrack.org as well.

This comes from Cool Beans

“This is amazing simply because he ran 9:01 on an ice track. That this was literally all ice.”

Here is one from Allan.

“This kids crazy. He doesn’t even look like he is running a 9-minute pace. I am truly jealous of his talent. Absolutely amazing. No question about it.”

I couldn’t have said it better myself.

Mirror writer Derek Clarkston can be reached via e-mail at sports@kodiakdailymirror.com.