Amanda Lynne Byrne Memorial 5K/10K - Pecos

There was a memorial run held out in Pecos this last weekend (Apr. 16) for fallen runner Amanda Lynne Byrne. The Pecos High senior was fatally struck on the tracks south of town while out for a run in January. The story is pretty heart breaking.

The Byrne family along with long time runner Chris Chavez and many others in the Pecos area helped pull together a memorial 5K/10K event to raise money for a Pecos High scholarship fund in Amanda's name as well as to raise awareness for safety. Information on how to donate to the scholarship can be found at the above link.

The event went well and was attended heavily from the Pecos community and local running circles; Alice Temple was there, as was Dale Goering, Vinnie Kelley, Fred Maas, Pecos High principal Fred Trujillo, Marc Esposito, Therese Trujillo and of course Chris Chavez. I was out there with Gabe Brown to help with the timing. The extended Byrne family was there, many running and walking in the event.

Runners freezing in the Pecos morning before the start

Amanda's father sends them off

The 5K was won by state runner-up wrestler Jonathan Torres of Pecos in 21min 46sec.  2nd overall (and first female) finisher was Rylie Hightower of Las Cruces, 23:13; 3rd place was Antonio Chavez of Pecos, 23:44. Women's runner up was Kelly Koehler of Pecos, 28:19. Full results can be found here.

The 10K race wound through a section of the Pecos National Monument before returning to the high school. New Mexico State Univ. runner Michael Hart was first overall in 37min 4sec; 2nd place was Santa Fe's Marc Esposito, 39:11; 3rd place went to Santa Fe's Vinnie Kelley, 43:32. Therese Trujillo of Santa Fe won the women's overall in 44:58; Runner-up went to Margarita Gonzalez of Pecos, 47:37; 3rd place was Alice Temple of Santa Fe, 48:45. Full results can be found here.

Related Posts:
  - Area Trails List
  - Area Race Calendar