The conditions were perfect on Saturday night for racing at the 2016 Texas Distance Festival. Both the guys and girls races didn't disappoint. In the girls race Allison Esparza and Ashton Endsley took the early lead. Pacing the pack through two miles with a group of runners strung out behind them. Inside a mile to go the lead pack had dwindled down to just three runners. With two laps to go Endsley put in a surge pulling away from the other two girls. She came through for the last lap in 16:02 and dropped a 75 sec 400 to finish the race with a 17:17. Maddie Vondra from Fort Worth Arlington Heights placed 2nd running 17:26.
| GIRLS 5,000 METER RUN FINALS | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PLACE | ATHLETE | TEAM | RESULT | WIND | H# | |
| 1 | Ashton Endsley | 11 | Abilene | 17:17.90 | 1 | |
| 2 | Maddie Vondra | 11 | Fort Worth Arlington Heights | 17:26.70 | 1 | |
| 3 | Catherine Tracht | 10 | Southlake Carroll | 17:32.20 | 1 | |
| 4 | Gillian Mortimer | 11 | Southlake Carroll | 17:33.00 | 1 | |
| 5 | Allison Esparza | 12 | Southlake Carroll | 17:34.80 | 1 | |
| 6 | Lauryn Barrientos | 12 | Forney | 17:43.80 | ||
In the guys race Justin Domangue from Alvarado wasted no time getting out hard and taking the lead. Domangue's lead didn't last long though as the rest of the pack began to chase him down within the first two laps. After that Southlakes Connor Rutledge charged to the lead opening up a bit of a gap on the pack. The pack led by David Strome and Reed Brown again reeled Rutledge back in within 4 or 5 laps. With four laps to go all the big dogs had made their way to the front of the pack. This was when Southlakes Reed Brown began to take over the pace-setting. Strome threw in some surges with six and seven laps to go. The moves were matched by Brown, Blunt and Jenks (OK) Matthew Young. Keller's Carter Persyn was also holding on off the back of the pack as crucial last mile approached.