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SR's Reesey Byers built for speed, endurance
By MIKE COIT
PRESS DEMOCRAT
Published: Monday, February 1, 2010
Reesey Byers has been running since he could walk.
Discovering his true destiny for speed in middle school gym class, Byers grew stronger and more refined as a runner.
Steadily lowering his times at Santa Rosa High School, Byers is now one of California's top distance runners and the
Redwood Empire's most outstanding boys' cross country athlete.
“It's a feeling of accomplishment. I just worked harder every year. It was just the love of the sport,” Byers said.
This season's high point was matching the fastest time ever by a Redwood Empire runner at the state cross country
championships in Fresno. Running a 15:23 over the 3.1-mile Woodward Park course, Byers finished ninth in the Division
II boys' race, reflecting the fast field he faced, considering that Ryan Mack of Ukiah won the division with the same
time in 1998.
“It was a really good experience and I think overall in the season it was my best race,” said Byers, who a year earlier
faded and finished 66th.
“It was my first year at state and I was overwhelmed and I just died,” he recalled. “This year I was able to hold it a
lot better. I'm a lot stronger.”
That was clear in the North Coast Section meet, where Byers outkicked North Bay League champion Andrew Zellman of
Ukiah to win the Division II race. Byers capped his season with a 29th-place finish in the West Regional of the Foot
Locker National Championships.
Finishing strong was even more notable because Byers began the season on the sideline. He missed three weeks with a
sore hip and injured toe.
Byers is accustomed to overcoming adversity.
“Running kind of helps me overcome the reality of what my childhood was like,” he said. “It definitely helps me
prepare mentally for whatever's going to happen in my life.”
Born three months premature, he was raised as a foster child in the Central Valley town of Wasco until age 2, when
Mary Mike Byers adopted him. She recalled the toddler running through orchards on her visits before the move to
Santa Rosa.
Little did anyone know how running would change his life.
Byers realized he had a talent for running in seventh grade gym class at Santa Rosa Middle School. He ran track and
won the mile race in a few meets that year, and finished third in the city middle school cross country meet as an
eighth grader.
“I actually found a sport that I fell in love with,” he said.
Byers ran for the Santa Rosa Express track club. One of his teammates was Jacque Taylor. “She was faster than me
then,” he said.
By the middle of his freshman year at Santa Rosa high, Byers moved up to varsity. He finished eighth in the NBL meet
as a sophomore and third as a junior. Losing to Zellman this season in the muddy league finals was a disappointment.
Still, Byers' faith in his training paid off in the section and state meets.
“I've definitely put in a lot more miles. I've also learned to trust my training more and learn not to overdo it,”
Byers said.
After a two week layoff from cross country, Byers was back training for track.
He also has spent weekends visiting colleges. UC Berkeley, Sacramento State and UC Davis top the list. Byers will
run in college, and he wants to study engineering.
“I think I'm ready for it,” Byers said.
You can reach Staff Writer Michael Coit at 526-5470 or mike.coit@pressdemocrat.com.