The 3rd annual Viva La Lucha 5k in Sunland Park, Texas, was a huge success, drawing a record crowd of runners and spectators. The event, which took place at the Sunland Park Racetrack & Casino, raised money for the League of Heroes, a nonprofit dedicated to community outreach for local families and kids.

Community Comes Together

Many runners wore lucha libre masks to get into the festive spirit, and the event featured a sea of runners of all ages. For one pair of runners, Abel and Amy Layton, the event was a fresh perspective on the community’s spirit. ‘It’s just part of the program, that we’re doing. It just sounded fun. Why not? You know?’ said Abel Layton.

The Laytons, who are both marines, joined the event to experience the community’s energy. ‘I’m not from El Paso, so it’s, it’s actually really good to see the whole community getting together. You can see everybody kind of helping each other, pushing each other to keep going. So it’s pretty awesome,’ said Abel Layton.

Raising Money for a Good Cause

The event was hosted by Karina, the owner of Lucha Libre Wrestling, who wanted to bring the community together and make a positive impact. ‘It’s part of who we are, our culture. I mean, Lucha Libre was born here in El Paso, taken to Juarez, from Juarez to Mexico, and it’s what it is now. So, it’s something that we wanted to bring, to the community and like, make it big again,’ said Karina Hernandez.

The event was a huge success, with all ages hitting the pavement for a cause close to the community’s heart. ‘It’s –it’s really amazing to see the community come, and unite,’ said Karina.

Original reporting: El Paso News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.