Lynn Bjorklund

Who is Lynn Bjorklund?

Lynn Bjorklund is an American long-distance runner originally from Los Alamos, New Mexico. She holds the U.S. high school record in the 3000 metres, set in 1975, and female course records for the Pikes Peak Marathon, set in 1981. As of 2010 she is employed as a park ranger.

Bjorklund rapidly gained national prominence after she won the girls' division of the National Amateur Athletic Union Cross Country Championships in Albuquerque, New Mexico. She won consecutive titles at the USA Cross Country Championships in 1974 and 1975. She came in seventh place at the World Cross Country Championships in 1976.

On October 8, 1997, Bjorklund was camping with her brother in the Pecos Wilderness near Santa Fe, New Mexico when the two witnessed a plane crash. The pilot and his passenger were burned and injured. In a rescue attempt Bjorklund covered 18 miles of rugged terrain on foot in less than three hours. She guided two helicopters to the crash site, and the two men were airlifted to safety.