Calm Before The Storm

And thankfully, we're not talking about the weather.

The first of "it" arrived Saturday morning for our group run!

"It'll get pretty busy the next few weeks (though)," says Volte founder Bill Dwyer.  "We have several in Run Thru The Woods on Thursday and a few running out-of-state Thanksgiving Day races.

"We also have the Montgomery County Triple this weekend followed by next weekend's Texas10 Conroe, B-CS Marathon and Half Marathon, MetroPCS Dallas Marathon and Half Marathon and the Texas Trail Endurance Runs."

First, though, came the sweltering.

Kacey Bryant, Katie Marshall and Gabby Brockett took three for the team at the Rock 'N' Roll San Antonio Half Marathon on Sunday, November 17.

Kacey and Katie ran their own races but put down identical times of 2:08:29 while Gabby, the triple fall marathoner, paced a friend to a 2:20:54 finish.

Some ladies that we hope to see in the Volte ranks soon also were in the Alamo City.

Patty Williamson and Lauren Hoffart covered the 13.1 miles in 2:07:55 and 2:22:27, respectively, while Kate Thomas paced a friend to a time of 3:39:09.

Other Volte friends running the half marathon included Hollie Quigley (2:24:44), Denna Johnson (2:34:57), Fran Blanton (2:34:57) and Barry Blanton (2:42:02).

Of course, Philadelphia is known as the City of Brotherly Love.

However, somebody forgot to tell Will Ott's stomach that.

Our Volte friend and Woodlands Fit coach went to the Pennsylvania city without a Super Bowl win in search of a 3:25 marathon, but instead switched to the Gore-Tex Philadelphia Half Marathon and put down a 1:46:01 time that was better delivered than a Phily Cheesesteak sandwich.

And then, there was shivering at the HMSA Classical 25K last Sunday, November 24 in downtown Houston.

But it should haven't bothered Paul Vita, the Penn State graduate, too much.

"I felt pretty good," he said.  "The temperature was fine, but the wind was tough on the backside so that cost me some time."

Yet, Paul still conquered the triple-loop course from the Wortham Center to Shepherd and Memorial to post a finishing time of 2:26:40.

Volte friends Keith Wiley, who trains with us periodically, and 50 States marathon finisher Tony Allison also went loop de loop with respective times of 1:43:28 and 2:09:07.

Keith's time was good for eighth in his 35-39 age group.  Tony was 19th in his.

And like Allison, one of our long-time friends at Volte, Strive Performance Coaching founder and current Finish Strong Coaching coach Kim Mc Namee was the third overall female in 1:41:56.

Mc Namee, 42, said she used the race as another step in her preparation to run the Chevron Houston Marathon in January for the first time in 10 years, where she qualified for the 2004 U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Marathon.