Volte Delivers Lean Cuts to Texas10 Fort Worth

Volte took a lean crew of 18 to Cowtown in an effort to keep its lock on the Texas 10 Series' Ten-Gallon Club Cup Competition lead.

It might be said that Volte's squad at Texas10 Fort Worth was the "Friends and Family" team.

Three families.

Ten age-group winners.

Five post-race cash drawing winners.

Sounds like a good day to you, right?

Looks like a good day to me!
(Photo courtesy of Bill Dwyer)

Volte founder Bill Dwyer called Texas10 Fort Worth a "must do" event with its "beautiful course" that comprised a good portion of the Trinity Trails system.

Great weather didn't hurt either.

Third overall, Chris Layman became Armadillo Cup prize money eligible with his fourth race and a season-best time of 54 minutes, 33 seconds to lead Volte.

It was also a personal best for Layman, but the PR's didn't end with the second-place age group finisher (behind the overall winner Jacob Phillips from Dallas).

Next up was Curtis Hooper's 1:05:31, which was his best showing in six Texas 10 races to date.

Most impressive, though, was his 23-second negative split - the most narrow gap of all of his Texas 10 appearances -- and the first race that he'd go under 33 minutes on the first loop.

It would be good for second overall masters behind Snook's Jose Garcia.

Race director Willie Fowlkes goes over the course before the start.
(Photo courtesy of Bill Dwyer)

Four runners nestled in under the 1:20 banner, including the two Boswell boys -- Bryce and Brighton.

Both won their respective age groups (15-19 and 1-14) in times of 1:14:01 and 1:17:18.

Jerritt Park was third in his 35-39 age group with his Texas10 best time of 1:15:49 while Mayra Caamano led Volte's women with a second place 35-39 showing of 1:16:13.

Caamano has been first or second in her division in all six of her Texas 10 races.

Remaining as one of five to have run every single Texas 10 Series race, Randy Smith checked in with a time of 1:25:06.

Tammy Grado was third in her 45-49 age group in 1:29:27 -- her fifth podium finish in seven Texas 10 races.

Putting her feet behind her money was Llana Bingham, who upgraded to the 10-miler at packet pickup, with a nice showing of 1:32:15.

Llana Bingham and Tammy Grado:  Both happy with their efforts in Fort Worth.
(Photo courtesy of Bill Dwyer)

And it was Grado who was most excited for her friend, Bingham, said Dwyer.

"At five miles, Tammy passed by yelling, "Look at Llana, look at Llana," and pointing to Llana who was 50 yards behind her," he said.  "She was so excited that her friend was having a great race."

Brent and Kathie Boswell -- Bryce and Brighton's parents -- ran together to finish in 1:39:16 and 1:39:18.

Then somebody shot Stephen Griffin out of a cannon as he posted a 10-minute PR by breaking 1:40 -- in 1:39:48.

He was 2:11:12 and 2:05:40, respectively, earlier in the year at Texas10 College Station and Texas10 Huntsville.

Stephen Griffin (#63) leads Alfredo Gonzalez (red shirt) out of Farrington Field.
(Photo courtesy of Bill Dwyer)

Alfredo Gonzalez made it to the finish line four seconds faster than Payton Bolton, but the 13-year-old young lady eeked the two-second chip time win in 1:55:41 -- good for second in the women's 1-13 age group.

Gonzalez's 1:55:43 was his Texas 10 Series PR and put him third in his 55-59 age group -- his sixth podium finish in seven Texas 10 races.

The Bolton family ran together for nine miles until the youngest took off.

Payton Bolton and her Dad, Andy, are all thumbs up after five miles.
(Photo courtesy of Bill Dwyer)

Dad and Mom -- Andy and Leah -- finished together in 1:58:41 -- their second Texas 10 Series race of the year.

Like Smith earlier, Mary Carter kept her "Last Woman Standing" streak (all nine Texas 10 races) alive with an age-group winning time of 1:00:08 -- her fastest of seven Texas 10 five-milers to date.

And Letty Gonzalez's 1:05:58 in the 5-miler was her best time of the year -- just one spot off the 40-49, five-mile podium.

Payton Bolton, Hooper, Caamano and Kathie Boswell all won $100 in the post-race cash giveaways while Carter grabbed another $50 from Texas 10 Series race director Willie Fowlkes.

For the second time in as many days, the group was supported by Dwyer and Dave Odom with an extra assist from Sam -- Dave's dog.

Volte Puts A Big Exclamation Point on Ten For Texas

Not every Ohio State graduate or fan can "dot the I".

They can -- and did, however -- anchor the exclamation point -- of the team's fine showing at this year's Memorial Hermann Ten For Texas in The Woodlands.

One of four marquee events -- including the Chevron Houston Marathon, The Woodlands Marathon and GE Run Thru The Woods -- that Volte is very well-represented at every year, 37 runners were in the starting chute of this year's 9th annual running of the event.

West Virginia native (and our resident Buckeye - see the temporary tattoo on the right cheek below) Skye Taylor led the way with a women's second-place overall time of 1:07:17.

Skye is all smiles with her first-place age group award:  almost bigger than her native West Virginia.
(Photo courtesy of Bill Dwyer)

She wasn't the only lady to take home hardware though.

Patty Williamson won her age group in a time of 1:23:55 while Jennifer Rowe and Geri Henry were third place in their respective divisions in times of 1:16:36 and 1:54:19.

Rowe did so while helping Sandra Tezino forge a 10-minute personal best -- one of nine Volte PR's on the morning.

Jennifer Rowe glides to an impressive finish.
(Photo courtesy of Bill Dwyer)

The muggy day at the start - which lasted about an hour into the race before a somewhat cool breeze and light rain descended on the course -- dampened PR plans of many, but certainly didn't the spirit of our runners.

Five runners got under the 1:20 barrier including Alex Picozza (1:11:21), Justin Bui (1:12:57), Will Ott (1:17:48), Reggie Bruhn (1:18:25) and Brandi Herrera (1:19:21).

Six averaged less than nine minutes per mile as they broke 1:30.

They included Yaya Herrera (1:22:39), Pam Owens (1:24:25), Alan Ramsey (1:25:50), Lenore McDonald (1:28:32), Leanne Rosser (1:28:40) and Lauren Hoffart (1:28:46).

Sandra Tezino was on her toes with a 10-minute PR!
(Photo courtesy of Bill Dwyer)

Meanwhile, Jill Tresaugue was right on the money -- 1:30:00 even.

The guys dominated the 1:30-window as Alan Gastineau led a group of six in 1:30:22, followed by John McDonald (1:31:08), Rob Myers (1:31:54), Mark Zimmer (1:31:55), Paul Vita (1:38:32) and Debra Myers (1:39:51).

Nine runners had times within three (3) minutes of each other.

They included Dayna Longnecker (1:40:10), Michelle McGill who paced her daughter, Amanda Williams to a time of 1:41:01, Michell Bradie (1:41:24), Rich Cooper (1:41:30), Sean Lagunas (1:41:48), Lori Carter (1:42:05) and Marta Mixa (1:42:32).

Rich Cooper's (right) pre-race prayer for cooler temperatures ... brought rain!
(Photo courtesy of Bill Dwyer)

JC Morrell finished in 1:45:22 while Kate Jackson and Sandy Jones followed in 1:47:38 and 1:51:15, respectively.

Todd Snider paced Tabitha Young as they both cheated two hours out of winning -- Todd in 1:59:57 and Tabitha in 1:59:44.

Volte, of course, has awesome friends -- and they did awesome as well.

Jill Treasaugue's son, Ryan, age 11, took his age group in a blazing time of 1:05:59.

Volte's massage therapist, Ray Arroyo, a multi-time Ironman, glided through the course in 1:13:14 while Finish Strong Racing's Gabby Coates, who's training for next May's Ironman Texas, and Jeanette Hagelskaer, who was getting ready for the Marine Corps Marathon, finished in 1:26:52 and 1:27:39, respectively.

Buoyed by Rich Cooper's pre-race team prayer, Volte athletes got support from Bill Dwyer, Dave Odom, Mary Carter, Juliee Sparks, Keith Wiley and Adrienne Langelier.