Nine Volte's Two-Year Sabbatical Ends With Volte Thanksgiving Feast

Yes, the Mad Scribe has been dormant for awhile.

However, Santa Volte started handing out results packages as presents again.

We'll see if the Big Guy can keep churning them out.

Then again, that's where you the athlete comes in.

You race.  We write.  That's how this works.

So how did Volte get ready for Thanksgiving?  Father and son took home a little hardware, while one runner got a little high.

No, no, no, it is NOT what you think.  There is no such thing as a Volte controversy.

The former middle race of the Montgomery County Triple, the City of Conroe Turkey Trot 5K, held at Carl Barton, Jr. Park on Saturday, November 19, saw Jerritt Park doing his usual thing -- securing an age group award with a 20:58 finish.

It wasn't even the best in the family, though.  Dad was second while 9-year-old Brayden took first place honors with a 24:51 showing.  Nope, it won't be long.

Speaking of heights (yes, that kind of high), Juan Flores traveled to Mexico City to see the Oakland Raiders battle the Houston Texans for NFL Monday night football.

And like many of us when we travel, we find a race -- or two.

The day before the game, Juan churned out a 43:56 time in the Carrea De La Revolucion 10K, which was held at 7,200 feet above sea level.

And then the next day, he ran the TV Azteca 13K in 1:02:40.

Volte headed north back across the Rio Grande to kick off Thanksgiving.

And Yaya Herrera did so in style by winning her age group in the Rio Grande Valley Cycling Turkey Trot 10K in McAllen by 38 seconds with an effort of 49:53.

Yaya Herrera dazzles in the Rio Grande Valley

Near the Capitol, PR's are just a nice as hardware and a pair of Volte ladies grabbed them faster than a couple of turkey legs.

Debra Myers and Penny Garza clocked 5-minute and four and a half-minute personal bests at the Thunder Cloud Subs Turkey Trot 5-Miler in Austin.

Debra stopped the clock in 49:34 while Penny did so in 54:13.  Rob, Debra's husband, was a good sport in yielding the spotlight to the ladies even though he had a nice time of 42:59 himself.

The only other Volte athletes not racing in Montgomery County on Thanksgiving Day were Derek Bailey and Gabby Westbrook as they both were in Frisco to take part in the North Texas Turkey Trot.

Derek grabbed second in his age group in the 10K with a 39:32 performance while Gabby knocked out an impressive time of 24:08 in the 5K.

Thirty (30) Volte athletes or Friends of Volte took part in one of the three races at the annual GE Run Thru The Woods in The Woodlands.

Vita Galicia, Keri Amador and Naika Vargas are all smiles after this year's GE Run Thru The Woods
(Photo courtesy of Bill Dwyer)

Skip Moschell and Rebecca Holt picked up age group honors in the 5-mile race while Dana-Sue Crews and Tricia Driver took their place on the podum in the 3-mile event.  (Dana-Sue's daughter, Morgan, was home from college and beat Mom to the finish line by seven seconds in 24:03.)

Layton Gill crushed the 5-mile distance with a 7-minute PR.

Great to see our sponsor Lindsey Perkins with Fleet Feet of Greater Houston out running the 3-mile in 29:01 while her five-year-old daughter Emmerson grabbed the first-place trophy in her age group in the 1-mile race in 9:59.

The full team results are here:

1-Mile
Brayden Park - 7:19.

3-Mile
Dana-Sue Crews 24:10 1st AG, Tricia Driver - 25:43 3rd AG, Vita Galicia 27:15, Lauren Hoffart  27:27, Dana Formon 28:12.

5-Mile
Skip Moschell 32:20 2nd AG, Jerritt Park 33:37, Randy Harris 34:22, Rebecca Holt 35:14 1st AG, John Trocko 35:20, Larry Batton 35:34, Will Ott 36:10, Keri Amador 36:38, Landa Wright 36:58, Layton Gill 37:50, Jon Braunersreuther 39:09, Kelli Medina 42:08, Leanne Rosser 44:19, Marta Mixa 44:35, Jimmy Baker 49:27, Llana Bingham 49:28, Paul Vita 49:29,Rich Cooper 49:37,  Naika Vargas 50:48, Chris Shank 51:49, Geri Henry 53:45, Alfredo Gonzalez 56:05, Tabitha Young 57:13, Letty Gonzalez - 1:02:20.

The second race of the 11th annual Montgomery County Triple was the Friends of the Running Community 5K, held on Friday, November 25 at Barbara Bush Elementary in The Woodlands.

Sandra Tezino took first overall with a winning time of 22:39 while 11 other Volte athletes fell in line.

Yes, friends, this is what first place overall looks like.  Sandra Tezino with the FOTRC 5K victory!
(Photo courtesy of Bill Dwyer)

They included:  Layton Gill  23:12, Tim Russell 23:18, Alan Gastineau 24:35, Leanne Rosser 26:18, Marta Mixa 26:18, Lauren Hoffart 27:40, Richard Cooper 28:12, Jered Hoffart 31:08, Alfredo Gonzalez 34:06, Tabitha Young 34:57 and Letty Gonzalez 35:50.

The final race of the Montgomery County Triple was the regular Run The Woodlands 5K, produced by Luke's Locker, on Saturday, November 26 and six athletes got their Pine Cone Award after lodging the following efforts:

Jerritt Park 20:25, Marta Mixa 26:40, Layton Gill 27:38. Rich Cooper 28:45, Alfredo Gonzalez 34:30, Tabita Young 35:22.

Layton's effort came after running 15 miles before the race as he prepares for January's Chevron Houston Marathon while Linsday Perkins ran the entire way with Tabitha Young.

18 miles of intensity - Layton Gill-style - approaches the Run The Woodlands 5K finish line.
(Photo courtesy of Bill Dwyer)

Thirteen (13) athletes this year earned the coveted Pine Cone Award by running or volunteering for all three Montgomery County Triple races -- with the City of Conroe Turkey Trot allowed as a replacement for either the Friday or the Saturday race.

They included Rich Cooper, Jerritt Park, Mike Attanucci, Vince Attanucci, Letty Gonzalez, Alfredo Gonzalez, Leanne Rosser, Tabitha Young, Martha Mixa, Layton Gill, Wade Durdin, Mary Carter and Denise Powers.

Happy Thanksgiving, Pine Cone Award Winners!
(Photo courtesy of Bill Dwyer)

Rich Cooper ran his 10th Montgomery County Triple (there were only five finishers in the original 2006 that didn't include him) and had the 10-year award named after him so that is now known as the "Cooper Cone Award".

Coach Rich Cooper with his original "Cooper Cone" for 10 Montgomery County Triple finishes with coached athlete Marta Mixa.  (Photo courtesy of Bill Dwyer.)

And when 10K and 13K are not enough, 21K is.

Juan Flores wrapped up his Mexico City adventures on Sunday, November 27 with a 1:40:55 showing at the Marton International Puebla 21K.

Great racing.  Great training.  All building up for a spectacular 2017.

(By the way, I'm back! -- NV)