Hello, Heat and Humidity

Most of Volte is setting up for The Woodlands Marathon which will be in three weeks.

A few of our folks got out this past weekend, despite some oppressive running conditions for February, and kicked the tires on a couple of newer greater Houston favorites.

Thing about living where we do, you still have to train in all conditions because you’ll just never know what conditions will be on race day.

The third annual Katy Half Marathon’s original date was set for Saturday, February 4.

However, a shortage of law enforcement personnel, which are needed to control intersections along the race route, due to Super Bowl LI caused the race to be pushed to February 11.

Keri Amador and Penny Garza were still in.

Both were rewarded with new personal best times for the distance.

Keri shaved nearly 17 minutes off her previous best, a 2:09:04 at the Koala Houston Half in October 2014, with a 1:52:20 effort, while Penny took more than eight and a half minutes off of hers with a 2:39:40 showing.

“I was a little disappointed with my half marathon time today, but you know what? I should be happy for such an awesome PR,” Keri said.  “So I may not be where I want to be, but I'm not where I used to be!”

“Sometimes, even your slowest times are your hardest efforts. There was no shortage of effort today, even if I hobbled into the finish line.”

The one common theme in both of these ladies’ performances was 98% humidity and 70 degrees weather at the start of the race.

Penny threw in a little pre-race flu for an extra degree of difficulty.

“The past 2 weeks have not been that great. I caught the flu, had to withdraw from my fitness challenge due to complications with my lungs (from the flu) and only ran twice,” Penny admitted.   “Despite the doctor's suggestions I decided to attempt it.  I still finished in 2:39:40, a PR of 8:38.”

The conditions didn’t abate too much on Sunday, February 12 as runners descended on Allen Parkway and Memorial Drive for the Rhythm and Blues Half Marathon and Quarter Marathon.

It is the sixth year for the event and also includes a 5K.

Jerritt Park squared up a new PR - in his debut at the quarter marathon distance.
(Photo courtesy of Bill Dwyer)

In the quarter marathon, Jerritt Park won his age group in 49:16 while Andrea Zapalac stopped the clock in 1:13:32.

Volte friends Allison Urvan and Kerri Snyder took first overall female and first in her age group, respectively, with times of 45:43 and 51:53.  (Like Volte’s founder Bill Dwyer, Kerri is a past president of The Woodlands Running Club.)

The perfect way for a couple - Dirk and Criss Neumann - to finish a race with Valentine's Day fast approaching.
(Photo courtesy of Bill Dwyer)

In the half marathon, Dana-Leigh Formon returned to racing from an injury and scored a 2:13:10 time while Dirk and Criss Neumann ran together and charted a 2:19:19 time.

Dana is all smiles after being able to race again, even on a hot day.
(Photo courtesy of Bill Dwyer)

“Man. Did. I. Miss. This. Slow pace, but not bad for my first race back after a three-month injury circus...and 70 degrees and sun,” remarked Dana.

Kerri’s husband, Buck, took his age group in 1:38:20.

After working out of the country for a few years, the couple is back in the area living in Houston.

And always looking to race somewhere and something new, Volte friend Jon Walk ran his seventh new race of 2017 by taking 1:54:10 to run – on a similarly humid and warm day on Saturday, February 11 - from downtown Kilgore to the rodeo arena in Longview.

It was an 11-mile race that existed for 25 years from 1976 to 2001 before road construction forced it to be cancelled.

The Longview Running Club brought it back and Jon reported that other than the need for an extra water stop or two – regardless of the conditions – the race was executed near flawlessly.