Hills and Trails Yields Trials

The hills and trails - and some might even say a few trials too - keep coming in Volte, USA.

And it isn't even race week yet for the Fidelity Investments The Woodlands Marathon and its affiliated races.

Volte will have 37 runners represented on Saturday, March 4 in either the marathon, half marathon or marathon relay in The Woodlands.

Many others of our group will be volunteering in various duties to give back to our hometown race.

So while Volte races will be a little light on either side of "race day", we're always pleased to share in our recaps the efforts of our vast array of friends in our community.

One that keeps us continually charged and plugged in.

The trails at Huntsville State Park, meanwhile, will be looking for some relief.

After hosting the Rocky Raccoon 100 and Rocky Raccoon 50M and 50K the two prior weeks, the 2,083 acre Park was the site of the Project Love One - Love Run Trail Marathon on Saturday, February 18.

While the race - which benefits Rescue Pink, an organization whose mission is to bring an end to female infanticide in India through rescue, prevention and awareness - took a year's hiatus from the Trails last year, Mayra Caamano did not.

Caamano is still all smiles after conquering the Park another year.
(Photo courtesy of Ken Johnson)

A year and a week ago, Caamano completed her first 50-miler in the Park as the sixth place female at Rocky 50 in 9:10:52.

On Saturday, the 39-year-old Caamano covered the two-loop, 26.2 mile marathon distance in 4:05:18, good for fourth overall and the second overall female.

She said her Volte teammates kept her focused on finishing.

"When the miles got hard (and they sure did) and the temps were high, one of my biggest motivations to keep going were the memories I have of you, and the lessons you've taught me: the hard and long training runs, your strength to finish your own races, your persistence and consistency week after week and the pain you've endure to accomplish your own goals," she said.

Caamano will be back on the start line in less than two weeks at The Woodlands Marathon.  Saturday's marathon finish was Mayra's sixth.  Below is her complete marathon history:

3:53:56 - Rock 'N' Roll Las Vegas Marathon, Las Vegas, NV, 12/4/11
3:54:40 - The Woodlands Marathon, The Woodlands, TX, 3/3/12
3:56:13 - Marine Corps Marathon, Washington, DC, 10/28/12
3:27:22 - Chevron Houston Marathon, Houston, TX, 1/19/14
3:44:39 - Boston Marathon, Boston, MA, 4/20/15
4:05:18 - Love. Run. Marathon., Huntsville, TX, 2/18/17

A good group of Volte friends were represented in Huntsville too.

Out to run at the track a couple of Tuesday nights ago, Maria Price was second in her age group in the 10K in 53:42 while Houston's biggest Los Angeles Dodgers fan, Danny Braden, of Fleet Feet, put down the 6.2 miles in an hour and three minutes.

Fleet Feet Sports of Greater Houston was a sponsor of this year's Love. Run. Marathon.

In the half marathon, TexTri's Sandra Sutherland was third in her age group in 2:32 even while Huntsville's and Seven Hills Running Club's Ken Johnson finished his 85th career half marathon in 3:42:43.

It was also Ken's 938th race of his running career.

First came trails.  Then came hills.

Trials came from them both.

As part of their preparation for April's Boston Marathon, two of our five Volte athletes -- Laura Godfrey and Sandra Tezino -- that will be running in Beantown did a bit of measured battle against Austin's hills on Sunday, February 19.

One well-earned medal is showcased by Sandra Tezino.

"The hardest half marathon I have ever done," exclaimed Tezino.  "The hills just kept coming.  I walked three big ones and I probably could have walked more as slow as I was going up them."

Sandra finished the Austin Half Marathon in 1:53:50, while Laura made her way to the finish no more than two minutes sooner in 1:51:56.

Laura Godfrey is just happy that there's not one more hill attached to that medal.

"Nice solid effort considering the hilly course and humidity to do exactly what I came to do," said Godfrey.  "A nice hilly training run."

Back in action - also in Austin - was one of Volte's first coaches and Volte friend Adrienne Langelier.

"I overcame some not-so-great conditions this morning and still finished strong," said 34-year-old Langelier, who finished seventh in her age group in 1:39:31.  "Glad I ran today and the tough ones teach you the most.

"I'm glad to be able to return to the 13.1 distance and finished healthy, happy and with my family in attendance."

Langelier's Bayou City Elite coach - and former The Woodlands Marathon elite athlete coordinator - Doug Storey remarked that she had "a damned fine race under pretty bad conditions."

With his eighth race that's "new to him" in 2017, Volte friend Jon Walk ran the Shannon Trail Series Race #3 15K in San Angelo State Park on Saturday, February 18.

Told during the pre-race trail briefing by the host club San Angelo Road Lizards that the course was likely 9.8 miles, he finished the distance in 2:07:37 that he said was nearly 100% single-track trail which was 40% technical and 60% dirt or packed dirt.

Since 2003, Walk has now run a race in 127 different Texas cities or towns and 65 different Texas counties.