Lucky Trails, Fast Pacers, the Big Apple and No Pins: Life in Volte, USA

The 1:30 pacer at the Canyonlands Half Marathon in Moab, Utah last Saturday must have thought our Juan Flores - especially with the beard - was one of those "bad hombres" that then Republican nominee Donald Trump talked about during the election.

Why?  Well, we ran off and left Juan.

"I was a bit aggressive and shooting for a 1:30 half marathon," said Flores, who was off on one of his fascinating vacations.  "But that went out the window after the first mile when the pacer brought us in at 6:18!"

Juan's ready in Moab, Utah in what appears to have been a beautiful half marathon.
(Photo courtesy of Juan Flores)

He said, though, he had "no regrets" with his 1:35:39 showing saying "what a way to conclude my Spring Break."

However, Juan chuckled, "Note to self:  Never trust the pacer!"

Keith Wiley, meanwhile, had many to choose from among 19,412 finishers of the United Airlines NYC Half Marathon, produced by the New York Road Runners.

"Great race (which was) very well organized," he said about the Sunday, March 19th event. "There is no better feeling than running around Central Park, Times Square and Lower Manhattan checking out the sights of Chelsea Piers, Battery Park and One World Center.

"Running under the FDR tunnel with the wind at your back never felt so good."

Especially in 34 degrees weather and a stiff 18 mile per hour wind.

Using it to his advantage, he ran New York City in 2:21:39.

The 40th annual Bayou City Classic 10K hosted three Voltes:  Jerritt Park, Ruth Perez and Geri Henry.

Crushed, he said, on the hills, Jerritt remarked that his 46:42 was an "okay time", but that the best part of the race was when he went to pick up his packet.

"They said, "We are out of pins to hold it on," he noted.

Perhaps Bayou City's marketing campaign for 2018 will be, "Run Naked.  Run Pin-free."

Ruth was happy with her 1:00:55 saying that she thinks she likes the race and that it was an "under the radar" effort.

Volte friend Jon Walk remarked that it would have only been "under the radar" if she had taken the timing device off.  :-)

Geri finished in 1:11:45.

Another weekend, another piece of Rock 'N' Roll race bling - the ball from the top of the tall building in the Dallas Skyline - for Brian Schultz.

In Dallas for its Rock 'N' Roll Half Marathon on Sunday, March 19, Brian was 1,092nd among 8,312 runners, including 38th from 221 runners in his 55-59 age group, with his time of 1:57:32.

Bonnie Scholz and Letty Gonzalez have separate and different "A" races ahead.

Bonnie is targeting next weekend's San Felipe Shootout on the trails, which includes a 5K, followed by a 10K and then a half marathon that starts at high noon!

Letty will be descending down Mount Charleston with the rest of Volte at the end of next month.

Both had different goals in the 14th annual Seabrook Lucky Trail Marathon this past Saturday.

One was a supported long run; the other was to possibly snag the BQ that was snatched from her at The Woodlands.

Letty proudly displays her Seabrook Lucky Trail Marathon bling.
(Photo courtesy of Bill Dwyer)

Starting with about 20 or so other runners, Letty took advantage of the race's 6:00 a.m. early start and finished her second career marathon in 7:44:20.

Meanwhile, never trust Snow White and Cinderella - just like pacers!

Disney World and ten miles on her feet the day before the race didn't spell BQ, but Bonnie came away with two solid loops of the four-loop course to register an unofficial half marathon PR of 1:44:19 -- five minutes better than the 1:49:20 effort at the 2014 Santa Hustle Half Marathon in Galveston.

Bigger smile than Snow White.  Why?  Bonnie's on the trails.
(Photo courtesy of Bill Dwyer)

Volte friends Ken Johnson and Sabina Lorca ran Seabrook's Saturday and Sunday half marathons, respectively, in 3:01:58 and 1:39:41.

And they both won their age groups.

It would help us all to run a race with the name, "She Is Beautiful 5K".

Yes, even the guys.

Just as a reminder that the guys should tell the ladies in our lives more often that they are beautiful -- inside and out, right?

We think that caption says it all already.
(Photo courtesy of Kate Thomas)

Kate Thomas ran the appropriately named race in Santa Cruz, California on Sunday, March 19 in 35:35.

Two hours northeast of Santa Cruz, Volte friend Amanda Clark and her sister Emily Stauffer were completing the Modesto Half Marathon.

Amanda Clark shares a little California bling.  That needs a Texas upgrade!
(Photo courtesy of Amanda Clark)

Amanda, friends with Leanne Rosser and in town recently for The Woodlands Marathon, posted a finishing time of 2:17:51 while Emily covered the 13.1 miles in 2:50:49.