Hawt in Bahston

We had helpers.  We had friends.  Most importantly, we had runners.

All in Boston on Monday.  It was a beautiful thing.

Yeah, well, except for the temperature.

"The weather at Boston did not cooperate this year.  Everyone did great just getting to the finish line." said Volte founder Bill Dwyer.  "It was 48 degrees the next day.  Missed it by a day.

"I'm very proud of everyone."

And so is all of Volte, USA.

From left to right, Angela Rizzo, Sandra Tezino, Laura Godfrey, Derek Bailey, Leanne Rosser, Alan Gastineau, Jennifer Rowe and Michelle McGill.
(Photo courtesy of Leanne Rosser)

The finishes of Derek Bailey, Laura Godfrey, Leanne Rosser, Michelle McGill and Sandra Tezino are numbers 29 through 33 of Volte's official five-year history to date.

Twenty-two different runners in Volte, or who were trained by Volte coaches for the race, have experienced a Boston finish since 2013.

Congratulations!

While they were enjoying Beantown, Fenway Park and taking selfies with the finish line, we had some folks racing a couple of 10Ks and 5Ks two days before.

Making the trek east from Arizona for the second straight year to the Big Easy for the Crescent City Classic 10K on Saturday, April 15 was Dave Odom.

The results show him as "David".  He's Dave to us.

Quite a few men's 60-64 runners maybe had another name or two for him, especially regional titan Leonard Vergunst from Ocean Springs, Mississippi.

Dave took the first mile out easy in 6:56, just two seconds ahead of Leonard.

The duo both aged up in 2017.

Ahead of Vergunst, who was under 39 minutes last year while Dave ran 41:08 in his last year in the 55-59 division (finishing 8th), by 16 seconds, he wasn't a factor this year for Dave.

Dave ran a negative split on the back half, covering the second 5K in 21 minutes even after a 21:10 to place second in his age group in 42:10.

Dave Odom and Joe Killeen at the Crescent City Classic 10K in New Orleans
(Photo courtesy of Bill Dwyer)

Volte friend Joe Killeen from The Woodlands Running Club and his wife Denise also ran.

Joe told us at the track one Tuesday evening that he has been running the Crescent City Classic 10K for quite a long time.  So long, we wished we'd written it down!

He ran 42:31 while his wife finished in 1:20:37.

These results are available online for Joe's years of running the Crescent City Classic and the Boston Marathon:

1998 (April 11) - 39:58, age 38, 366th place
1999 (April 17) - 39:28, age 39, 272nd place
2001 (April 14) - 42:39, age 41, 279th place
2002 (March 30) - 42:22, age 42, 305th place
2004 (April 10) - 41:41, age 44, 256th place
2005 (March 26) - 40:07, age 45, 162nd place (3:40:16 at Boston on April 18)
2006 (April 15) - 44:40, age 46, 367th place (3:09:02 at Boston on April 17)
2007 (April 7) - 39:00, age 47, 112th place (3:23:29 at Boston on April 16)
2008 (April 11) - 40:24, age 48, 152nd place (3:16:54 at Boston on April 21)
2009 (April 11) - 40:42, age 49, 181st place (3:23:30 at Boston on April 20)
2010 (April 3) - 40:01, age 50, 134th place (3:04:10 at Boston on April 19)
2011 (April 23) - 41:00, age 51, 172nd place (2:57:55 at Boston on April 18)
2012 (April 7) - 42:17, age 52, 375th place (3:38:13 at Boston on April 16)
2013 (March 30) - 38:13, age 53, 129th place (2:56:24 at Boston on April 15)
2014 (April 19) - 41:50, age 54, 316th place (2:57:15 at Boston on April 21)
2015 (April 4) - 39:34, age 55, 140th place (3:16:46 at Boston on April 20)
2016 (March 26) - 41:41, age 56, 248th place (3:24:58 at Boston on April 18)

Dave was 260th overall on Saturday while Joe was 279th.

"Dave and I had a great time at Crescent City," said Dwyer.  "Looking forward to next year already.  Who knows?  I might run it in 2018."

Closer to home, also on Saturday, April 15, almost a half dozen of runners ventured to City Centre on the Houston's west side where the 8th annual Green 6.2 and 5K were being held.

Jon Braunersreuther and Yaya Herrera both beat the 51:08 10K standard that the Chevron Houston Marathon has which would allow either of them to register during the May 3-31 registration window.

Jon crossed the finish line in 50:52 while Yaya was close behind in 51:06.

Mimi Torrez, Yaya Herrera and Monse Louimeus waiting for Volte friend Jon Walk to start the 8th annual Green 6.2.
(Photo courtesy of Monse Louimeus)

Monse Louimeus easily kept it under a 9-minute per mile pace with her 54:17 effort as did Volte friend Mimi Torrez, who crossed 25 seconds later in 54:41.

Ruth Perez and Geri Henry both ran the 5K and placed first in their age group.

"I have an inspiring friend (Geri) that keeps me running and to not give up," said Ruth.  "We both placed first in our age group in the 5K, but most of all building stronger relationship.

"God gives us exactly what we need."

Geri Henry and Ruth Perez:  Age group winners at the Green 6.2 5K!
(Photo courtesy of Ruth Perez)

Ruth took her division with a 32:04 effort, while Geri, who has completed a marathon in all 50 states, did so in hers in 39:04.

Mile High bunny ears for Penny Garza at the Bunny Bolt 5K in Denver.
(Photo courtesy of Penny Garza)

Penny Garza ran the Bunny Bolt 5K in Denver, Colorado in 33:28.

Our five Volte athletes who completed the 121st running of the Boston Marathon included:

Derek Bailey - 3:06:27
Michelle McGill - 4:02:16
Laura Godfrey - 4:17:53
Sandra Tezino - 4:18:45
Leanne Rosser - 4:19:41

It was Derek's fifth Boston Marathon finish and Michelle's third while Laura, Sandra and Leanne completed their first.

Sandra and Laura's qualifying effort for this year's race landed also within the 2018 qualifying window.

Derek was one of 364 Texans - out of 1,055 overall finishers - whose time on Monday, April 17 re-qualified them for the 2018 Boston Marathon.

Alan Gastineau and Jennifer Rowe, who moved with her family to Massachusetts recently, were there to provide support for our runners.

The conditions were such that an experienced veteran such as Bailey was quick to note that it "was one incredibly painful medal to earn."

For nearly everybody in the field, the heat slowed many runners down.

Those running it for the first time, like Tezino, Godfrey and Rosser, were quick to note the course's terrain.

"The Boston Marathon has lots of rolling and I do mean rolling hills," Tezino said.  "I had major legs cramps beginning at mile 15 and they continued to mile 20.  There were a lot of runners with the same problem.

"The beautiful thing is I finished."

Rosser was overwhelmed as well.

"Truly an amazing experience today.  I have a completely new respect for this distance and this course," she said.  "Sunny, hot, hilly and humid conditions (77 degrees) -- all the things I struggle with as a runner, but I did it.  A very humbling experience for sure."

Eight Volte friends tackled the course too.

Joe Killeen posted his 13th consecutive finish by leading the group with a 3:07:58 performance.

Coached by Volte two years ago, Jessica Menendez finished in 3:50:36 for her fourth career Boston Marathon finish.

Sarah Tyler and Mary-Ellen Wilderman-Hay finished within 20 seconds of each other as they stopped the clock in 3:55:25 and 3:55:55, respectively.

It was Sarah's first Boston while Mary-Ellen posted her third consecutive sub 4-hour finish in Beantown.

Brandi Herrera, another first-timer, rounded out the sub 4-hour finishers of the group in 3:58:10.

Michael Donelan finished his sixth Boston Marathon since 2009 with a time of 4:05:06, qualifying him for 2018.

Angela Rizzo ran her third Boston since 2012 and covered the distance in 4:45:45 while Christi Moore made her debut Boston appearance with a 4:57:54 showing.