Running With The Gills In The Land Of 10,000 Lakes

Your loyal scribe is behind. 

And, yes, I’ve been called another word for “behind” by a couple of people here and there, but we’ll get caught up by going back in time week after week.

Given the majority of our group two weeks before had competed in the Tunnel Light Marathon in Washington state, that meant the spotlight the weekend of September 30-October 1 was all on Layton Gill.

The marathon spotlight, that is.

Because alongside every good man is a good woman, Katie Gill got the running in Minnesota two weekends ago started by running in the TC 10K – one of three companion events to the Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon.

"Look ya'll, no hands!" says Layton Gill near mile 7 of the Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon

(Photo courtesy of Katie Gill)

She set the table for Layton by burning up the roads for a time of 1:05:05 – a great outcome that was a result of the diligent summer work at the track.

“This was a great finish time for Katie,” said Volte founder and coach Bill Dywer.

The pressure was now on Layton.

And better than LSU’s sputtering offense this fall, he delivered a performance Coach O would have been proud of.

Everybody here with Volte certainly was.

Layton cracked the 4:30 barrier with a 14 minute, 44 second personal best time of 4:29:50.

His debut marathon was earlier this year at the Chevron Houston Marathon in 4:44:34.

And he did so in conditions that were very Minnesota-like, according to Katie.

"Rain and hills, hills, hills," is how she described it on Layton's Facebook page.

He concurred.

"Beautiful course and so much crowd support," Layton said.  "It just felt like we kept going up hill.  It was an interesting course."

He quipped to his wife near mile 22 that "there has to be a downhill soon."

Volte friends Ben and Kim Chojacki also competed in the Twin Cities Marathon, posting times of 3:59:11 and 4:02:37, respectively.

Back to Texas later that evening was the tenth installment of The Woodlands Running Club Sunday Night 5K at Barbara Bush Elementary.

A small turnout, but one of great quality, of course.

Jerritt Park led the way with a 20:57 finish.  Leanne Rosser led all of the ladies with a time of 26:08.

Leanne slowed down for just a second for us to read the saying on her singlet!

(Photo courtesy of Bill Dwyer)

Friends?  We always have friends come out.

Our sponsor, Lindsay Perkins, of Fleet Feet Sports, came out with her husband Jim and the two of them completed the course in 36:49 and 37:18, respectively.

Lindsay found a little time from her job as Marketing Director for Fleet Feet Sports of Greater Houston to come run with us.

(Photo courtesy of Bill Dwyer)

Ken Johnson of the Seven Hills Running Club made the drive down from Huntsville to finish in 38:39.

Having missed the change in start time from 5 p.m. to 4 p.m., fellow “run every day” streaker Vincent Attanucci of The Woodlands ran an impromptu mile run of 9:15.

During the weekend, some of our friends ran in the Blazing 7’s Trail 100K in Cat Springs on Saturday, September 30.

Irma Torres covered the 62 miles in 20 hours, four minutes and one second (20:04:01).

Luis Murillo opted for the much shorter 10K and took first place in 45 minutes and four seconds (45:04).