Busy First Two Weeks Of November For Volte

November is a time of year where triathletes are wrapping up their seasons and here in Montgomery County and far northern Harris County, we’re in the midst of the build for our area’s two major marathons – the Chevron Houston Marathon and the Fidelity Investments The Woodlands Marathon.

And, as always, we just have athletes who love to pin a bib on and race.

Juan Flores got us started with a first-place age group finish at the Rockets Run 5K on Saturday, November 4 in Houston at the Toyota Center – the result of a 20:08 effort.

He was still happy even though they misspelled his name on the video board announcing his top division accomplishment.

Actually, two of our runners got underway before Juan did at the Disney Wine & Dine 10K at Walt Disney World in Florida.

George Rux won second place in his age group with a 55:07 effort while Clark Lara notched a time of 1:01:28.

If you can't smile at Disney, you're living life wrong.  Right, George?
(Photo courtesy of Walt Disney World)

Clark returned the following morning – Sunday, November 5 – with a 2:13:05 Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon and Jeanine Price also crossed the finish line in 2:45:41.

Although, because of Hurricane Harvey, there was one more triathlon on the schedule in December, the traditional end of the local triathlon season took place at the La Torretta del Lago Resort in Conroe on Sunday, November 5 with the Oilman Triathlon

Our own Derek Bailey ran the half marathon run leg of the relay team, “Dolphin, a Badass and Port-O-Can Man”.

Well, Mr. Port-A-Pottie himself covered the 13.1 miles in 1:36:37 to give the team, which included Megan Litterer on the swim (in 34:18) and Marshall Blanks on the bike (in 2:51:53), a 5:04:26 – just 13 seconds ahead of one of our Volte friends, Kate Looney, who was the women’s overall winner.

Our sponsor - Fleet Feet of The Woodlands - fielded their own relay team with manager Corey Lynn leading off with a 1:08:13 in the 1.2-mile swim and staffers James Engle and Mary-Ellen Hay following on the 56-mile bike and 13.1-mile run in 3:21:23 and 1:51:35, respectively, for an overall 6:22:47 finish.

Landa Wright put a cap on the year where she finished her first Ironman in April with a 7:18:05 performance.

She went 52:03 in the water, 3:55:15 on the bike and 2:24:33 on the run.

Landa also coached Volte friend Maygen Ritchie, who finished in 7:09:14.

Elsewhere on Sunday morning, November 5, Volte had approximately 20 runners taking part in the next to last race of the 2017 Texas 10 Series – Texas 10 Katy (or one of its two companion races).

Amanda Cruise led us all with a new 10-mile PR of 1:02:46, which netted her the overall win.

Amanda Cruise breaks the tape at Texas 10 Katy
(Photo courtesy of Bill Dwyer)

Volte friend Michael Menster was next across the line in 1:04:12 – good for a men’s masters victory.

Kimberly Simmons was the first of three Volte age group winners.  She was first in her age group in 1:18:52.

Jerritt Park followed with a third-place division finish of 1:19:37 while Keri Amador won hers in 1:23:13.

Keri Amador digging deep to win her age group at Texas 10 Katy.
(Photo courtesy of Bill Dwyer)

We were rounded out in the 10-mile race by Tammy Grado (1:29:19), Laura Hanyzewski (1:34:28), Layton Gill (1:36:00), Mack Miller (1:38:00), Mike Kuykendall (1:38:34), Brian Hanyzewski (1:43:35), Lisa Johnson (2:07:08) and Alfredo Gonzalez (2:20:23).

Volte friend Ken Johnson stopped the clock in 2:27:55.

Our entire Texas 10 Katy team.
(Photo courtesy of Bill Dwyer)

Denise Powers took home hardware in the five-miler on the strength of a 44:43 performance, good for third. 

Rich Cooper covered in 51:20 while Katie Gill and Amanda Becker worked together for times of 57:58.

Brayden and Riley Park both competed in the Lil Tex Kids’ 1-mile race.

Closing out the weekend at The Woodlands Running Club Sunday Night 5K – a three-miler from a course change to accommodate the club’s Juniors program, Jerritt Park and Gabby Westbrook recorded times of 18:43 and 21:30, respectively.

The second weekend of the month was all marathons and halves.

And everybody competed on Sunday, November 12.

On the other side of the globe, Conroe High School assistant principal Randy Harris made Volte proud with a 4:20:41 finish in the 35th Athens Marathon – Authentic in Athens, Greece.

Peace from America says Randy Harris as he finishes in a legendary arena.
(Photo courtesy of 35th Athens Marathon)

Randy was one of two runners – one male and one female – who was chosen out of all of Chevron Houston Marathon’s four-hour finishers from 2017 to receive a free trip to and entry in the race.

Brian Schultz kept his Rock ‘N Roll love going strong by running the Geico Rock ‘N Roll Las Vegas Marathon in 3:57:37.

Closer to home, Sandra Tezino was the third overall woman – and second in her age group - in the South Padre Island Half Marathon by posting a 1:51:23 effort.

Volte friend Mimi Torrez was third in her age group with a 2:04:32 showing.

A baker’s dozen of Volte athletes, but no Jimmy Baker, ran the Cypress Half Marathon.

Blasting out of his port-a-can, Derek Bailey paced us all with a 1:27:46 finish.

Third place in her age group belonged to Laura Godfrey, who registered a 1:39:16 effort.

Laura Godfrey, Bonnie Scholz, Laura Hanyzewski and Jill Tresaugue at Cypress Half Marathon
(Photo courtesy of Bill Dwyer)

Bonnie Scholz followed in 1:41:06 while Jill Treasaugue, Laura Hanyzewski and Layton Gill all came in udner two hours. 

Tresaugue finished in 1:51:30 while Hanyzewski and Gill crossed in 1:56:03 and 1:59:00, respectively.

Wrapping up Volte’s efforts were Robert Dempsey (2:03:07), Julie Pearce (2:13:21), Brian Hanyzewski (2:09:23), Tammy Ninke (2:21:11), Nicole Mikelonis (2:29:56) and Katie Gill (2:48:08).

Julie Pearce running strong at the Cypress Half Marathon
(Photo courtesy of Bill Dwyer)

It was good to have both Julie Pearce and Nicole Mikelonis back in Volte’s midst again.

Volte friends Mandi Fowlkes, Griselda Borrero and Rebecca Priesmeyer also competed. 

Mandi led the trio in 1:46:08, while Borrero and Priesmeyer posted times of 1:48:52 and 2:35:10, respectively.