Volte Outruns Ghosts And Goblins

Some firsts and PR’s dotted the pre-Halloween landscape in Volte, Texas – one of the first weekends of the year that we didn’t have somebody racing in another state.

Richard Tong got the fun started on Wednesday, October 25 in Cypress at the Skeleton Scamper 5K where he was second overall in 21:49.

Richard ran fast at the Huntsville Half Marathon ... because it was cold!
(Photo courtesy of George Roffe)

But, that wasn’t enough for Richard.

He joined eight other Voltes at the 39th annual Huntsville Half Marathon, Quarter Marathon and 5K, which this year was held at the Walker County Fairgrounds on the west side of Interstate 45.

Richard and Todd Hunter were the first two back to Fairgrounds in the half marathon – in 1:37;51 and 1:43:09, respectively - and they both not only won their age group, but also posted new personal bests on a crisp October 28th morning.

Jerritt Park followed in 1:45:49 while Tim Russell stopped the clock in 1:51:56 with a second place age group finish and Rapha Machado chimed in at 1:53:27.

Waverly Walk pulled National Anthem duties again and won her age group with a 2:16:36 effort.

In the quarter marathon (6.55 miles), Layton Gill leveraged his post-Twin Cities Marathon fitness for a second place age group finish time of 55:40 while Trudy Regnier won hers in 1:05:24.

Braydon Park won his age group in the 5K in 29:07.

Volte friend Ken Johnson of the Seven Hills Running Club completed another half marathon on the road to his 101 career half marathon finishers with a 3:04:14 showing.

He crossed the finish line with his wife, Marilyn, as they were celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary.

Leanne Rosser and Marta Mixa made their way into Houston the same morning for the Monster Mash 10K that is held annually from Karbach Brewing Company and produced by RA Sports Management.

Both ladies recorded podium finishes.

Leanne set a new personal best at the 6.2-mile distance in 50:42, good for second in her age group, while Marta won her division in 57:34.

Friends 7, Volte 6 at the Houston Half Marathon the next day, Sunday, October 29, but nobody, of course, lost with great efforts in even better weather to race in.

Megan Miller completed her first half marathon in 1:58:07.

Chris Weir was the first across the line for Volte in 1:19:35, while Juan Flores and Gregg Harris rounded out are guys with times of 1:31:05 and 1:41:13, respectively.

Gregg Harris almost into the finish at the Houston Half Marathon.
(Photo courtesy of Bill Dwyer)

Judith Albarran and Monica Moreno finished in 2:01:02 and 2:22:04, respectively.

Judith is the epitome of "You can't have a bad race if you're smiling".
(Photo courtesy of Bill Dwyer)

Volte friends included the following:  Shelby Williams - 1:30:46, Edson Jones - 1:44:21, Kim Hamilton - 1:50:44, Vincent Attanucci - 1:59:10, Alvaro Trejo - 1:59:26, Hector Lopez - 2:22:01, Lusi Trejo - 2:33:43

Mike Kuykendall rocked the 10K in 1:01:05 while Volte friend Mario Vazquez gave chase and followed in 1:06:03.

The final first of the weekend came on Sunday, October 29 as Amanda Becker completed her first triathlon at Katy Triathlon at Firethorne.

She covered the 300-meter swim (10:04), 15-mile bike (1:07:35) and 3-mile run (35:05) course in 2:02:44.