Volte Ran Long, in Far Away Places and Steep Distances in August

You can almost hear John Denver singing “Rocky Mountain High … Colorado” in this month’s Volte Endurance Training racing report.

If not for you, at least it’s certainly ringing in the ears of Dave Campbell and Drew George as the duo “raced across the skies” in Manitou Springs, Durango and Leadville.

Saturday, August 18 put the duo about 150 miles apart from one another as they participated in two of the sport’s classics – the Pikes Peak Marathon and the Leadville Trail 100.

Here are the basic Wikipedia descriptions:

The Pikes Peak Ascent and Marathon is a racing event that begins at the base of Pikes Peak, in Manitou Springs, Colorado, and climbs over 7,815 feet to the top of the 14,115-foot peak.

The Leadville Trail 100 Run is an ultramarathon held annually on trails and dirt roads near Leadville, Colorado, through the heart of the Rocky Mountains. First run in 1983, runners in the race climb and descend 15,600 feet, with elevations ranging between 9,200–12,620 feet.

Drew finished Pikes Peak in 8:07:21, one of 40 finishers from Texas where the average finishing time from the Lone Star competitors was 8:02:54.

Wouldn't you be smiling - like Drew George here -after being able to run up and down Pikes Peak?
(Photo courtesy of Drew George)

“It was incredible and the weather was perfect:  58 degrees at the start, 36 degrees at the summit and 71 degrees at the finish,” he said.

There was not a single bit of disappointment in his voice, despite having his right calf lock up at mile 18 and missing his footing later causing a crash out.

He reported that the last mile to the Summit took 40 minutes, 16 seconds – and running Flintridge all day, every day has nothing to do with altitude – while mile 25 was 8:53.

Dave, meanwhile in Leadville, got to run on Saturday and Sunday.  (Only 11 made it in under 20 hours as Leadville starts at 4 a.m.)

You'd flex your muscles like Dave did here at the Leadville Trail 100 last month.
(Photo courtesy of Athlinks)

He completed the arduous course in 28 hours, 32 minutes and 29 seconds.

He was 191st out of 376 finishers.  And with 712 starters, 47 percent of the race’s competitors did not finish.

Dave, though, was most greatful for his race support.

Dave is all smiles after finishing the Leadville Trail 100.
(Photo courtesy of Athlinks)

“The one thing that I take away is that it is not an individual accomplishment,” he said.  “I could not have done it without my wife staying up the whole race crewing for me.

“Taking care of anything I needed at the aid stations and the support along the way made it possible.”

And just when Drew couldn’t get enough of The Centennial State, a week later, he was in the field of the Thirsty 13 Half Marathon in Durango on Saturday, August 25.

Why the Thirsty 13?  Race materials say that there are 50 breweries in Durango.  Wow, even from this teetotaler!

Who needs a stinkin' medal?  A beer glass will do just fine for a second place AG finish for Drew.
(Photo courtesy of Drew George)

“This was a spur of the moment trip.  I was back three days after the Pikes Peak Marathon and the mountains were calling,” he said.  “The Thirsty 13 was sold out but the Race Director was cool and let me in.”

In thanks, he ran well, putting down a 1:40:06, good for second in his 50-54 age group and 45th overall.

“I hammered the downhills and walked all but one of the uphills,” he said.  “My legs felt good considering six-days post Pikes Peak.”

The race started at 8,000 feet and finished near 6,500 feet and he said that he got a “nice beer glass for the post-race brewfest in lieu of medal."

Paolo Biagi and Alfredo Gonzalez got the rest of August started for Volte at the Southern Star Brewing Company 5K in Conroe on Saturday, August 4.

Paolo logged a time of 25:48 while Alfredo stopped the clock in 41:49.

Second place age-group finishes went to our friends Mary-Ellen Wilderman-Hay and Ken Johnson in 24:23 and 43:12, respectively.

Sean Kusick led the remaining Volte friends in 20:07, while Cristina Gray and Brad Hay finished five seconds apart from the other with Cristina leading in 29:54.

The following morning – a 10-hour flight from Houston, Monica Morino ran the NB15K Buenos Aries in Argentina where she now calls home.

“I ran a PR (of 1:36:27) yesterday,” she said.  “The weather was beautiful, shiny and very cold.”

Her coach, Rich Cooper, made note of Monica’s development.

“Her story is amazing,” Rich exclaimed.  “Just over a year ago, she has improved from a 14-minute per mile runner to a 10:30 runner.”

From Buenos Aires to the Bubble, a host of Volte runners and friends ran – later that day and in much warmer climes – The Woodlands Running Club Sunday Night 5K.

Our Jerritt Park led the way with a time of 22:25. 

Volte friend Curtis Barton and Volte’s Faith Craig scored under 30 minutes in 28:59 and 29:48, respectively.

Getting ready for the Berlin Marathon, Lauren Hoffart ran a steady 30:40 while Marta Mixa followed in 31:21.

Lauren Hoffart and Marta Mixa make it look easy at the TWRC Sunday Night 5K.
(Photo courtesy of Bill Dwyer)

Mayra Caamano and her daughter, Chloe Kramer, passed Volte friend Jon Walk just beyond Alden Bridge Park and outlegged him to the finish line by a second in 31:36.

Katie Gill and Jimmy Baker ran together for a time of 37:34, while Volte friend Ken Johnson finished his second 5K in as many days in 41:57.

Three weeks later at the Friday Night Lights community two-mile race at Bear Branch Sports Park in The Woodlands, Volte friend Adrienne Langelier celebrated her inclusion in Kara Goucher’s new book, “Strong: A Runner's Guide to Boosting Confidence and Becoming the Best Version of You”, with being the first female finisher in 13:08.

Jerritt Park ran the first of his two races in less than 24 hours with a 13:45 finish while his son, Brayden, wasn’t far behind in 15:11.

The next morning, Saturday, August 25, at Conroe’s Carl Barton, Jr. Park, father and son went 1-2 in the Running 4SFC 5K.

Jerritt led Brayden by two minutes as Dad was first in 20:50.

And in North Carolina, where she and her husband have moved for work, Dana Formon took second in her age group at the Small Hands Big Hearts Java Jive Jog 10K with a 1:00:23 finish.