Volte and Friends Open April With Eight Events in the First Weekend

April generally - except for those running the Boston Marathon - is the kickoff to the racing season, especially for triathlons, but also for many shorter distance races - half marathon and below.

It wouldn't be Volte unless we had some of our folks - and friends - starting to put feet to the pavement and trails for yet another year of fun.

Eight different events we were in just in the first weekend of April - Saturday and Sunday, 1-2.

Eunice Allen opened things up in Dallas on Saturday morning, April 1 with a 54:03, five-mile time in the Dallas Running Club's Breakfast Bash 5-Miler.

The 63rd running of the Spindle Tree parkrun on the Spindle Tree Jogging Trail in far east Magnolia - call it, The Woodlands, if you'd like - saw Jerritt Park finish his 21st race of the year with a fifth-place overall time of 21:43.  He was also the second masters finisher.

Volte friend Vincent Attanucci made the three-loop course in 29:28.

It's always "peace"ful, easy running for Lu Bouanga, right?
If not, well, he just makes it look that way.
(Photo courtesy of Bill Dwyer)

Out west, Stephen Lopez finished his 40th career marathon at the Revel Mt. Charleston Marathon in Las Vegas, Nevada in a time of 5:44:01.  

It is the 34th different state that he has finished a marathon in.

Good guy - and Volte friend - Terence Baptiste also made the trip, cashing in his chips with a sparkling time of 3:20:12.

From downhill to flat as a pancake we go as we had a small group at the Brazos Bend Trail Run in Needville.

Luis Murillo won the 5K in 18:49 while Volte friend Paul Blutt registered a time of 23:18.

Appearing in Volte's results for the first time, Cheryl Edwards ran the 25K in 3:51:38.

Seventy-two years young, Jose Murillo - already in midseason form - won his age group in the 50K in 7:51:16.

Running in the longest distance, 50 miles, Juan Murillo was forced to stop after 43 miles and eight hours, 58 minutes and 34 seconds due to the hot and humid conditions the day challenged with.

Sis-boom-bah for Jerritt Park after he finished fourth overall a couple of hours after the Spindle Tree parkrun with a 22:19 finish in the Tomball (High School) Cheer 5K in Tomball.

Roger King and Jason Bodie
(Photo courtesy of Bill Dwyer)

And he celebrated on Sunday, April 2, with another seven Voltes and a half dozen friends at the Art Car IPA 5K in downtown Houston.

Christopher Branch led our five age group winners with a time of 20:43, passing Park at about the two-mile mark, to take first in his division.  Jerritt was second in 21:05.

Judith Albarran and Julie White led the ladies with age group wins in times of 22:43 and 23:33, respectively.

Kim White rounded Volte's winnings out with a second-place age group mark of 22:05.

Paolo Biagi ran the distance in 24:26 while Greg Broad and Jennifer Vieira followed in 32:24 and 47:58, respectively.

Volte friends saw Josh Rivas take third place in his division in 21:20.  Paul Blutt timed himself in 24:32 as Erika Lawton completed the course in 28:40 and Mariela Rodriguez did so in 36:43.

Melinda Evans and Marvin Adamson rounded out our friends' efforts with times of 40:04.

Speaking of Ironman below, Dan Jordan is one of the few in our community to do both an Ironman and a 100-mile race.  (Photo courtesy of Bill Dwyer)

 Good group of Volte friends down on The Island in Galveston competing in Ironman Texas 70.3.

Volte alumni Kate Looney was the second overall female in 4:40:03.

Volte friend Alejandro Bedoya (TXTRI, Sandra Sutherland) and John Laskowski (MACH 5, Michelle Truesdale) both went sub-six with respective marks of 5:34:43 and 5:40:37.

"Mama Goose" Brandi Watkins turned in a steady performance of 6:43:58 while Kahn Grice and Gary Knoll finished the day with showings of 7:08:12 and 7:35:30.

We wrapped up April's opening weekend of racing at The Woodlands Running Club's Sunday Night 5K at Barbara Bush Elementary in The Woodlands. 

Even though he had run three races previously, nobody was able to catch Jerritt Park as he finished his 24th race of 2023 in 20:41.  Rob Gay was second overall in 23:02.

The first female finisher was Jane Cardnell in 23:24.

Christopher Branch edged Devyn Cook to the finish line in 24:22 and 24:33, respectively, while Paolo Biagi took it easy with a time of 26:01.

Rounding out our crew was Trey Taylor and Judith Albarran, who finished in 27:44 and 28:33, respectively.

Volte friend Ken Johnson of the Seven Hills Running Club stopped the clock in 47:27.