Volte Has Four or More Runners Finish Boston for the 10th Consecutive Year

Forty-six different runners since 2013 have run the Boston Marathon under Volte's colors.

Some want to run Boston every chance they can.

And for others, it is a one and done career running achievement.

Both are OK.

However, Volte's become a place where if you're willing to dream and do the work, its coaches will help you achieve it.

Even when you yourself might not believe you can get there.

Everybody knows that Volte is going to have runners run Houston or The Woodlands - and the newest annual marathon stop at Tunnel Light, but there's been a growing expectation that Volte will have folks at Boston.

This year, we had 12 finishers.

Darren Hadden, Roger King, Jane Cardnell, Robert King and Rob Gay before the 2023 Boston Marathon  (Photo Courtesy of ... one of them!)

It is the third Boston Marathon that we've had 10 or more finishers -- with 10 in 2015 and a record 13 in 2018.

And we've had another 30 runners since the 2018 race who have held a qualifying time, but either elected not to run - or fell in a small gap of time where the time underneath the qualifying standard wasn't large enough for all who entered to take up the race's entries.

We're also grateful that there are runners out there who want to join us to help them make it back to be able to qualify again for Boston - or just get there for the first time.

Leading our group this year - and who has been a pleasant addition to the team the last couple of years - was Lu Bouanga.

We sure hope to see a lot more of Lu Bouanga at the Boston Marathon like this!

The former East Central University runner bettered his 2:39:00 personal best from his debut at Houston last January by 46 seconds with a Volte all-time best of 2:38:14 - bettering Ramon Rosales' time of 2:44:17 in October 2021 .

When Robert King first qualified for Boston - with his debut marathon time of 3:02:25 at The Woodlands two years ago, his first Boston that October was something that a lot of runners appropriately embrace:  a victory lap.

This year, after a sterling time of 2:59:57 at California International Marathon last December, Robert attacked the course for a Volte all-time top ten time at Boston of 3:08:16.

Darren Hadden was going to use the Legacy Capital The Woodlands Marathon as a training run and drop out around mile 20, but the day went well and he finished easily in 3:42:26.

However, he was fully ready to lower his former Boston times of 3:28:16 in 2013 and 3:21:30 in 2007 - and he did so in grand fashion by requalifying for next year's Boston Marathon with a time of 3:17:16.

After jumping in to help pace Jane Cardnell at Houston in January, Roger King finished his fifth career marathon - all in the last three years - in 3:18:27.

While the times look similar for Boston, Roger did not pace Jane in Beantown, but all the hard work - and teamwork within Volte - paid off for Jane as she opened up a new chapter of running with a dazzling 3:18:36 that allows her to go back to Boston in 2024.

Christopher Branch finished his second consecutive Boston - and ninth career marathon - in 3:32:03, followed by Christopher and Stephanie Reed, who ran together for a time of 3:36:07.  

Check yourself for a pulse if you can get excited about this picture of Christopher and Stephanie Reed!

It was their second straight year to run the course together and they shaved three minutes and 36 seconds off of last year's time.

Devyn Cook loves Boston, but it always hasn't loved her back in a reciprocal way.

Nonetheless, Devyn finished Boston for the third straight year and recorded her best time there with a 3:49:19 effort; however, she still desires to master it like she has Houston and The Woodlands -- the two locations that have accounted for the other 10 of her 13 career marathons.

With one more marathon than Devyn to her career credit (14), Judith Albarran finished her second straight Boston and lowered her Beantown best by 14 minutes and two seconds with a showing of 3:50:01.

Another with unfinished Boston business was Erika Sampson.

After a tough race a year ago, she finished this year in 3:56:46 - more than a 37-minute improvement.

Rounding us out was Michelle McGill, who finished her sixth Boston Marathon - all with Volte - in 4:09:20.  

In fact, Michelle is tied with former Volte athlete Derek Bailey for the most Boston finishes - six, which is two more than any other Volte.  

Laura Godfrey and Sandra Tezino have both finished Boston four times.

We had another 14 friends who made the trip to Boston.

Christine Berenz was so close to slipping under three hours as she finished in 3:01:52.  It was her second Boston finish, the first coming in 2018 in 3:31:43.  (Christine is coached by another Volte friend, ZDT's Michael Menster, who did a great job directing her efforts at this race.)

Last June, Michael Attanucci set the world on fire with a 2:58:58 at the Light at the End of the Tunnel Marathon - and he delivered in his debut Boston Marathon with a time of 3:09:23.

Samie Leigh is perfect as far as Boston Marathon qualifying times - 4-for-4 (Dallas, Houston, CIM) - and she requalified for 2024 with a debut Boston of 3:16:53.

Former Volte coach Adrienne Neal improved upon her time from her qualifying race - the 2022 Phoenix Marathon, where she ran 3:27:20 - to punch her Boston ticket for 2024 with a mark of 3:21:03.

Rip Reynolds and Kevin Baker finished close - in terms of time - with respective showings of 3:23:23 and 3:24:46.

With her third Boston finish - 2016 and 2019 being the other two, Sonia Dhodapkar requalified with a 3:41:51 - just 13 days before she completed the Boston 2 Big Sur double with a 3:53:50 in Carmel, California.

Josh Rivas finished his third consecutive Boston Marathon (2021-2023) in a time of 3:45:00.

Four more runners cracked the four-hour mark at Boston:  C. Stephenson-Lake in 3:49:48, Mia Cieslar in 3:54:58, Mary-Ellen Wilderman-Hay in 3:55:38 and Paul Blutt in 3:56:46.

Jetola Anderson-Blair and Nora Wilson rounded things out with performances of 4:12:06 and 4:39:35, respectively.

Along with our friends - and family, of course, Volte, USA is as good of a place to be as its ever been.