<![CDATA[Power Miler Track Club - Blog]]>Mon, 17 Aug 2026 00:19:11 -0600Weebly<![CDATA[2025 Power Mile Road Race Recap]]>Wed, 17 Sep 2025 18:38:30 GMThttp://www.powermilers.org/blog/2025-power-mile-recapThe 2025 Power Mile Road Race took place this past weekend at West End Park.

More than 225 people registered across three events: the kids' half mile, the open mile, and the elite mile for those sub-7 minute runners. The kids' race proved especially popular, drawing a 30% increase in registration and a 46% uptick in finishers over the previous year.

Here were the winners and their times.
  • Elite Mile
    • ​Men - Bryant White, Jr., 4:25
    • Women - Annie LeHardy, 5:04
  • Kids Half Mile​
    • ​Boys - L. Sandifer, 3:02
    • Girls - E. White, 3:27

The elite mile lived up to its name, producing 17 sub-5 minute finishes and 53 under six minutes. By comparison, no edition in the previous three years had more than 12 runners break the five-minute barrier.
]]><![CDATA[PMTC Finishes Strong At Hood To Coast]]>Wed, 27 Aug 2025 18:55:48 GMThttp://www.powermilers.org/blog/pmtc-finishes-strong-at-hood-to-coastPicture
Power Miler Track Club took on the Hood to Coast Relay this past weekend.

Team PMTC finished 21st overall out of 1201 teams and fifth out of 297 Mixed Open teams.

The eight-person team covered the 196 miles from Mount Hood to the beaches of the Pacific Ocean in 21:39:33.2 for an average pace of 6:37.

This wasn't the first time that PMTC took on a challenging relay event. Back in 2020, PMTC competed in The Speed Project DIY and finished fourth with 305 miles run.
]]><![CDATA[PMTC Shines on the Northshore]]>Tue, 15 Oct 2024 17:42:02 GMThttp://www.powermilers.org/blog/pmtc-shines-on-the-northshoreFour races. Four wins.

That's how the Power Milers roll.

A shrewdness traveled north to Mandeville for the Northshore 10 Mile and 5k.

Tyler Mayforth and Laura Kirkikis won the men's and women's titles in the Jockamo IPA 5k, while Bryant White Jr. and Grace Thacker topped their respective 10 Mile podium.

Here are the club's results from the race weekend.

10 Miler
Bryant White Jr., 51:50 (1st OA, CR)
Mark Kirkikis, 58:52 (2nd OA)
Josh Browning, 1:01:26 (4th OA)
Jeff Gennusa, 1:01:28 (5th OA)
Grace Thacker, 1:06:42 (1st OA F)
Tom Luongo, 1:07:30 (1st GM)
Jason DuMouchel, 1:07:44
Kate Baldwin, 1:13:46 (1st F M)
Lauren F. Haro, 1:14:08

5k
Tyler Mayforth, 15:28 (1st OA, CR)
Laura Kirkikis, 19:08 (1st OA F, CR)
Victoria Brignac, 20:11 (2nd OA F)]]><![CDATA[The Power Mile Is Back!]]>Wed, 18 May 2022 16:17:31 GMThttp://www.powermilers.org/blog/the-power-mile-is-backWho's ready to run fast?

The Power Mile returns to the streets of New Orleans for the first time since 2019!

The race, held on Saturday, August 20, will take place at West End Park near the New Orleans lakefront.

Proceeds from The Power Mile benefit Youth Run NOLA.

We'll have more information in the coming weeks!]]><![CDATA[2022 Rock n Roll New Orleans Events]]>Sun, 06 Feb 2022 16:44:58 GMThttp://www.powermilers.org/blog/2022-rock-n-roll-new-orleans-eventsPMTC took on the 2022 Rock n Roll New Orleans Weekend to great success.

It started on Saturday in the 5k when Lauren F. Haro took second out of all women in 21:00.

Then, we had a strong contingent compete on Sunday between the 10k and half marathon.

  • Victoria Brignac finished 14th out of all women in the half in 1:28:15.
  • Mark Kirkikis finished 2nd overall in the 10k in 37:20, despite a wrong turn by the lead bike that nearly took him out of contention.
  • Michele Bravo finished 2nd out of all women - and sixth out of all competitors - in the 10k with a PR of 40:59.

Elsewhere, Matthew Dalton won the Q50 Trail Extravaganza Half Marathon at Bogue Chitto State Park on Saturday in 1:48:13, a race that featured 1204 feet of elevation gain.]]><![CDATA[2022 Run on the Bayou 5K/10K]]>Sat, 22 Jan 2022 23:41:04 GMThttp://www.powermilers.org/blog/2022-run-on-the-bayou-5k10kA small contingent of Power Milers turned in fantastic results at the Run on the Bayou on Saturday in Westwego.

Three women from PMTC placed in the overall top-7 among all entrants in the 10k: Victoria Brignac won the women's race - and finished third overall - with a time of 41:05; Grace Thacker, fresh off competing at the Houston Marathon six days earlier, finished sixth overall in 42:07; Michele Bravo took seventh overall in 42:43.

Next up for PMTC: New Orleans Rock n Roll 5k/10k/Half on February 5-6.]]><![CDATA[2022 Houston Marathon]]>Wed, 19 Jan 2022 16:28:52 GMThttp://www.powermilers.org/blog/2022-houston-marathonPicture
"Houston, we have a problem."

And that problem was the Power Miler Track Club on January 16, 2022.

To say that PMTC thrived in H-Town would be an understatement.
​
Ten of the 16 members who raced the marathon set PRs; as did two of the five who raced the half.

Power Milers Take Over Houston

Club Members Who PR'd The Full Marathon
Name
Previous PR
Houston
PR Delta
Rich Bouckaert
2:28:15
2:26:01
0:02:14
Will Kirkikis
Debut
2:29:21
Debut
Tyler Mayforth
2:36:53
2:33:19
0:03:34
Kevin McNeill
3:03:33
2:48:11
0:15:22
Paul Thiels
2:49:52
2:49:47
0:00:05
Jeff Gennusa
3:01:56
2:53:52
0:08:04
Sara Porter
3:01:04
2:55:44
0:05:20
Michael Pou
2:57:08
2:56:54
0:00:14
Jonathan Ley
3:11:04
3:09:53
0:01:11
Sam Ward
4:54:00
3:12:25
1:41:35
Kate Baldwin
3:23:15
3:16:11
0:07:05
Club Members Who PR'd The Half Marathon
Name
Previous PR
Houston
PR Delta
Josh Browning
1:23:28
1:18:16
0:05:12
Lauren F. Haro
1:45:06
1:30:23
0:14:43

There were also a number of superlatives among the finishers.
  • Rich ran the club's fastest marathon time ever
  • Will made his marathon debut and ran the club's fastest first-time marathon ever
  • Tyler set a PR more than three years in the making
  • Paul finished first in the 55-59 age group, nearly 3 minutes ahead of 2nd place
  • Paige Fisher, who ran 2:55:46, did so while pregnant with her first child
  • Michelle Parks (52nd, 2:54:07), Sara (57th) and Paige (60th) all finished among the top-60 in the women's race
  • Jonathan earned the first BQ of his marathon career
  • Sam ran strong his first marathon with the club
  • Kate finished a clear 2nd in the 55-59 age group
  • Josh PR'd after working the expo all day on Saturday
  • Wayne Pertuit ran 1:30:34 in his first major race since surgery
  • Matt Dalton battled fierce wind at the Louisiana Marathon to finish in 3:08:36

You better believe there will be more exceptional performances to come!

Next up for PMTC: Run on the Bayou 5k/10k on Saturday, January 22.
]]><![CDATA[2018 Houston Marathon]]>Tue, 23 Jan 2018 23:11:52 GMThttp://www.powermilers.org/blog/2018-houston-marathon
Thirteen members of the Power Milers finished the 2018 Houston Marathon on Jan. 14. Aided by favorable conditions, every single runner acheived either a lifetime, Masters, or Grandmasters personal best, and all met the time qualifying standards for the Boston Marathon. 

On the men's side, the team was lead by Rich Bouckaert, who finished 28th place overall in a blazing 2:28:15. Bouckaert lowered his personal best marathon time by over 2.5 minutes. on his marathon debut, Paul Thiels won the Grandmasters (age 50+) category with a time of 2:49:52. Paige Fisher was the first female Power Miler across the line in 3:03:49. Fisher fell shy of an agressive sub-3 hour goal, but she lowered her PR by 10 minutes.

Club Results:

Houston Marathon
Richard Bouckaert:  2:28:15
Casey Keiser: 2:38:55
Paul Thiels: 2:49:52; 1st Grandmasters
Wayne Pertuit: 2:56:48
Tom Luongo: 3:00:16
David Merryman: 3:01:28
Tarak Anada: 3:02:41
Paige Fisher: 3:03:49
Michael Pou: 3:06:03
Jeff Gennusa: 3:07:33
Van Merceron: 3:08:17
Daniella Mora: 3:10:38
Jimi Smith: 3:11:42

Houston Half Marathon
Doug Holmes: 1:27:05

Houston Marathon Complete Results

On the same day, three Power Milers competed at the Louisiana Marathon in Baton Rouge. One of the newest members of PMTC, lead the club with a 2:58:30. Brian Rowan succeeded in his quest for a sub-3 hour marathon with a 2:59:04, which also earned him top Masters honors.

Louisiana Marathon
Ondrej Blaha: 2:58:30
Brian Rowan: 2:59:04; 1st Masters
Kevin McNeill: 3:07:44

Louisiana Marathon Complete Results

Special thanks to the all of the family, friends, and fellow club members who traveled to theses races to support, cheer, and take photos. We would not have made it without you.


Photos:
]]><![CDATA[Houston Marathon Race Preview]]>Fri, 12 Jan 2018 16:37:38 GMThttp://www.powermilers.org/blog/houston-marathon-race-preview
Picture
Cash on the barrel: It all started when a couple of club members registered last summer. After some gentle peer pressure, a little bit of momentum was born, and before we fully realized what we were getting into, 16 Power Milers were registered to run the 2018 Houston Marathon.  Marathon-specific training began in earnest in October. One was lost due to injury (Get well soon, Grace!) Four months later, race weekend has arrived.
Thanks to PMTC's high performance coach Jimi Smith and his individualized training guidance, this team is race-ready. While coaching the marathon contingent and balancing the demands of parenting and running an acupuncture practice, Smith somehow managed to fit in his own marathon training.  Smith is returning to Houston after a 10-year hiatus from the 26.2 distance. After overcoming numerous injuries over the past few years, his goal is to stay healthy and finish in the low 3:00s. 

Fellow Masters runner Paul Thiels is "apprehensive about debuting at the age of 54" but "very curious to experience the mystery zone beyond 20 miles of racing." Thiels' goal finishing time is 2:49. Casey Keiser and Dave Merryman will also be taking on the marathon for the first time on Sunday. 

For those not travelling to Houston to run or spectate, a live stream of the race will be available:
http://www.chevronhoustonmarathon.com/race-weekend/spectator-info/

Live tracking of individual runners:
https://live.sporthive.com/event/3822/Live

Bib numbers to track the Power Milers:

Paul Thiels: 1661
Jimi Smith: 1656
Rich Bouckaert: 424
Jeff Gennusa: 1925
Daniella Mora: 2039
Luciano Retana: 2040
Michael Pou: 31934
Paige Fischer: 2093
Jeff Gennusa: 1925
Tom Luongo: 1693
Van Merceron: 1604
Dave Merryman: 1833
Wayne Pertuit: 1631
Casey Keiser: 1536
Doug Holmes: 2028

Follow @PowerMilers on Twitter for live updates from the race.

While he isn't racing this go-round, PMTC's Brandon Wingate, who at age 41 ran 2:31 at the 2016 Houston Marathon, offers the following message to all those racing this weekend:
​
"There are a lot of questions going through your head.
Have I trained enough?
Am I mentally ready?
Will I hit my pace?
Will I be to anxious?
Short answer, YES!
This is what you have trained for mentally and physically.
Your mind and body will know what to do when the gun goes off.
I hope that you all have a great race and make some memories..."
​
]]><![CDATA[USATF Club Cross Country Nationals 2017]]>Fri, 15 Dec 2017 20:44:00 GMThttp://www.powermilers.org/blog/usatf-club-cross-country-nationals-2017
Picture
Masterson Station Park
Lexington, KY
December 9, 2017

The Power Milers braved sub-freezing temperatures, wind, hills, and a bit of snow to compete at the USATF Club Cross Country National Championships on Saturday. PMTC fielded teams for the Men's Masters (40+) 10K and Open 10K races. 

The Masters team finished in 20th place, while the open team finished in 40th. Both results were first among teams from the USTAF Southern Region. Despite the conditions, Aucoin, Keiser, and Merryman notched 10K personal bests, with Keiser dipping under 34 minutes for the first time.

Individual club results:

Men's Masters 40+

166: Paul Thiels, 38:28
191: Wayne Pertuit, 39:18
204: Michael Pou, 39:56
214: Van Merceron, 40:16
219: Jimi Smith, 40:40
220: Tom Luongo, 40:40

Open 10K 

169: Patrick Aucoin, 32:37
196: Richard Bouckaert, 32:56
281: Casey Keiser, 33:54
380: Bryant White, 36:25
383: Sean Allerton, 36:41
292: David Merryman, 37:18
411: Jeffrey Gennusa, 40:01

The race marked the fourth consecutive year that PMTC has sent a team to club nationals. Next year's race will be held on December 8, 2018 in Spokane, WA.
Complete results
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