Howdy from Beaumont, TX!

Run Stats:
Day: 148
Miles Completed: 554.3
Miles to San Diego: 1545.7
Avg Miles/Day: 3.7
Marathons Completed: 21.2
Shoes: Skora Fit/Tempo
Playlist Favs: Shuffle

Bible Verse of the Day: Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Hebrews 12:1-2 (NLT)

Run Reflections: When I complete my next run (probably tomorrow), I will have virtually reached the town of Beaumont, TX. Weather today in Beaumont is sunny with a predicted high of 84 degrees. I'm still running along I-10 and after Beaumont, it turns south for awhile and then west again at Winnie, TX, heading towards Houston. I'm looking forward to learning some new things about this state and its people. During a run the other day, the song 40 Acres by Caedmon's Call came up on the shuffle. Caedmon's call is one of my favorite Christian bands and this song and album is one of my favorites by them. The song gives me a picture of Texas. I can't share the link through this blog site but I'd encouage you to look it up and give it a listen.

Beaumont: Here's some info on the town of Beaumont from wikipedia: Beaumont is located in SouthEast TX on the Niches River, about 90 miles from Houston. The cities early history was centered on the development of lumber, farming and port industries. Beaumont became a town on December 16, 1838 (which also happens to be my birthday). In 1892 Joseph Eloi Broussard opened the first rice mill in the state, stimulating development of rice farming in the area. In 1901, the discovery of the Spindletop gusher evolved the city into the oil business and it became one of the major metro-chemical refining areas in the country. The city became a major center for defense shipbuilding during WW II and tens of thousands of rural Texans migrated there for the new high-paying jobs. I have included a picture of the Beaumont commercial district from wikipedia.

There's a lot to do and see in Beaumont including visiting the Babe Didrikson Zaharias Museum and visitor center, a woman who is from Beaumont and is recognized as perhaps the world's greatest female athlete. It is also the home of the Fire Museum of Texas which is home to the worlds largest working fire hydrant. The fire hydrant was created by Disney in 1999 to promote the re-release of the animated 101 Dalmatians movie. It was originally located at Disney Land in Anaheim, CA, but, for some reason, Disney chose Beaumont as the site for its permanent home. Since then, two larger fire hydrants have apparently been built so, rather than being relegated to 3rd place, it is now referred to as the world's largest "working" fire hydrant. Perhaps its true that everything is bigger in Texas. I found this info on the roadside america web site, the same folks who had info on the Abita Springs Mystery Museum. Their web site has an article on the Beaumont Fire Museum including a picture of it.

As with other larger cities, there is quite of bit that could be shared about Beaumont. It does appear that they have an active and vibrant running community with clubs including the Golden Triangle Strutters, the Mid-County Run Club, and the Sea Rim Striders. Running events in Beaumont include the Gusher Marathon held in March each year. Today in Beaumont is the Daisies and Dragons Duathlon for Kids - how cool does that sound?

As I've done in the past few weeks, I'll close this with a reference back to today's Bible verse. I've probably shared this verse before as it has to do with running. It's one of the main verses highlighted by the Run for God organization who has been a source of motivation for me and my running lately. Thing is, this is not just a running verse; it's a life verse and offers a lot to reflect on.

I hope you all have a great week and enjoy the long Memorial Day weekend. This post is dedicated to those who selflessly gave their lives in service to our country. We honor you and remember you!

God Bless,

Pat