How Do from Kerrville, TX & August Charity Reveal!

Run Stats:
Day: 246
Miles Completed: 895
Miles to San Diego: 1205
Avg Miles/Day: 3.6
Marathons Completed: 34.2
Longest Run Streak: 9 days
Current Run Streak: 2 days
Shoes: Skora FIT/Skora Tempo
Playlist Favs: James Taylor, Catalyst podcast

Bible Verse of the Day: Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble. - Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 (NLT)

Run Reflections: During my run today, I will be virtually passing through the town of Kerrville, TX and reaching the 900 mile mark on this journey. I'm still virtually traveling north/northwest along I-10 headed towards El Paso. With Hurricane Hermine, the weather for outdoor exercise was a little uncertain this week but the storm passed to the east of us and we really didn't have any bad weather here in Panama City. I was pleased to log another 25 mile week and to exceed 100 miles in the month of August. Some days this can feel like a self imposed grind but I am continuing to enjoy learning about the cities I'm passing through and the challenge to push myself physically and mentally.

Kerrville, TX: Here are some things that I learned from wikipedia and several travel web sites about Kerrville:

Kerrville (also known as The Ville, or K.V.) is a city in Kerr County and (logically) is the county seat. The town is named after James Kerr, a major in the Texas Revolution, and friend of settler-founder, Joshua Brown, who settled in the area to start a shingle-making company. Nestled in the Texas Hill Country, Kerrville is best known for its beautiful parks that line the Guadalupe River, which runs directly through the city. Understandably, the town motto is "Lose Your Heart To The Hills". I have included a picture of a bluff at Guadalupe River State Park (taken by Larry D. Moore CC BY-SA 3.0) that shows the beauty of this area and some folks enjoying the river activities.

Other features of Kerrville include its nearby youth summer camps, hunting ranches, and RV parks. It is also the home of Texas' Official State Arts and Crafts Fair, the Kerrville Folk Festival, Schreiner University, the Charles Schreiner Mansion (see attached picture) and the Museum of Western Art which features the work of living artists specializing in the themes of the American West. Its rated by trip advisor as the #1 thing to do in Kerrville and I have included a link to their web site which contains a lot of pictures and information about their different exhibits and art.

The Museum of Western Art in Kerrville, TX ... Where the Legend Lives

Some other fun facts about Kerrville include the fact that the town hosted the Olympic Trials for shooting sports for the 2012 Summer Olympics and is the home of 2012 Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel, actor Thomas Haden Church and Jimmie Rodgers - "the Father of Country Music." I also found several interesting looking restaurants including the Rio Ranch Cafe. I've included a picture of their menu from their Facebook site. Don't know about you guys but the cowboy nachos look pretty legit and are making my mouth water :-)

August Charity Reveal: This month's charity is the American Red Cross. We chose to donate to them in support of their ongoing efforts to assist the flood victims in Louisiana. According to their web site, "The America Red Cross prevents and alleviates human suffering in the face of emergencies by mobilizing the power of volunteers and the generosity of donors." Through this, they "aspire to turn compassion into action so that all people affected by disaster across the country and around the world receive care, shelter and hope."

Their support focuses on the areas of disaster relief, providing lifesaving blood, training and certification, military families and international services. They respond to an emergency every 8 minutes and an average of 91 cents of every dollar the Red Cross spends is invested in humanitarian services and programs. Their web site provides a lot of different ways to donate or contribute to the work that they are doing. When you access the "donate now" or "make a donation" links on the site, you can find a drop down menu for different support options. One of these is "Louisiana Floods." I was able to run 105.6 miles in August so we are going to donate $106 to assist in the flood recovery efforts. I encourage you to check out their web site and see if there is anything that you might want to contribute to or support. As this weeks Bible verse identifies, we are better off when we work together and support each other.

Well, we've made it to September and the start of the football season! Go Navy! I hope your team does well and that you have a safe and enjoyable Labor Day weekend. I also hope your weekend includes some 1st gear downtime to step away and engage with family and friends.

God Bless,

Pat