Leaving Texas

It looks like my time here in Beaumont is coming to a close. Unexpectedly I am being pulled back to DC. I'm really happy to be heading home to Sonia and Daniel, but I'm a little sad about leaving my home town so soon. I feel like I wasn't here long enough. I got to hang out with my cousin Becky and my friend Ginger, and I'll have dinner with my brother Pancho tonight. But I didn't get a chance to see my buddy Troy (In case you're googling Troy Soileau, all of the rumors about the chickens are damned lies). And I still haven't gotten to Lumberton at all. I'll have to see if I can pull through there before I go.

Beaumont, Texas - A little run in the Big City

I'm on a project with FEMA here in Beaumont, Texas. This was the "big city" when I was living in Lumberton as a kid. I forgot how much I like this place.

I'm staying at my cousin Becky's house, which isn't far from downtown Beaumont. I went out with my new $30 Montrails! and my twitchy calf and went for a short run this morning. Tha calf held up-- it's a little stiff now, so now I'm worried about what's going to happen on 20 November 2008 when I run in the Northern Central Trail Marathon. I might have to lay off for another week to see if it comes around.

Miniscule tiny short run/New Shoes/Beaumont!

I ran here in Austin two days ago in the Walnut Creek Park.  It was a really pretty run, but my left calf started acting up just before I stopped (well, about three miles before I stopped).  When I got up yesterday, I had planned to go out for a long run-- I had a route mapped out for 22 miles.  My calf just said nooooo.  So I took the day off.

But I did have a stroke of good luck yesterday afternoon.  I had gone to Rogue Running, aterrific  running gear store here in Austin, in search of a long sleeve shirt to run in.  It is colder here than I expected!  I didn't find a shirt, but in the SALE pile, I found a pair of Montrail Vitesses for $30.  It was like finding the trail running holy grail.  I was checking them for nails inside and stuff-- I just couldn't believe it.  Of course I bought them, feeling very smug about wearing my $30 Montrails!.

I went out for a run this morning-- I meant to go for an hour and a half.  But as soon as I stepped out the door in my new $30 Montrails!, I realized there was a problem.  My left big toe was banging right up against the end of the shoe.  Darn, I thought (hey, this site is PG).  So I cut the run short right at 30 minutes.

At lunchtime I was able to take the shoes back to Rogue Running.  They took them back and gave me another pair of $30 Montrails! in exchange for free!  Fantastic!  Incredible!  No Sh*t!  So I left feeling doubly smug and very happy about life in general.  So if you're ever in Austin, go buy shoes or something at Rogue Running Gear.

When I got back to the FEMA shop, it turned out that the folks at the FEMA shop in Beaumont had requested someone to come do what I do.  So I'm going to go there early tomorrow morning and go do what I do there.  It will be cool, with any luck I'll be able to swing through Lumberton and see my buddy Troy and see my cousin Becky and brother Pancho in Beaumont.