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Annie in Austin
Welcome! As "Annie in Austin" I blog about gardening in Austin, TX with occasional looks back at our former gardens in Illinois. My husband Philo & I also make videos - some use garden images as background for my original songs, some capture Austin events & sometimes we share videos of birds in our garden. Come talk about gardens, movies, music, genealogy and Austin at the Transplantable Rose and listen to my original songs on YouTube. For an overview read Three Gardens, Twenty Years. Unless noted, these words and photos are my copyrighted work.
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Sunday, February 15, 2009

Sing & Cheer for the Austin Marathon


Garden Bloggers Bloom Day had to be bumped to Annie's Addendum - this year February 15th the day to celebrate our annual Austin Marathon in song.

I may personally be built for comfort, not for speed, but Philo and I are experienced at hosting out-of-town runners! We've had lots of fun being part of the action by taking marathoners to the Expo to get their packets & chips, stoking them up the day befor, getting them to the start line on time, driving around to a few points along the 26.2 mile route to wave and cheer, whooping it up at the finish line and then taking the victors out to dinner.

I hope you enjoy this little tune about seeing the Austin Marathon as a fan and member of the support team. It was written with love - maybe it can count as a late Valentine!




19 comments:

  1. I loved it! Great song, very toe tapping.

    Carol, May Dreams Gardens

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  2. How lucky all those runners (especially your guests) are to have such a delightful song written and performed in their honor. Great conribution to a worthy cause.

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  3. Great song! Certainly got me in the mood. Austin looked a little cold that day, but I imagine the runners warmed up pretty fast.

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  4. Thank you MayDreams Carol, Diana and Tabor!

    There photos and videos were from four different marathons - some years pleasant but one year there was ice on the edges of the roads! The course has changed a few times - it was a little different again today.

    Annie

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  5. I can hear your encouragement in every line Annie. This is fantastic. Austin Marathoners should use it as their theme song.

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  6. Did you sing the song as your friends were running by? Great rhythm to set the pace. i saw fireworks at one point. Did they really do that? Gosh! it's a long time since I watched a marathon. We both used to run years ago and I remember all that waiting with the kids for D to pass by and running the hot bath at the end of the day.

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  7. Another fun song about Austin! We missed seeing the marathon this year, as my DH didn't run it. I know he missed it, and frankly I did too. Spectating is fun. Running? Er, no thanks.

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  8. You're such a good sport, Annie :) Your cute song is a great little cheerleader for these ambitious runners. Like Pam, I'd love to watch, but running in a marathon isn't something that sounds like fun to me. I'll just tap my toe as I listen to your song :)

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  9. What a great song! It looks like it was lots of fun.

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  10. What a wonderful song! And a great video. I hope you send it to the marathon organizers. Linda

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  11. What fun Annie! Loved the song and the video.

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  12. Hi Annie,
    Great song as always! How kind of you and Philo to host visiting runners ... I can't think of anyone as fun as you to visit in Austin (ok, so I don't get out much!), and I'm sure you were perfect hosts.

    Did you happen to see any zombies around town recently? I got a good laugh about that changed traffic conditions sign recently...

    We're still buried in snow here even after the meltdown recently. Will it ever end? :-)

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  13. Cheers to you, Annie, for doing so much to help out with your city's marathon. I might want to steal your song--our nearby town, Champaign, Il. is hosting its first ever marathon in April. They've already had more than 5,000 register, which the promoters are very happy about.

    I had thought about volunteering in some capacity, but the day of the race itself I'll be busy--my son and daughter-in-law are both running in it, so I'll be on "Grandma Duty." Maybe I'll have to teach the grandkids this song:)

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  14. What a catchy tune, Annie, and appropriate encouragement for more than just marathon running. Austin has a treasure in you and your husband. The city should be singing praises of you and all of the other unsung heroes who make events like the marathon possible and shine such a positive light on their hometown (even if it is "adopted" and not the real one).

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  15. Lisa at Greenbow - thanks for your encouragement. It's just for fun.

    No out of town folks this year Lancashire Rose and Pam/Digging - if they were here we would never have had time to make the youtube!

    Thanks very much, Kerri, Phillip, lindalynn and Garden girl - I am under no illusion that my songs are classics, but sometimes they are catchy!

    Our hosting is not purely altruistic IVG, Prairie Rose and walk2write - out-of-state family have come here to run in 4 different marathons...we are grateful to Austin for providing a lure to visitors! But I will admit that whenever people stay with us for the marathon, local restaurants and other businesses benefit from their visit!

    The zombie signs are hilarious, IVG - first saw it on Twitter. Did you know there's an annual Dismember the Alamo Zombie Festival at one of the local theaters?

    Rose, I heard about the new Champaign Marathon - my family thinks it might be interesting to run one where it's flat!

    Thank you very much, AMAZÔNIA INFORMA - both for visiting and for commenting...and wonder if you came to Austin for the marathon?

    Thanks for the comments!

    Annie

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  16. Annie, Just saw your comment about my bulbs not blooming, esp. the amaryllis. Your tips make a lot of sense, and I will try them next winter. Thanks so much!
    And yes, the Champaign marathon is promoting the flat course in its advertising:)

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  17. Annie, your song is, as always, perfect! I loved that folks were setting off fireworks along the race course - I'm sure that folks insane enough to run for 26.2 miles loved having a distraction along the way...there were no fireworks in Myrtle Beach - but there were folks along the race course, clapping and wishing folks well, so that was nice. However - walking 13.1 miles is NOTHING like running 26.2. I just can't imagine it...

    Hope you're enjoying your weekend.

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  18. You have such Austin spirit! I always enjoy your songs. Are you going to come to Chicago? I hope so as I missed meeting you in Austin.

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A comment from you is like chocolate - maybe I could live without it, but life is more fun with it. I'll try to answer. If someone else's comment piques your interest, please feel free to talk among yourselves.