8/28/2005

It's a race to keep Austin weird

By: Tracey Panek

It’s not your average charity run. First of all, the Keep Austin Weird 5K begins at 5 p.m. – perfect to give all those late-night partygoers plenty of time to lace up their shoes.

Second, it’s one of the few charity races where you’ll see runners in costume chugging along Auditorium Shores. And the costumes run the gamut. This year, as usual, there were your share of prom dresses, worn by both men and women.

Then there were the two guys who ran while holding up cardboard doors of the General Lee and wearing 70s-style wigs as the Dukes of Hazzard.

“We wanted to be one of the only cars in the race. As far as I can tell, we won the car part of the race,” one of them said.

The guy dressed as a Roman soldier (sneakers, not lace-up sandals) loved wearing his outfit so much he wants to recruit other “soldiers” to jog around the neighborhood with him.

It’s the third year for the race that celebrates silly get-ups, an easy course and free live music. The race concluded with a concert by Del Castillo, Vallejo, Endochine and others.

And it’s all to support local business – the places that keep the weird in Austin.

Stops along didn’t offer runners boring old water – there was Amy’s Ice Cream, barbecue from Freddie’s Place, and bacon and donuts courtesy of 219sold – which is a Realtor, mind you.

They’re all part of the Austin Independent Business Alliance, a coalition that works to keep Austin shopping local.

 

www.news8austin.com

©News 8 Austin 2005

 

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