Originally posted in 2011. Back then, the colors for Team in Training were purple and green. I’d been running with them for two years and was inspired to write a song that captured the spirit of our team and purpose.
A couple weeks ago I set out to write a song. I wanted to come up with a drinking song. Not something that encourages you drink, but a song with words that were easy to remember and easy to sing with gusto. A song with that ‘gentle sway’, as one of my friends said, that you sing with an arm around a friend and a fist around a cold one. But it had to be about Team In Training: the fundraising, the marathon training, the honored teammates’ fight with cancer, and the never-give-up attitude that permeates the entire experience.
So here it is. I dedicate this song to Virginia Garner, my teammate and friend who is stronger and more determined than cancer. It’s a rough recording….
I paired it with a slideshow of the 2011 San Gabriel Valley Summer marathon team. Upon request of one of my favorite people, I extended the song to be able to include more photos of our honored teammates and wrote more lines to the song. Here are the extended lyrics:
Chorus:
Oh, we’re purple and green
We shout “Go Team”
Won’t stop ’til a cure has been found
We’ll just keep on fundraising
And keep right on training
To beat cancer into the ground
V1:
We ask for donations
We have no fear
We just want some money
But we’ll take beer
And then throw a party
And charge at the door
And then send a big check to Paycor
V2:
We’ll walk through mud
We’ll run when it’s raining
There’s nothing can stop us
From miles of training
We’ll jog in a pool
Even bathe in the ice
If we followed our coaches advice
V3:
You can see our jerseys
Their names written down
In honor! In memory!
We carry them ’round
When we think of their fight
It’s not hard to find
We can make it to our finish line
Talk To Me