Greetings People
Once again I found another Marathon story to share with you readers. This was also the first story of my first Marathon and also the first of two Marathons in two weeks. Enjoy.
September 20th, 2003
Introduction
The time has come for me. I was in the bookstore on Wednesday after the Sunday Marathon event and I was reading a book about Marathons. After reading some passages out of a few books, I was reading a little bit of one book and with me just completing the Mile High City Marathon this past Sunday, I started to cry. Up until that point, I did not cry at the finish line or later that day. Maybe being triumphant overrode that emotional factor, but I could not believe why I had to start crying right there. Of all places! In the middle of the day, I was getting teary eyed in the middle of a Borders Book Store. I still was reading the book, but tears are streaming down my cheeks and my vision getting blurry. The last passage I read was “.. you now feel an emptiness and feel alone...” Do I feel that? I am not sure, but I think I do.
My embarrassment came next, because my co-worker came back from her beading jewelry and here I am with a smile and teary eyed and I could not use “my allergies are making me sniffle” excuse. I could not talk because of the lump in my throat and knowing that my voice is going to hitch if I talk. I am not embarrassed about it now, but the story behind this is that I do have allergies and this past summer every time I was sniffling I had ask for a Kleenex because I was “crying”. LOL. She knew I wasn’t and that has been a running joke every time I get the sniffles at work. With this moment I now knew I had the opening of my First Marathon story to tell.
I am now a marathon-er. Just saying or writing that word is such a fantastic feeling. Even a better feeling is saying “professional cyclist / marathon -er”, That is who I have become.
What even sweetens my accomplishment is that on Saturday, Sept 13th, I did the Park to Park Bicycle Tour and the mileage I chose was the 100 Mile route. I mean I did something I wanted to do, but the Mile High City Marathon and the Park to Park Bicycle Tour was planned only in a month. Minus ten days of drinking, junk food eating, and no training since I was in retirement.
Note: The Park to Park Bicycle Tour journal will be located in the bike tours section of my web page. 100 miles of riding on Saturday and then on Sunday, Sept 14th, I did the 26.2 Mile Marathon. I have completed an event which I can cross off my top 100 things to do in your lifetime list.
Ever since that afternoon, I still choked up at some moment. Some music, or a line from a movie or just thinking what I did was something to get me blurry eyed. I am in the Association of Long Distance Runners. I am a Marathoner. I am a winner. I made my parents proud. I earned the respect of being an Athlete. I did not quit. I have the determination. I am good. I did not fall from grace. I am retired.
Alright people. Time for me to take you back to the day of the Marathon. By definition of Webster’s - Marathon - an endurance contest <>. I am not sure where I am going to take you, but I do hope you will take my hand and I will lead you into another part of my life story. Try not to let go, because I will hold your hand until the end or until you decide to let go first. Prepare...
Sunday, September 14, 2003 Denver, Colorado - Elevation 5280
Note: Before reading further - No disrespect is intended to any religious parties. My apologies to anyone who is offended. Remember you do not have to read anything you do not want to. All views expressed are mine. thank you.
4:00 AM - Daryl woke up instantly and no grogginess was evident. He then started to move his legs. A sudden grimace falls across his face. He rubs his knee cap and the pain is very obvious. He know this is from the cold and rain of yesterday and not the 100 miles of riding he did on Saturday.
Another day of waking up in darkness and seeing the lights of Denver outside his window. The coming of this day has been on his mind ever since deciding to come out of retirement about a month ago. What lays ahead for him is the unknown. The goal he has set for him is only half complete and with the Marathon this morning he will of completed the ultimate challenge he has set for himself.
Listening to his “pre race” music he gets into the mindset that he needs to be in for today. With the Marathon today he forgoes the cassette Walkman and “borrows” his brother’s compact radio the size of two inches. He knows that running and carrying the cassette Walkman could be a tough thing to do today. Better safe than sorry. After grabbing his running gear and getting his ZZ top Bandanna and Oakleys he is ready. No Breakfast for him. He possibly can clearly see himself throwing up his breakfast later that day and he would hate for that event to be caught on film and being known as the guy throwing up at/in the race.
4:30 AM - Time to go. Seeing Arapahoe Road early in the morning and some of the stoplights flashing the one color has a calming and soothing effect. The image brings back memories of driving through Texas and the one stop light towns blinking red on one side and yellow on the other. Biking down Arapahoe Road he is biking down into history. A destiny that will be fulfilled and how his life will change from here on out. Thoughts of victory, of failing, of his knee, of Natalie Merchant, of being cold, and doing what he has set for himself.
5:20 AM - Downtown Littleton Light Rail Station - The time is getting closer and he is getting antsy and nervous. Daryl is walking up and down the Light Rail Station and can not sit still.
6:25 AM - The Finish Line - Denver Pavilions. Seeing the finish line in the darkness he sees the clock timer and also the Finish line Banner. Silent and dark, but later this morning, this will be the area of joy and happiness, yet pain and sorrow will be waiting. The first thoughts of what he is about to do is starting to take hold of him.
6:30 AM Capitol Building/Civic Center Park - Streets have been closed, police cars lights are flashing their blue and red lights. People like me, or in my case I am like them for today, are waiting around, stretching, picking up packets, going to the bathroom, or waiting to begin. Daryl has $ 100.00 and goes to the registration tent. You can see his hands are shaking, but whether from the cold or being nervous only one can guess. The cost was $ 80.00 for the marathon route. After registration he then goes to get his computer chip so the time of his race will be recorded, His chip and bib number is # 416. # 416 his first marathon number. The number of his destiny. After getting the chip, he then goes to the last table to get his bag of goodies and T-shirt. He was told that there is only one size available and that size is XXL. Damn. The hell if he was going to leave T-shirt-less! He said give him the T-shirt. After dropping the race bag off to be waiting for him at the end of the race he heads out to stretch and see the throng of runners that have suddenly appeared out of nowhere. The morning light has just started to come up and what a sight to behold.
6:50 AM - Starting Line - 10 minutes left and counting. He is fucking nervous and stretches his leg muscles to calm his nerves. He then hears on KBCO the band Coldplay and their song “Clocks” starts playing. A beautiful song and a song to remember for this. The piano playing and Chris’s voice singing and looking at Downtown with the early morning light coming. Wow. Looking around runners are stretching this way and that way, other runners covered in Trashbags, few Photographers taking pictures.
6:55 AM - He can hear the announcer announcing every minute until the beginning of the race. Thoughts of what the fuck is he doing. Is he ready?
7:00 AM - Wheelchair marathon-ers have started the marathon and they are off onto their journey.
7:04 AM - One minute til the start. He is at the back of the pack and getting really nervous. He has his ZZ top Bandanna around his head along with the Oakleys on top. The only other thing he adores in life besides his bikes and women.
7:05 AM - “And go” - The start was not too bad. Most of the runners were in front and he just sort of pick someone to follow at a pace and see how that goes. His knees were not bothering him at all. Probably just needed to be stretched and walked on.
7:07 AM - He hears a clink on the pavement and turns around to see his bike spoke wrench on the street. Damn to hell he forgot to zip his pouch. He is not sure what else was lost, but nothing important was lost and he guess that’s going to have to do. The thought of picking up the wrench among all the runners was a lost cause. Oh well, his biking season is over so the wrench is currently not a necessity.
Mile 1 Marker (Broadway) - One mile down 25 to go. Running down Broadway there were a few spectators and quite of few store owners on the sidewalk. Whistling, cheering and words of encouragement.
Mile 2 Marker (Logan St) - Another marker and then he immediately hopes there will not be a marker every mile. This counting up to mile 26 could be a dangerous factor later on in the day. The Sun has finally shown its presence in the neighborhood and the day looks like it is going to be sunny. Unlike the day before, where the rain started about the same time and did not let up until the early afternoon.
Mile 3 - (Kentucky St) - There was a woman in her PJ sitting on her porch with her coffee and looking at us go by. The serene look of her was perfect for this particular morning. Her legs in front of her with coffee resting on her knees and you could see the heat from the coffee rising into the chilly morning air. Another block down was a house that had Britney Spears playing from an open window and two teenage girls and their brother cheering on the morning runners. Do not ask Daryl how he knows a Britney song, but he just does. All of us has a guilty pleasure we are not proud of.
Oh, we almost forgot a classic moment. Daryl was approaching his first aid station and he saw that the line was to the left. He looked at how the other runners were doing the Aid station approach. Daryl has seen this many times while watching IronMan Hawaii every year so he pretty well knows what to do. He grabs his cup of Gatorade from the volunteer and then while running drink the Gatorade. Simple as that right? Fuck that! Daryl is choking on his Gatorade. Running, gulping, and trying to do both must be too hard for him to do, because there he is spitting Gatorade out and coughing like when he had his first inhale of a cigarette in junior high. Sure he feels stupid and knows next time that he will walk or stop to drink his next Gatorade. Only something like this could happen to him.
Mile 4 to 7 - Washington Park - The route in Washington Park will be to run on the outside of the park and then on the inside of the Park. A few runners have been slowly passing him by, but by no means was he going to alter his pace. Steady was a word he heard once before and that could mean the difference between winning and losing. All through out Washington Park he got his picture taken. There has been no more mile Markers since Marker 2, but on the roads were marked with the mileage. Around Mile 6 he actually talks to someone else. A first time Marathon runner also. Their talk was brief, but I am not sure if he can mention what was talked about. Yes, sometimes Daryl does have something too personal to share with his fellow readers and this is one of them.
Mile 8 - The house blaring Britney now has the parents outside cheering the runners on. The girls are on the other side of the course standing and cheering the runners on too
Mile 10 estimate (7th Ave) - Daryl’s first and only Port-a-potty bathroom break. Everything went fine.
Mile 12 estimate (Cherry Creek Mall area) - A few spectators have been stationed throughout the miles and cheering the runners on still. Daryl heard a bib # 416 called out. “Way to go # 416 - keep it up!” Daryl was not sure he heard right, but he was the only one around the cheers and he at looked at his bib and sure enough he was # 416. Someone who does not know Daryl actually cheered for him. What a feeling. He waved his hands, said thank you and smiled. There were only two people clapping for him, but in his mind he heard over a hundred people clapping. You always remember your first personal cheer.
Mile 13.1 Halfway Mark - Half the race done and half to go. Daryl was still feeling strong and just had some “GU” nourishment - Vanilla/something flavor. He figured he better get some kind of energy picker upper. For Daryl, Vanilla has always been good. Vanilla Coca Cola - yum! The fragrance from the Victoria Secret Store that has the Vanilla smell - Oh baby! The smell of French Vanilla Roast in the morning - mmmmm! The combination of any two of those - speechless! However, the taste of this GU Vanilla - yuck! He had no choice to finish the GU, because the packet had 180 mg of Carbohydrates. This taste reminded him of a morning a few weeks earlier after a Iron Maiden concert he went to. Someone was making French Vanilla Roast in the Break room and Daryl got a big whiff from the brewer and all of a sudden he did not feel good at all and nearly lost his stomach. The smell of the brewer and the hangover is what nearly made him sicker than he thought was possible.
Mile 15 - 17 estimate - Cheesman Park - The same as Washington Park - Run on the outside of the park then back around on the inside. Nothing much different. A lot more people cheering and waving.
Mile 18 estimate - (7th Street) - Well, we can see that Daryl is getting tired. He knows that he has completed two hurdles so far and that would be the running of Washington and Cheesman parks. Only park left - City Park. About a mile back going in the opposite direction were two runners with a police car trailing behind them. He assumed those were the two last runners and his goal was not to fall behind the last runners. He did not want the police car trailing him at all. Lights spinning everywhere and following each one of your steps.
Running this Marathon, Daryl has a bit different frame of thinking. With Biking, Daryl thinks about his life, his friends, or the miles to bike or just completely blocks out all thoughts and enjoys himself just riding down the road. Other times the music is his thinking. With this running there was not much of that mindset thinking. In the beginning, the thought was what hell was he thinking, and then he is actually doing this race, then nothing. What he was also thinking was about what hills were coming up, the sight of people and them calling his bib #, the calves of some the women runners passing him by and the time. Time was the biggest factor in his head. He glanced at his watch and saw he was on schedule for a 5 hour Marathon.
Mile 20 estimate - (17th Street) - Daryl is running east and he sees a runner running toward him holding his hand out for a high five. This was the only person to give him a high five and say “good job”. The other runner was at Mile 24 and almost done, but still had the spirit to pass onto a fellow runner. Reaching the twenty miles was now where the countdown begins. Every mile counted and the thoughts of crossing the finish line were looming. Another thought was entering his mind - A can of Coca Cola. Of all the fucking things to be thinking about was a can of coke. He was passing 7-11 Stores here and there and he has already visualized him running into 7-11 and buying a can of coke and drinking that coke like a coca cola commercial. gulp-gulp-gulp-gulp-ahhhhhhhhh!!!! He even thought of giving someone some money and go buy the coke for him and he will pick it up when he comes back around. Needless to say, he did not do any of those thoughts, but they were strong enough thoughts to bring to reality. Gatorade was getting bland after all the miles so far and damnit he wanted a Coke. Just a cold coke.
Mile 21 - (City Park) - The last park on the route and this time the runners only have to run the outer edge and do a small inner loop of the park. Yet, about 3 miles of running in the park. Daryl was now actually catching up to other runners on the course. He could hardly believe this, but a couple reason why so. Time. At Noon, the course on the street gets closed and they will yank you off the street. Daryl did not want to be yanked from the street and would most likely have to finish running on the sidewalks. He does not know. The other reason is the other runners are getting really tired or maybe the hit their maximum threshold and now they are on automatic pilot. Anybody’s guess.
Mile 22 - getting closer
Mile 22 - (again?) - Someone marked the course wrong. Daryl was soo mad. Making him think that mile 23 was next, but NO. This error on someone’s part Daryl had to recalculate his time and actually pick up his pace. 11:20 AM and forty minutes until the road closure ends.
Mile 24 - (17th Street) - Finally Daryl is going West and he sees the building that looks like a “cash register” and the Rocky Mountains in the background. That building he knows is basically where the finish line is. Now, pain can be seen in Daryl’s face. Breathing for him is OK, but a slight grimace is on his face. His feet are now beginning to hurt. He is tiring, but by no means is he exhausted. Running down 17th street and seeing the orange pylon cones lining down the middle of the road towards Downtown Denver is a sight to see on foot. The moment is starting to become surreal, very surreal.
Mile 25 - 11:50 AM - Downtown Denver - He now knows for sure that he is going to finish and finish in time not to be yanked from the course. His thoughts are now what to do as he approaches the finish area. Does he do the “Happy” dance? Does he sing “ it’s your birthday, it’s your birthday” ? Does he try to sprint? Does he make the I am #1 sign with his hand?
Mile 25.5 - No other thoughts - he’s going to finish.
Mile 26 - A small crowd left for the final runners. The clapping, the cheering, the announcer announcing each marathon finisher name at the end can be heard .2 miles away at the Denver Pavilions. Daryl has got a lump in his throat. Getting choked up, but not by Gatorade this time. Each step he gets closer the people are cheering. He knows not one of them, but each one of them makes an impression. An impression that will last for the rest of his life. The approach of the finish line and seeing people on the sidewalks, in the streets up in the Denver Pavilions will also be remembered.
Mile 26.2 - “Number 416 - Daryl Charley from Castle Rock, Colorado...”and that is all he remembers hearing from the announcer. Daryl has been raising his arms in victory up and down for the past .1 mile. The end of an incredible journey and an accomplishment for him. Finished. Un-official time was 4:59:21. The official time posted was 5:00:00. Not one second more or less. URGH!
Epilogue
Well, that is basically the event(s) of a lifetime for me in a weekend. As I crossed the finish line someone handed me something and that something was heavy. Next, a guy said I need to take off my timing chip. I had told him he is going to have to take it off my shoes, because I could not bend over to do it myself. LOL. Damn Funny thing, I thought. I had to brace myself while he tried to get the chip off my running shoes. While he did that I opened the heavy item. It was a medal. A Medal! I earned this baby and she immediately went around my neck. Only the Marathon finishers got this medal. I now have running medal to go with my biking medals. Although, looking at my wall that Marathon medal looks so lonely being the only running medal I have. Who knows maybe she will get company from another running medal. I never expected to get a medal or anything at all from completing a Marathon, just saying that I did the Marathon was all I expected.
My parents could not make the trip to Denver due to some appointments back home. My brother had to work. I did not ask any friend, co-worker, or any girl friend to come and see me. No one was there for me. Just me. I only did this for me and I only needed to prove to myself that I could do this. I can say this was like my biking. I did this for me and I expected nothing in return.
Alone. Being alone is nothing new. When I started this Marathon at 7:05 AM in the morning I started with every runner. About fourteen miles into the Marathon I noticed I was alone. I compared the alone as if I was on my bike riding the white line of the road. I have no biking partner on my rides and I saw this as being no different from that. I was alone to the end. Sure I was passed, but I also did my little fare passing a few runners towards the end of the race.
Author’s Note
Waking up every morning now, I am a different person from whom I was before Sept 13th. I see the dawn of the new morning in a whole new light. I am not sure what or how to describe how I feel now. I am not religious, but I would say I feel a certain spiritual aura, one might say. This may sound corny, but I also feel like I am walking taller, head high and a certain satisfaction.
It seems I told everyone I know what I did. What I accomplished. Even people I hardly see or talk to, I had to say something. For example, this lady whom I have been seeing and waving hi to for the past three years was the extent of our relationship when we met each other on the bike path in the mornings. Now. Today, I waved and stopped my bike and told her of my accomplishment. That is how confident I feel about myself. Well, Leanne is her name and now we formally know each other. Oh by the way, no ring either. LOL. Hey, you never know.
I am happy to share and post my story with all of you. If I made you laugh, cry or just think about doing something like this, then you have made everything I did much more complete. The other thing is I wanted to bring you into my private life once more, from a different point of view. Yet, what amazes some of the people I know is that they say I am not the same person in my stories as in real life when I am not an athlete. Quite the opposite. Well, I have held your hand and time for me to let you go and for to continue on to journey into the unknown.
Until 2004 - Good-bye my fellow readers and Goofball-ers’ !
w-i-t-h-u-t-m-o-s-t-s-i-n-c-e-r-i-t-y
Daryl
aka CalSeti
Sept. 20, 2003
Daryl Charley
The Fallen Athlete
Once again I found another Marathon story to share with you readers. This was also the first story of my first Marathon and also the first of two Marathons in two weeks. Enjoy.
September 20th, 2003
Introduction
The time has come for me. I was in the bookstore on Wednesday after the Sunday Marathon event and I was reading a book about Marathons. After reading some passages out of a few books, I was reading a little bit of one book and with me just completing the Mile High City Marathon this past Sunday, I started to cry. Up until that point, I did not cry at the finish line or later that day. Maybe being triumphant overrode that emotional factor, but I could not believe why I had to start crying right there. Of all places! In the middle of the day, I was getting teary eyed in the middle of a Borders Book Store. I still was reading the book, but tears are streaming down my cheeks and my vision getting blurry. The last passage I read was “.. you now feel an emptiness and feel alone...” Do I feel that? I am not sure, but I think I do.
My embarrassment came next, because my co-worker came back from her beading jewelry and here I am with a smile and teary eyed and I could not use “my allergies are making me sniffle” excuse. I could not talk because of the lump in my throat and knowing that my voice is going to hitch if I talk. I am not embarrassed about it now, but the story behind this is that I do have allergies and this past summer every time I was sniffling I had ask for a Kleenex because I was “crying”. LOL. She knew I wasn’t and that has been a running joke every time I get the sniffles at work. With this moment I now knew I had the opening of my First Marathon story to tell.
I am now a marathon-er. Just saying or writing that word is such a fantastic feeling. Even a better feeling is saying “professional cyclist / marathon -er”, That is who I have become.
What even sweetens my accomplishment is that on Saturday, Sept 13th, I did the Park to Park Bicycle Tour and the mileage I chose was the 100 Mile route. I mean I did something I wanted to do, but the Mile High City Marathon and the Park to Park Bicycle Tour was planned only in a month. Minus ten days of drinking, junk food eating, and no training since I was in retirement.
Note: The Park to Park Bicycle Tour journal will be located in the bike tours section of my web page. 100 miles of riding on Saturday and then on Sunday, Sept 14th, I did the 26.2 Mile Marathon. I have completed an event which I can cross off my top 100 things to do in your lifetime list.
Ever since that afternoon, I still choked up at some moment. Some music, or a line from a movie or just thinking what I did was something to get me blurry eyed. I am in the Association of Long Distance Runners. I am a Marathoner. I am a winner. I made my parents proud. I earned the respect of being an Athlete. I did not quit. I have the determination. I am good. I did not fall from grace. I am retired.
Alright people. Time for me to take you back to the day of the Marathon. By definition of Webster’s - Marathon - an endurance contest <>. I am not sure where I am going to take you, but I do hope you will take my hand and I will lead you into another part of my life story. Try not to let go, because I will hold your hand until the end or until you decide to let go first. Prepare...
Sunday, September 14, 2003 Denver, Colorado - Elevation 5280
"You obviously do not know who you are fucking with!"
Blade II
Note: Before reading further - No disrespect is intended to any religious parties. My apologies to anyone who is offended. Remember you do not have to read anything you do not want to. All views expressed are mine. thank you.
4:00 AM - Daryl woke up instantly and no grogginess was evident. He then started to move his legs. A sudden grimace falls across his face. He rubs his knee cap and the pain is very obvious. He know this is from the cold and rain of yesterday and not the 100 miles of riding he did on Saturday.
Another day of waking up in darkness and seeing the lights of Denver outside his window. The coming of this day has been on his mind ever since deciding to come out of retirement about a month ago. What lays ahead for him is the unknown. The goal he has set for him is only half complete and with the Marathon this morning he will of completed the ultimate challenge he has set for himself.
Listening to his “pre race” music he gets into the mindset that he needs to be in for today. With the Marathon today he forgoes the cassette Walkman and “borrows” his brother’s compact radio the size of two inches. He knows that running and carrying the cassette Walkman could be a tough thing to do today. Better safe than sorry. After grabbing his running gear and getting his ZZ top Bandanna and Oakleys he is ready. No Breakfast for him. He possibly can clearly see himself throwing up his breakfast later that day and he would hate for that event to be caught on film and being known as the guy throwing up at/in the race.
4:30 AM - Time to go. Seeing Arapahoe Road early in the morning and some of the stoplights flashing the one color has a calming and soothing effect. The image brings back memories of driving through Texas and the one stop light towns blinking red on one side and yellow on the other. Biking down Arapahoe Road he is biking down into history. A destiny that will be fulfilled and how his life will change from here on out. Thoughts of victory, of failing, of his knee, of Natalie Merchant, of being cold, and doing what he has set for himself.
5:20 AM - Downtown Littleton Light Rail Station - The time is getting closer and he is getting antsy and nervous. Daryl is walking up and down the Light Rail Station and can not sit still.
6:25 AM - The Finish Line - Denver Pavilions. Seeing the finish line in the darkness he sees the clock timer and also the Finish line Banner. Silent and dark, but later this morning, this will be the area of joy and happiness, yet pain and sorrow will be waiting. The first thoughts of what he is about to do is starting to take hold of him.
6:30 AM Capitol Building/Civic Center Park - Streets have been closed, police cars lights are flashing their blue and red lights. People like me, or in my case I am like them for today, are waiting around, stretching, picking up packets, going to the bathroom, or waiting to begin. Daryl has $ 100.00 and goes to the registration tent. You can see his hands are shaking, but whether from the cold or being nervous only one can guess. The cost was $ 80.00 for the marathon route. After registration he then goes to get his computer chip so the time of his race will be recorded, His chip and bib number is # 416. # 416 his first marathon number. The number of his destiny. After getting the chip, he then goes to the last table to get his bag of goodies and T-shirt. He was told that there is only one size available and that size is XXL. Damn. The hell if he was going to leave T-shirt-less! He said give him the T-shirt. After dropping the race bag off to be waiting for him at the end of the race he heads out to stretch and see the throng of runners that have suddenly appeared out of nowhere. The morning light has just started to come up and what a sight to behold.
6:50 AM - Starting Line - 10 minutes left and counting. He is fucking nervous and stretches his leg muscles to calm his nerves. He then hears on KBCO the band Coldplay and their song “Clocks” starts playing. A beautiful song and a song to remember for this. The piano playing and Chris’s voice singing and looking at Downtown with the early morning light coming. Wow. Looking around runners are stretching this way and that way, other runners covered in Trashbags, few Photographers taking pictures.
6:55 AM - He can hear the announcer announcing every minute until the beginning of the race. Thoughts of what the fuck is he doing. Is he ready?
7:00 AM - Wheelchair marathon-ers have started the marathon and they are off onto their journey.
7:04 AM - One minute til the start. He is at the back of the pack and getting really nervous. He has his ZZ top Bandanna around his head along with the Oakleys on top. The only other thing he adores in life besides his bikes and women.
7:05 AM - “And go” - The start was not too bad. Most of the runners were in front and he just sort of pick someone to follow at a pace and see how that goes. His knees were not bothering him at all. Probably just needed to be stretched and walked on.
7:07 AM - He hears a clink on the pavement and turns around to see his bike spoke wrench on the street. Damn to hell he forgot to zip his pouch. He is not sure what else was lost, but nothing important was lost and he guess that’s going to have to do. The thought of picking up the wrench among all the runners was a lost cause. Oh well, his biking season is over so the wrench is currently not a necessity.
Mile 1 Marker (Broadway) - One mile down 25 to go. Running down Broadway there were a few spectators and quite of few store owners on the sidewalk. Whistling, cheering and words of encouragement.
Mile 2 Marker (Logan St) - Another marker and then he immediately hopes there will not be a marker every mile. This counting up to mile 26 could be a dangerous factor later on in the day. The Sun has finally shown its presence in the neighborhood and the day looks like it is going to be sunny. Unlike the day before, where the rain started about the same time and did not let up until the early afternoon.
Mile 3 - (Kentucky St) - There was a woman in her PJ sitting on her porch with her coffee and looking at us go by. The serene look of her was perfect for this particular morning. Her legs in front of her with coffee resting on her knees and you could see the heat from the coffee rising into the chilly morning air. Another block down was a house that had Britney Spears playing from an open window and two teenage girls and their brother cheering on the morning runners. Do not ask Daryl how he knows a Britney song, but he just does. All of us has a guilty pleasure we are not proud of.
Oh, we almost forgot a classic moment. Daryl was approaching his first aid station and he saw that the line was to the left. He looked at how the other runners were doing the Aid station approach. Daryl has seen this many times while watching IronMan Hawaii every year so he pretty well knows what to do. He grabs his cup of Gatorade from the volunteer and then while running drink the Gatorade. Simple as that right? Fuck that! Daryl is choking on his Gatorade. Running, gulping, and trying to do both must be too hard for him to do, because there he is spitting Gatorade out and coughing like when he had his first inhale of a cigarette in junior high. Sure he feels stupid and knows next time that he will walk or stop to drink his next Gatorade. Only something like this could happen to him.
Mile 4 to 7 - Washington Park - The route in Washington Park will be to run on the outside of the park and then on the inside of the Park. A few runners have been slowly passing him by, but by no means was he going to alter his pace. Steady was a word he heard once before and that could mean the difference between winning and losing. All through out Washington Park he got his picture taken. There has been no more mile Markers since Marker 2, but on the roads were marked with the mileage. Around Mile 6 he actually talks to someone else. A first time Marathon runner also. Their talk was brief, but I am not sure if he can mention what was talked about. Yes, sometimes Daryl does have something too personal to share with his fellow readers and this is one of them.
Mile 8 - The house blaring Britney now has the parents outside cheering the runners on. The girls are on the other side of the course standing and cheering the runners on too
Mile 10 estimate (7th Ave) - Daryl’s first and only Port-a-potty bathroom break. Everything went fine.
Mile 12 estimate (Cherry Creek Mall area) - A few spectators have been stationed throughout the miles and cheering the runners on still. Daryl heard a bib # 416 called out. “Way to go # 416 - keep it up!” Daryl was not sure he heard right, but he was the only one around the cheers and he at looked at his bib and sure enough he was # 416. Someone who does not know Daryl actually cheered for him. What a feeling. He waved his hands, said thank you and smiled. There were only two people clapping for him, but in his mind he heard over a hundred people clapping. You always remember your first personal cheer.
Mile 13.1 Halfway Mark - Half the race done and half to go. Daryl was still feeling strong and just had some “GU” nourishment - Vanilla/something flavor. He figured he better get some kind of energy picker upper. For Daryl, Vanilla has always been good. Vanilla Coca Cola - yum! The fragrance from the Victoria Secret Store that has the Vanilla smell - Oh baby! The smell of French Vanilla Roast in the morning - mmmmm! The combination of any two of those - speechless! However, the taste of this GU Vanilla - yuck! He had no choice to finish the GU, because the packet had 180 mg of Carbohydrates. This taste reminded him of a morning a few weeks earlier after a Iron Maiden concert he went to. Someone was making French Vanilla Roast in the Break room and Daryl got a big whiff from the brewer and all of a sudden he did not feel good at all and nearly lost his stomach. The smell of the brewer and the hangover is what nearly made him sicker than he thought was possible.
Mile 15 - 17 estimate - Cheesman Park - The same as Washington Park - Run on the outside of the park then back around on the inside. Nothing much different. A lot more people cheering and waving.
Mile 18 estimate - (7th Street) - Well, we can see that Daryl is getting tired. He knows that he has completed two hurdles so far and that would be the running of Washington and Cheesman parks. Only park left - City Park. About a mile back going in the opposite direction were two runners with a police car trailing behind them. He assumed those were the two last runners and his goal was not to fall behind the last runners. He did not want the police car trailing him at all. Lights spinning everywhere and following each one of your steps.
Running this Marathon, Daryl has a bit different frame of thinking. With Biking, Daryl thinks about his life, his friends, or the miles to bike or just completely blocks out all thoughts and enjoys himself just riding down the road. Other times the music is his thinking. With this running there was not much of that mindset thinking. In the beginning, the thought was what hell was he thinking, and then he is actually doing this race, then nothing. What he was also thinking was about what hills were coming up, the sight of people and them calling his bib #, the calves of some the women runners passing him by and the time. Time was the biggest factor in his head. He glanced at his watch and saw he was on schedule for a 5 hour Marathon.
Mile 20 estimate - (17th Street) - Daryl is running east and he sees a runner running toward him holding his hand out for a high five. This was the only person to give him a high five and say “good job”. The other runner was at Mile 24 and almost done, but still had the spirit to pass onto a fellow runner. Reaching the twenty miles was now where the countdown begins. Every mile counted and the thoughts of crossing the finish line were looming. Another thought was entering his mind - A can of Coca Cola. Of all the fucking things to be thinking about was a can of coke. He was passing 7-11 Stores here and there and he has already visualized him running into 7-11 and buying a can of coke and drinking that coke like a coca cola commercial. gulp-gulp-gulp-gulp-ahhhhhhhhh!!!! He even thought of giving someone some money and go buy the coke for him and he will pick it up when he comes back around. Needless to say, he did not do any of those thoughts, but they were strong enough thoughts to bring to reality. Gatorade was getting bland after all the miles so far and damnit he wanted a Coke. Just a cold coke.
Mile 21 - (City Park) - The last park on the route and this time the runners only have to run the outer edge and do a small inner loop of the park. Yet, about 3 miles of running in the park. Daryl was now actually catching up to other runners on the course. He could hardly believe this, but a couple reason why so. Time. At Noon, the course on the street gets closed and they will yank you off the street. Daryl did not want to be yanked from the street and would most likely have to finish running on the sidewalks. He does not know. The other reason is the other runners are getting really tired or maybe the hit their maximum threshold and now they are on automatic pilot. Anybody’s guess.
Mile 22 - getting closer
Mile 22 - (again?) - Someone marked the course wrong. Daryl was soo mad. Making him think that mile 23 was next, but NO. This error on someone’s part Daryl had to recalculate his time and actually pick up his pace. 11:20 AM and forty minutes until the road closure ends.
Mile 24 - (17th Street) - Finally Daryl is going West and he sees the building that looks like a “cash register” and the Rocky Mountains in the background. That building he knows is basically where the finish line is. Now, pain can be seen in Daryl’s face. Breathing for him is OK, but a slight grimace is on his face. His feet are now beginning to hurt. He is tiring, but by no means is he exhausted. Running down 17th street and seeing the orange pylon cones lining down the middle of the road towards Downtown Denver is a sight to see on foot. The moment is starting to become surreal, very surreal.
Mile 25 - 11:50 AM - Downtown Denver - He now knows for sure that he is going to finish and finish in time not to be yanked from the course. His thoughts are now what to do as he approaches the finish area. Does he do the “Happy” dance? Does he sing “ it’s your birthday, it’s your birthday” ? Does he try to sprint? Does he make the I am #1 sign with his hand?
Mile 25.5 - No other thoughts - he’s going to finish.
Mile 26 - A small crowd left for the final runners. The clapping, the cheering, the announcer announcing each marathon finisher name at the end can be heard .2 miles away at the Denver Pavilions. Daryl has got a lump in his throat. Getting choked up, but not by Gatorade this time. Each step he gets closer the people are cheering. He knows not one of them, but each one of them makes an impression. An impression that will last for the rest of his life. The approach of the finish line and seeing people on the sidewalks, in the streets up in the Denver Pavilions will also be remembered.
Mile 26.2 - “Number 416 - Daryl Charley from Castle Rock, Colorado...”and that is all he remembers hearing from the announcer. Daryl has been raising his arms in victory up and down for the past .1 mile. The end of an incredible journey and an accomplishment for him. Finished. Un-official time was 4:59:21. The official time posted was 5:00:00. Not one second more or less. URGH!
Epilogue
Well, that is basically the event(s) of a lifetime for me in a weekend. As I crossed the finish line someone handed me something and that something was heavy. Next, a guy said I need to take off my timing chip. I had told him he is going to have to take it off my shoes, because I could not bend over to do it myself. LOL. Damn Funny thing, I thought. I had to brace myself while he tried to get the chip off my running shoes. While he did that I opened the heavy item. It was a medal. A Medal! I earned this baby and she immediately went around my neck. Only the Marathon finishers got this medal. I now have running medal to go with my biking medals. Although, looking at my wall that Marathon medal looks so lonely being the only running medal I have. Who knows maybe she will get company from another running medal. I never expected to get a medal or anything at all from completing a Marathon, just saying that I did the Marathon was all I expected.
My parents could not make the trip to Denver due to some appointments back home. My brother had to work. I did not ask any friend, co-worker, or any girl friend to come and see me. No one was there for me. Just me. I only did this for me and I only needed to prove to myself that I could do this. I can say this was like my biking. I did this for me and I expected nothing in return.
Alone. Being alone is nothing new. When I started this Marathon at 7:05 AM in the morning I started with every runner. About fourteen miles into the Marathon I noticed I was alone. I compared the alone as if I was on my bike riding the white line of the road. I have no biking partner on my rides and I saw this as being no different from that. I was alone to the end. Sure I was passed, but I also did my little fare passing a few runners towards the end of the race.
Author’s Note
Waking up every morning now, I am a different person from whom I was before Sept 13th. I see the dawn of the new morning in a whole new light. I am not sure what or how to describe how I feel now. I am not religious, but I would say I feel a certain spiritual aura, one might say. This may sound corny, but I also feel like I am walking taller, head high and a certain satisfaction.
It seems I told everyone I know what I did. What I accomplished. Even people I hardly see or talk to, I had to say something. For example, this lady whom I have been seeing and waving hi to for the past three years was the extent of our relationship when we met each other on the bike path in the mornings. Now. Today, I waved and stopped my bike and told her of my accomplishment. That is how confident I feel about myself. Well, Leanne is her name and now we formally know each other. Oh by the way, no ring either. LOL. Hey, you never know.
I am happy to share and post my story with all of you. If I made you laugh, cry or just think about doing something like this, then you have made everything I did much more complete. The other thing is I wanted to bring you into my private life once more, from a different point of view. Yet, what amazes some of the people I know is that they say I am not the same person in my stories as in real life when I am not an athlete. Quite the opposite. Well, I have held your hand and time for me to let you go and for to continue on to journey into the unknown.
Until 2004 - Good-bye my fellow readers and Goofball-ers’ !
w-i-t-h-u-t-m-o-s-t-s-i-n-c-e-r-i-t-y
Daryl
aka CalSeti
Sept. 20, 2003
Daryl Charley
The Fallen Athlete
