Below are videos of Andrew’s odyssey over 26.2 miles in the City of Oaks Marathon. I watched all 3 prior to posting and I think Kathy is right the Bateman’s certianly have the crying gene. Go ahead, I dare you watch all 3… if you only have a few minutes check out Drewman’s finish in the third one. The race announcer makes a nice tribute to Phil, Team Dykeman and of course Andrew. A special thanks to Frank Austin who, as you will see when you watch, ran around the course almost as much as Andrew to get all of this footage. Enjoy! Leave your comments at the bottom by clicking on the comments link.
The start:
The middle:
The finish:
TeamDykeman Blog 
I do have a question… what’s with the utility belt?
I hope everyone saw the “Run Fatboy Run” sign in the video. The whole video is great, Part 3 is priceless.
Peter Bateman and Frank Austin worked together to get it posted. Frank did all the hard stuff. The members of Team Dykeman bounced all around the race course. And by the way, you are also a member of Team Dykeman.
Thank you
Always Faithful
Cousin Andrew
There is going to be an announcement coming soon, of what the next step for Team Dykeman is going to be. Keep checking the website for updates.
Please make a Post!!!
Well done!!
Andrew, I will need to send you the pictures separately. Here is the blog Sandra did on Phil. I miss him man.
I have to take a deep breath as I start on this blog. It is so difficult for me to talk about Phil, yet I feel that I need to tell you what a wonderful guy he was.
We just got the news that our good friend and former neighbor Capt. Phil Dykeman USMC was killed in Iraq on June 26, 2008. An al-Quaida suicide bomber detonated his explosives at a meeting of U.S.-backed tribal sheiks in Karmah where 25 people were killed. Three of them were U.S. Marines.
Phil’s wife Ginger sent someone to our house to break the news to us in person on Friday morning. We had to ask our daughters to come to our house, so we could tell them in person as well. I can’t make any sense of losing someone like him so tragically. It hurts so badly that we are never going to see him again that I can’t stand it!
Phil and Ginger were our neighbors for three years before they moved in 2006. We had become such great friends and we spent so much fun time together. Brent and Phil were always mixing cocktails (their favorites were whisky sours and dirty martinis), grilling meats, playing poker, and occassionally they went out to play golf.
Here is a picture of two of them in Phil and Ginger’s kitchen drinking Margaritas.
One summer, we rented a trailer at the beach and had a BBQ. Brent was in the water when he got stung by a jellyfish, but Phil was there to rescue Brent! Sorry, no picture.
Phil and Ginger lived directly across the street from us and we were always walking back and forth between our houses. One day, we had a bright idea and and we decided to have a party in our driveway. We brought out the picnic table, set up the cooler, and ordered a pizza. Ginger named it our “White Trash Party”. LOL We had so much fun!
Here is a picture of Phil at our “White Trash Party”. Can you see the bug spray in the front?
There was also a time when we went to the Valentines’s Day party sponsored by the Knights of Columbus with two other couples. I know I took a camera, but I don’t have any pictures of it for some reason. The food was fabulous and we had so much fun! Ginger wouldn’t get up to dance, so we dragged her chair to the dance floor and danced around her. We were all hysterical from laughing so hard. The people from the church called us “the fun people”.
I always thought that Phil brought out the best in Brent too. Phil was a lot younger than Brent, but seemed so mature. They were always so goofy with each other, but they also had a great affection for each other.
This picture was taken when Sam was on the Homecoming Court. They are being silly as usual.
Everyone who knew Phil knew that he was a superb father. He adored his twins, Emmie and Ashley and his son, Ausitn.
Phil was also a devoted and wonderful husband to Ginger. This picture was taken Thanksgiving 2005. Phil had cooked delicious fried turkey that year. Ginger had made piles of food, including a mess of baked acorn squash. I made that huge pot of sweet potato souffle, because Phil loved “sweet potatoes with marshmallows on top.
Phil was very crafty and he was always making something for Ginger. Phil made me this plant holder and Ginger painted it in the likeness of my cat Roxie.
The last time I saw Phil was last June when Sam graduated form high school. Austin was sick, so Ginger stayed home with him and Phil came down with the girls. We had a busy, but fun weekend. The last night they were here, I kept mixing pomegranate martinis for Brent and Phil and they had a great time. Phil and Ginger moved to Hawaii shortly after that.
That’s Phil sitting behind Sam as she opens her presents.
From Brent: Phil will always be in our hearts. He will always be remembered as either the best Dad, the best husband, or in my case, the best friend. I do not know anyone nor doubt that I will ever meet anyone that had so many endearing qualities wrapped up into one human being. I love you man, and if God shows me mercy I don’t deserve, I’ll see you in Heaven. I hope he let’s us drink a couple whiskey sours. To me Phil – you’re not gone – just gone away. Thank you for everything you did for me. I love you man.
One last thought, to anyone reading this, say a prayer for the family.
Thanks
Phil, We love you and we miss you so much! Sandra
Hey buddy, just a quick message to say how proud we are of your marathon run. I was honored to be a part of the finish line celebrations. I would have brought you a beer or Mc Donalds mid way but the girls in kilts beat me to it. Anything I can do to help raise funds let me know. I don’t have many skills mind you! If you need a Dj for any fundraising I could help.
WELL DONE!
To Brent and Sandra,
What a beautiful tribute!
Andrew I am so proud of your commitment and accomplishment. I tear up everytime I think about Phil. He was a very special person.
Keep running and I hope to be in DC next year.
Godspeed Phil!
Great site! Nice job on the run. Very impressive. We still laugh thinking about the time we found Phil the next morning sleeping next to the fire covered in ashes. Great memories and even greater people. Keep goin.