Our handful-plus-one of followers has been emailing us daily asking for the story of how Mat proposed. Enough, relentless blogosphere audience! Here is the story, and keep your java close because the story begins at 4:30am on chilly November morning in the year 2009.
Well, let's back up. It beings a little earlier than that. It was a busy Fall, with Mat on rock-and-roll tour since July and Danise, well, doing whatever it is that she does. She wasn't training much for the November 7 Indianapolis Monumental Half Marathon she signed up for, that much we know. Her running group at the YMCA can attest that she was hardly ever at the endurance training class. But, she had signed up for it, her sixth half-marathon, and so she was going to run it.
Mat had casually mentioned while away on tour that he hoped to see Danise finish one of these races. He had been back home for a few weeks leading up to the Monumental, but Danise felt like he still hadn't readjusted to the non-rock-and-roll circadian rhythms. So, when the alarm clock yowled at 4:30 am so she could get on her gear and meet up with her running pals for the car pool, she told Mat that he could just sleeeeeeep. But he said, No, I'll go, and he proceeded to put on a buttondown shirt and his nice hat, which Danise thought was a little odd for someone who was going to be standing on a curb for 3 hours watching people in spandex go by.
Still, Danise remembered how she had just begun training for her first half marathon (with Tracey) while she and Mat were dating the first time around. It meant something that he was going to be there this time for this race, and that he wanted to get up at 4:30 in the morning and ride in a car with complete strangers (very nice strangers) in order to do it.
Here she is in Indy just before the race, at about 7:00am, with Mat juicing up in the background. She looks rarin' to go doesn't she? She doesn't have a clue what's to come. (Thanks a bunch to
Steve Volan who happened upon us, was dumbfounded to find Danise up so early and thus snapped this photo.)
We met up with more running friends (see them all?). And Mat met Chris for the first time, who became his spectating cohort during their half-marathon of curb sitting. Actually, Chris curb-sat for a whole marathon because his wife
Erin ran her first 26.2 miles at the Monumental.
Mat, an accomplished songwriter, had brought posterboard and markers along so that he could catch the Bloomington running group's attention and spur Danise and fellow runners forward with his motivational words.
At left is the result, as captured in a photo by Chris. As you can tell, Mat and Chris became fast friends. Danise, Tracey, Erin and others saw this sign for the first (and last) time and heard Mat's and Chris' adequate cheers as they rounded the corner of Mile 1. Danise remembers Tracey remarking something to the effect of "that's a pretty sad sign."
But truly, the thought of Mat's support really did propel Danise for a good long way -- along with her morning coffee, routine hits of Hammer gel and water and running with her buddies. But by mile 5 or so, Danise had dropped behind Tracey and Shelly (who just a few weeks earlier kicked butt at the Chicago Marathon). By mile 7 or so, she wan't running with pal Amy any more either. Her toughest race yet, she's promising herself she'll train more consistently for the next one. (Ahem! Danise - are you listening?!) She does receive a bit of an energy jolt somewhere between mile 10 and 11 when the elite Full Marathon runners pass her by. Those guys are cool! But there are still two more miles to go. She runs around Monument Circle and mistakes it for being just around the bend from the finish line. No, still about 3/4 of a mile left. By this point, she was just hoping that Mat hadn't walked too far down the course to see her coming in, so that she could just catch a breather now and then all he would see is her actually running (not walking like she was now) down the chute.
This is what he saw. Danise was smiling, not because her legs were light as air - because. they. were. not. No, a runner who must have been in his sixties and was no taller than she just tore ass past her. That's so awesome, she thought. It made her giggle.
She started feeling the tears come though as she crossed the finish line and then picked up her mylar blanket, her banana, cookies, water, powerade and whatever else the kind volunteers heeped on her. Suck it up, she thought. You've done five of these before. What's the big deal!? She'd just had to dig pretty deep for this one this time. Training. Training is very helpful.
"Danise!" she looked in the direction of Shelly's scream and located her circle of Bloomington buddies. "Good job! Mat's looking for you... He's over there!" Ugh. He'll find me. It wasn't the physical tiredness that kept her feet planted, it was mental. She was drained. Meandering through a crowd was just going to be too much to think about right then.
But seconds later Mat did find her. Danise will never forget the pride on his face as he walked purposefully toward her and scooped her up. He asked how it went. She tried to sum up her race while bumbling her water bottle and juggling her bananas and cookies and Powerade and hanging onto her mylar blanket. Tracey asked to take some of it off her hands. Tracey had no idea how helpful this really was going to be in a minute.
The rest went something like this:
17. EXT - DAY. MILE 13.1. SCORES OF EXHILARATED RUNNERS ARE MILLING ABOUT IN FRONT OF THE STATE CAPITOL BUILDING.
Danise stands, gripping with one hand the mylar blanket around her shoulders, attempts to use her other hand to turn the cap on a water bottle. She finally hands the bottle to Mat.
DANISE
Will you open my water bottle?
MAT
Yes. I will open your water bottle.
Mat twists the cap, hands back the bottle. All the while strangely smirking.
MAT
And, I will also open this:
Mat goes down on one knee and produces a black box from his pocket, opens it and reveals a diamond ring. Danise's right hand covers her mouth, then it reaches to touch Mat's cheek.
DANISE, whispering
You're crazy!
18. EXT - A LITTLE CLOSER TO THE CAPITOL BUILDING. SIMULTANEOUSLY HAPPENING JUST A FEW FEET AWAY FROM THE COUPLE.
A circle of Danise's running buddies stand nearby. Danise and Mat have failed to noticed that the group's boisterous post-run discussion has suddenly stopped and all are now staring at the couple. Danise and Mat cannot hear it when one of the runners remarks on the scene in front of them.
TRACEY
What the hell is he doing?!
That is NOT funny.
19. BACK TO THE COUPLE.
MAT
Will you let me be your number one fan
for the rest of my life?
Danise smiles while trying to hold back sobs but tears run unchecked down her face. Her hand still resting on Mat's cheek. She bends down and smashes her lips on his.
MAT
Is that a Yes?
Danise nods, her eyes almost as wide as her smile. Unable to speak she extends her left hand and Mat places the ring on her finger.
Mat stands. He scoops her up off her feet a second time. Water from her open bottle spills over his right shoulder. They kiss. He sets her back on her feet, which now do feel light as air. The couple turns, finally to realize all eyes had been on them. Tracey rushes Danise for a hug that almost knocks the two of them down, and does indeed knock their heads together.
******
EPILOGUE
Mat has just proposed. Danise and Mat are standing in the circle of running friends, all are chatting and congratulating the newly engaged couple. Danise, still in shock, turns to look up at Mat.
DANISE
Someday you'll have to tell me what you actually
just said to me - the words. I have no idea.
