This story has been archived from the Thursday, August 21, 2008 Pikes Peak Bulletin

Aftermath of Marathon a headache for some

By Elizabeth Nguyen

Runners racing in the Pikes Peak Marathon had little else on their minds to worry about other than crossing the finish line Sunday morning. It was not the same for the owners of the Dutch Kitchen.

The Dutch Kitchen sign that has been up for more than 40 years will be replaced in about a month.

The owners of the Dutch Kitchen had a rude awakening early Sunday morning when Manitou police called and informed them that trucks preparing for the marathon had broken the restaurant’s sign.

“The marathon has always been a headache for us,” said Mike Flynn, one of the owners of the Dutch Kitchen. “The finish line is right here and people don’t realize how it affects businesses.”

Cleaning up after the marathon has not always been easy, he said. The runners often leave without a second thought while he has to clean up vomit left over from the marathoners.

“It’s just not all roses,” Flynn said, referring to the broken sign.

“Especially for us.”

He said he’s concerned that the restaurant’s broken sign will hurt his business.

“The only way (hikers that go up Ruxton Avenue) know we’re here is the sign,” he said. “People can’t even see we’re up here (without it).”

Those worried about the new sign being unfamiliar shouldn’t have much to fear.

“We’re going to keep it the same,” Flynn said. “We’re getting a couple of new panels made and we’ll have to straighten the base.”

For the last nine or ten years, the Dutch Kitchen has been closed on the day of the marathon, Deborah Flynn said. It’s hard for them to do business during the event because the marathon organizers block off the street until 5 p.m.

“It’s gotten so big, it’s gotten out of control,” she said.

Remnants of the Dutch Kitchen sign sit by the trash awaiting pick up Monday afternoon. The sign was damaged this past weekend when trucks preparing for the Pikes Peak Marathon accidentally wrecked it.

She said it’s going to be trouble for the Dutch Kitchen until the new sign goes up.

“They say it will take four weeks to get the new sign,” Deborah Flynn said. “At least the busy part of summer is pretty much over. It’s amazing it took 40 years for that to happen.”

In the meantime, the restaurant will be getting temporary panels for the sign, she said.

Renate Walker, who works for Tubby’s Turnaround on Manitou Avenue, was working Sunday morning when the sign broke.

“I was sitting outside smoking a cigarette and having a cup of coffee,” Walker said. “It was early, early in the morning.”

A Penske truck, rented by the marathon organizers, backed up the wrong way down Manitou Avenue and broke the sign, she said.

The truck had been watching the curb and not the sign, said Walker. She said she tried to let them know they were too close, but they didn’t see her.

“I tried to let them know.” She said. “The truck wasn’t being careful. They weren’t seeing what they were doing.”

“They did a pretty good job hitting it,” Walker said. “It’s crashed.”

She said that she understood that breaking the sign was an accident, but the people in the truck should have cleaned it up.

“What I didn’t understand was why they wouldn’t pick it up,” Walker said. “They were pretty big pieces. Instead they were kicking it to the side of the street.”

Mike Flynn said the organizers of the Pikes Peak Marathon have been very cooperative with getting the sign fixed and said that the organizer’s insurance covered the damage and replacement of the sign.

“Unfortunately, I had to deal with the aftermath,” he said.

“After everyone’s gone home, I’m left with having to clean up.”

Ron Ilgen, racing director for the Pikes Peak Marathon, said he was not aware that the movers his company hired broke the sign. If they did break the sign, the movers were liable, he said.

“We’ll make it right,” Ilgen said, adding that Pikes Peak Marathon will pay to get the sign fixed. “Regardless of whose fault it is, we’ll make it right.”