Darren is a petroleum engineer working back in the states, while his wife Amber (Hammell) is a captain serving in the U.S. Army. She has been deployed in Balad, Iraq, since January but will return home for some R&R beginning Aug. 18.
Not only will Amber reunite with her husband at their residence in Oklahoma City, but the couple will make their way back to their roots in Parkersburg, spend time with family and compete in the Parkersburg News and Sentinel Half Marathon on Saturday, Aug. 22.
"Honestly, this race has given me a countdown," Amber said. "Every increase in mileage represents one week closer to the day I get to come home for good. It breaks up the monotony of the deployment ... a little.
"I feel like I am running home. It keeps me on schedule and gives some reference point of how much time has passed."
Darren and Amber started dating when they were sophomores at Parkersburg High School. But they are not just your typical high school sweethearts. Their relationship extends even further back when they were wrestling for the Cougars' pee wee program as 7 year olds.
They even wrestled against each other on one occasion. The story goes that Darren won by one point.
"It's so funny, we were practically the same size," Amber said. "Darren stood right beside me in our team picture, and we each had matching bowl cuts."
Their interest in sports was not isolated to wrestling. They both played on the same youth baseball team.
"Darren used to spit sunflower seeds at me, and apparently I traumatized him for life because he claims I used to call him 'squarehead,'" Amber said. "But, he was always one of those boys that stood out for some reason. Probably because he tormented me."
In high school, Darren played football and wrestled for the Big Reds, while Amber competed in soccer, basketball, track and softball.
In college, Darren started two years at linebacker for the Marietta College football team, while Amber played basketball for Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland. During her senior year, she also handled left field duties for the softball team and was named the school's Female Athlete of the Year.
Darren and Amber were married last December. Even with the distance separating them, they continue to remain closer than ever.
"It's pretty tough, but at the same time I knew all along (her deployment to Iraq) would eventually happen so I prepared myself for it," Darren said.
"My job keeps me busy enough, so there is not a lot of down time and doesn't allow me much time to dwell on it."
"I can't explain how excited I am about her return."
As far as experience with the News and Sentinel Half Marathon, Darren is competing for the first time since he was 12 years old. Amber never has participated, but has been actively training overseas.
"I am often forced indoors because of sandstorms, burn pit fumes and heat, but I try to get in at least one long run outside per week.
"Balad has about three 5K races per month, so I have a ton of T-shirts from these races."
Her most important training partner is her husband. Through their daily correspondence, they track each other's times.
"We'll talk about our running and usually it reverts back to how many times he had to stop for a bathroom break," Amber said. "I tell him that is one good thing about running in Iraq. There are port-a-potties everywhere."
Once the official gun goes off for the start of the News and Sentinel Half Marathon, their plan is to finish in under two hours. There are no side bets between Darren and Amber. In fact, they've agreed to walk part of the course together if necessary.
The main theme is just being together.
"Darren and I have always known we were going to be together in the end - no matter what happened along the way, there was always a pull," Amber said. "We've been separated before, and we both know that being together is worth the fight.
"I really can't explain (the bond between us). Do you know how a hug can make everything better? Darren is a hug ... a hug that can reach half a world away."
Article Photos
Amber and Darren Marks are thousands of miles apart, but they are both training to run in the Aug. 22 News and Sentinel Half Marathon.