Maniac questionnaire Name: Robert Rayder but just call me Rob or Doc or Doc Rob Maniac #1340 How many marathons / ultra marathons have you run? 3 Marathons. I’d love to do an ultra soon but none so far. What was the first race you ever ran? (Any distance) I ran the 880 meter track event in the 8th grade for the Fountain Valley Unified School District Middle School Championship. Since there was only one official race that year, all the races that day were “District Championships.” Despite leading most of the race I ultimately finished 4th place out of 8. What was the first marathon you ever ran? What year did you run it? Did you have fun that day? I ran the Memphis St. Jude Marathon in December 2008. It was really cold that day but NOTHING was going to stop me finishing the race! I started tearing as the finish line approached. I was sooooo happy. It was a life changing experience and I loved every second of it. How long have you been a runner and why did you start running? I have run short races on and off most of my adult life but long distance running is still relatively new to me. I was going to turn 40 and I weighed 252 pounds. My waist size exceeded my age. A friend recommended the longer distances so I started training for the half marathon to loose weight. I ran my first half in Montreal, Quebec and knew I could do more. I loved to run. I felt better than I’d felt in years. I decided to do the full in December (5 days after turning 40.) The rest is history. Why did you decide to become a Maniac? Or what inspired you? Everyone I talk to thinks I’m crazy running races like this. Even my buddy who started me running long distances only runs 2-3 marathons a year and thinks running more is foolish or just plain nuts. While cruising the web one day I found a web site run by Paul Gentry (who is an enthusiastic Maniac himself) that features finisher’s medals (26point2medals.com) I sent him some pictures of my 3 medals. He e-mailed me back quickly and, after thanking me for the pictures, he asked if I was a “Maniac.” I had no idea what he meant so I visited the AsyLum for the first time shortly thereafter to see what it was all about. What I found astounded me. Here were hundreds of people from all over the world who took pride in running marathons and ultras whenever possible. I said to myself, “These people think like I do. They want to race every chance they get. This is something I need to be part of!” Of all the races out there in this world, which one would you most like to run? Antarctica. It is someplace few people have been to, much less run a race upon. It’s the most exotic place in the world to me and is someplace I have always wanted to go to anyway. Boston might come in a close second. If you could run a marathon / ultra accompanied by anyone either living or deceased, who would you choose and why? My father. He died prior to my running my first marathon. I think he and I would really have enjoyed running together over those long and lonely miles. I miss him terribly. What was you most memorable marathon and why? My first. I wasn’t sure I could even finish. It was a tremendous personal victory for me and was a great 40th birthday present! If someone asked you to pick a race for him or her that they could run a PR at, which race would you suggest? New Orleans was by far the flattest of the races I’ve done. The weather was ideal. The crowds were light after the first few miles. There are few obstacles to a PR. What was the furthest you’ve ever traveled for a race? 830 miles each way by car from Memphis to Orlando. I packed the whole family together for a Friday night to Sunday night “suicide run” vacation. We almost spent more time in the car than in Orlando. Do any of your non-running friends or family members thing that you’re crazy for running as much as you do? What are some of their comments to you? Anyone who is a maniac has heard the criticisms. Who outside of this community could possibly understand the draw to do what we do? “You’re killing yourself”, “You’ll get arthritis”, “Toenails serve a purpose.” My answer: “You’re all a bunch of Whimps.” If personal obligations or finances were not an issue, how many marathons would you run in one year? 12-15. I still need 3-4 weeks to feel ready for my next run but that interval may shorten as I get in better shape. From what race did you receive your favorite finishers medal? Disney’s Mickey medal. It HUGE and my kids keep wanting to steal it. Where do you keep your finisher medals? Still in a drawer. I’m working on a display box but it is still a work in progress. Do you wear your race t-shirts? What do you do with the ones you don’t wear? I wear them lightly but they are too precious to ruin with heavy wear. They are also in a special Drawer for now. I’m sure I’ll find a more suitable place for them in time. If you could put on a marathon anywhere in the world, where would you have it? Most the cool places already have Marathons (Lake Tahoe, Antarctica, the North Pole, Tennessee.) Still, I think if someone would put air filled clear plexiglass tubes through 26.2 miles of the Great Barrier Reef that would be the ultimate. Imagine a whole Marathon run underwater!! I guess that one is still just a pipe dream. Maniac Yellow, or Maniac Black? Yellow. We want people to know from a long way off who belongs in the AsyLum. What is your favorite pre race meal? Post race meal? Any Italian pasta is AWESOME pre-race. Post race: I don’t care as long as it’s alcoholic. What is your energy gel of choice? Sport drink of choice? Hammer Gel and Shot Blocks. Gatoraide or Poweraide are great during races. Which race would you never run again and why? Haven’t found one yet. I’ll keep you posted. What was the most challenging race or combination of races you’ve ever done and why? Memphis had the highest psychological barriers since it was my first and I wasn’t sure what to expect. So far they just keep getting easier. What is a typical training week like for you? How many miles do you run? Any cross training? I run 25-40 miles a week depending. I cross train 3 days a week on my StairMaster. Do you have a training partner? If so, who is it? Not usually. My hours are too weird. My 9 year old son will run with me occasionally and I love that time with him even if it isn’t really “training.” What kind of shoes do you train in? Do you race in a different shoe? Asics are my favorite so far. I’m afraid to change to “Race shoes.” I don’t want to change anything on race day. What are your short-term running goals? Sub 4:00 and a start in one of the competitive Corrals in Chicago. What are your long-term running goals? What else? BOSTON. Also I want to run on all the Earth’s Continents and all the US and Canadian States and Provinces. Assuming you have time, what do you do for fun other than run marathons? Kids. Yard work. Kids. Photography. Kids. Travel. Did I mention my kids? Who is your favorite Super Hero? Superman, Wonder Woman, Main Maniac (with cat on head), non Maniac Beauty? There is only one super hero all runners should adore: The Flash!! |