Maniac questionnaire Name : Rick Thiounn Maniac # 1540 How many marathons / ultra marathons have you run? 10 Marathons What was the first race you ever ran? (Any distance) 100 meters on a track in 4th grade What was the first marathon you ever ran? What year did you run it? Did you have fun that day? NYC Marathon 2000. I had a wonderful day up until pain on mile 18, but the day became great again when I crossed the finish line. How long have you been a runner and why did you start running? I’ve been a runner for most of my life. I ran track in elementary to Junior HS, and then X-Country during Junior and Senior Year of HS. I started running for various reasons (some of which became apparent after I got deeper into it): 1) get competitive juices flowing 2) release stress 3) calm my mind 4) personal time and thoughts 4) exercise 5) meet really great people Why did you decide to become a Maniac? Or what inspired you? I like to run A LOT of marathons and I have another maniac friend who tried to convince me to join. Then when I saw the web page for “Are you a maniac?” I answered every question with an emphatic yes. It was obviously my calling. Of all the races out there in this world, which one would you most like to run? If I were capable I’d like to do any ultramarathon like the Namibia Ultra or Badwater Ultra. If I could get my swimming act together it’d be my dream to take part in the Hawaii Ironman Triathlon. If you could run a marathon / ultra accompanied by anyone either living or deceased, who would you choose and why? I would like to run with Alexander the Great or Genghis Khan, to get their take on how traversing the Earth solo on foot compares to leading an army through huge swaths of world territory. Which does he find more satisfying? (it should be the former, because no one gets hurt) What was your most memorable marathon and why? NYC Marathon 2001. After a painful NYC Marathon 2000 I hadn’t planned to do another one, but signed up the next year anyway, and after the attacks of September 11th and the heightened feeling of kinship with New Yorkers, I felt obligated to run this race through the city I grew up in. In addition, the crowd support was monumental. If someone asked you to pick a race for him or her that they could run a PR at, which race would you suggest? Steamtown Marathon, mostly downhill for the first half, but make sure your legs don’t cramp or the second half will hurt like crazy. What was the furthest you’ve ever traveled for a race? 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? Most of them respond with “you’re insaaaannnneeee!” My mom says to watch my knee joints for aches and pains. If personal obligations or finances were not an issue, how many marathons would you run in one year? 52 From what race did you receive your favorite finishers medal? Big Sur Marathon. Got a hand-crafted ceramic finishers medal. It’s really a piece of art. Only problem is it’s fragile. Where do you keep your finisher medals? They hang on the door to my bedroom. Do you wear your race t-shirts? What do you do with the ones you don’t wear? Yes I wear my favorite race t-shirts (mostly the mesh ones and a few of the cotton ones). I donate the ones I don’t wear. If you could put on a marathon anywhere in the world, where would you have it? Along the Amazon River. Maniac Yellow, or Maniac Black? Maniac Black What is your favorite pre race meal? Post race meal? Seafood pasta pre-race. T-bone steak or lobster post-race. What is your energy gel of choice? Sport drink of choice? GU Gels, Gatorade Which race would you never run again and why? I never say never. What was the most challenging race or combination of races you’ve ever done and why? So far, the 3 marathons in 3 months that qualified me to become a Marathon Maniacs member. What is a typical training week like for you? How many miles do you run? Any cross training? 35-45 miles of running, with some swimming and weightlifting. Do you have a training partner? If so, who is it? I don’t have a consistent training partner. What kind of shoes do you train in? Do you race in a different shoe? My two current training/running shoes are a New Balance and a Mizuno model. Both have been reliable and worthy. I race in one or the other depending on my mood. What are your short-term running goals? Qualify for the Boston Marathon. What are your long-term running goals? An ultra-marathon, 50 marathon in 50 states + DC, and a triathlon. Assuming you have time, what do you do for fun other than run marathons? I travel, fall in love, socialize, watch movies, play video games, and read. Plus I love tinkering with technology. Who is your favorite Super Hero? Superman, Wonder Woman, Main Maniac (with cat on head), non Maniac Beauty? Spiderman |