Maniac questionnaire Name: Mark Stewart Maniac #1670 How many marathons / ultra marathons have you run? 7, including three this spring to qualify as MM. What was the first race you ever ran? (Any distance) Jingle Bell Run 5K, Seattle, December 2004 What was the first marathon you ever ran? What year did you run it? Did you have fun that day? Capital City Marathon, Olympia, WA, 2007. It was the biggest challenge of my life, and the last mile was very emotional. I ran with two friends. I enjoyed the accomplishment later. How long have you been a runner and why did you start running? I started running at 49, to improve my fitness and help keep my diabetes in check. I have been running less than five years Why did you decide to become a Maniac? Or what inspired you? Other Maniacs in my community, my supportive running buddies, and the challenge of becoming a Maniac. Of all the races out there in this world, which one would you most like to run? Sydney Marathon, because I’ve always wanted to go to Australia. If you could run a marathon / ultra accompanied by anyone either living or deceased, who would you choose and why? I would love to run together and complete a marathon with with my entire family - my wife Marsha, who has run four marathons, son Scott who has run 1 marathon, and son Brandon and daughter-in-law Lindsay, who just completed their first half marathons. What was your most memorable marathon and why? St. George Marathon, 2008, 1) because of the absolutely lousy windy, rainy weather (my wife said we could have stayed in Seattle for the weather we experienced – only the second rain storm in 30 years), and 2) because it presented a breakthrough for me, as I ran 26 minutes faster than my previous best time and convinced me of the value of the run-walk method. If someone asked you to pick a race for him or her that they could run a PR at, which race would you suggest? St. George or Eugene. Both have scenic courses and are well supported by their communities. Of course, St. George is downhill, while Eugene is flat and fast. What was the furthest you’ve ever traveled for a race? St. George Utah Do any of your non-running friends or family members think that you’re crazy for running as much as you do? What are some of their comments to you? Yes, some think I am crazy, some are amused, others are amazed. If personal obligations or finances were not an issue, how many marathons would you run in one year? I think 4-8 would be max for me, given my age, but I would travel more. I would love to run in the Twin Cities, Chicago, New York, Marine Corps, Disney World, Paris, London, and Berlin marathons, to name a few. From what race did you receive your favorite finishers medal? I have two favorites – Capital City Marathon, because it was my first, and St. George Marathon, made from local sandstone. Where do you keep your finisher medals? In a pile on my dresser; I need to do something about that. Do you wear your race t-shirts? What do you do with the ones you don’t wear? Wear them all, either for running, hiking, bicycling, or just hanging around. If you could put on a marathon anywhere in the world, where would you have it? Have to think about this. Maniac Yellow, or Maniac Black? Maniac Black What is your favorite pre race meal? Post race meal? Pre-race: bagel w/almond butter and banana; post-race: burger and fries. What is your energy gel of choice? Sport drink of choice? Moving away from gels, but still use GU occasionally; prefer Clif Blocks. Sport drink is HEED, currently. Trying to get into products that are more natural or organic. Which race would you never run again and why? Don’t have one - yet. What was the most challenging race or combination of races you’ve ever done and why? I think Green River Marathon 2008, because I hit the wall at mile 22, and it became a great mental challenge to finish when I had no idea where I was going. What is a typical training week like for you? How many miles do you run? Any cross training? I run 4-5 times a week, anywhere from 25-40 miles, depending on the training schedule. Run a mix of hilly terrain during the week (4-6 miles typical day) and long and flat during the long weekend run. Been getting faster the past year, and want to improve more, thinking of adding speed work this summer. I try to cross train some, but am not very good about it; I’d rather sleep in on rest days. Do you have a training partner? If so, who is it? I have several people I run with regularly, including six marathoners (one is a Maniac, two others have qualified and will be entering the Insane Asylum shortly). What kind of shoes do you train in? Do you race in a different shoe? Right now, my shoe is Brooks Adrenaline GTS 8, used both for training and racing; when my current pair gets to retirement age, I’m going to get fitted by experts at Fleet Feet Bonney Lake. What are your short-term running goals? Try to run 4:00 in the Royal Victoria marathon this fall with my two main running partners; this would best my PR by 16 minutes. What are your long-term running goals? Qualify for and run in Boston Marathon. Assuming you have time, what do you do for fun other than run marathons? Run with my buddies, hike at Mount Rainier or anywhere in the mountains, ride bicycle. Who is your favorite Super Hero? Superman, Wonder Woman, Main Maniac (with cat on head), non Maniac Beauty? Don’t have one. |