Maniac questionnaire Name Kim Williamson Maniac # 1833 How many marathons / ultra marathons have you run? 8 marathons (as of October 2009) What was the first race you ever ran? (Any distance) The Helvetia Half Marathon in Hillsboro, Oregon. What was the first marathon you ever ran? What year did you run it? Did you have fun that day? In 2006 I ran the Marine Corps Marathon, I loved it and enjoyed every step. How long have you been a runner and why did you start running? I started running in March 2006 (ran my first marathon in October 2006). I had never been a runner so running was a challenge for me and when I set my mind to something I will accomplish it so I kept pushing the limits. Because of my “running cult” leader, Phil, after one month running with 7 miles being my longest run I decided to run a marathon. Why did you decide to become a Maniac? Or what inspired you? I have seen many marathoners running in races with the Maniac shirts but never thought I would qualify. I am obsessed with marathons and when I looked at the criteria I thought “Wow, I qualify!” I was so excited! Of all the races out there in this world, which one would you most like to run? It’s a toss-up between Paris, London and Berlin. But there are so many great races; it’s a great way to see a city or an area. If you could run a marathon / ultra accompanied by anyone either living or deceased, who would you choose and why? When I started running in North Carolina I ran nearly every run with a good friend Phil Hendrix, he is an inspiration to me and the reason why I became fanatical about running. His goal was to run 50 states and he ran all of his races after the age of 50. He is amazing! I moved back to the NW and sadly have not run with him in nearly two years. He recently has had to quit running because of hip problems. If I could run with anyone it would be my wish to run a marathon with Phil and that he could run pain-free again. What was you most memorable marathon and why? On November 26, 2008 at 12:33pm I received a phone call that changed my life; I heard four dreadful words…”You have Breast Cancer”. 19 hours later I was at the starting line of the Atlanta Thanksgiving Day Marathon. I ran it with my boyfriend; it was an emotionally tough race. I would run and cry, run and cry but my boyfriend kept me going. I just about gave up around mile 20 but somehow found a burst of determination in the last two miles and sprinted to the finish line. We finished 1 ½ minutes under the 5 hour cut off and exactly 24 hours after my diagnosis. After we crossed the finish line my boyfriend said “Now you start the race for your life”. If someone asked you to pick a race for him or her that they could run a PR at, which race would you suggest? Of the races that I have run definitely Sauvie Island, Oregon because it is flat and not congested. What was the furthest you’ve ever traveled for a race? I used to live in North Carolina but from the Pacific Northwest so I have traveled from North Carolina to the Portland, Oregon marathon. 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? Yes, all of them think I am crazy and used to say things like “holy cow, you ran 20 miles today? I can’t even run 2”. Most of my family and close friend get in now – they celebrate in my accomplishments, even the short three mile runs during chemotherapy. If personal obligations or finances were not an issue, how many marathons would you run in one year? Probably 12 and definitely marathons in other countries. From what race did you receive your favorite finishers medal? I love them all but the front runner is Miami, it is such a cool medal with a palm tree that swivels and a diamond. I also love my Goofy medal for completing the Goofy Race and Half (half marathon on Saturday, whole on Sunday) Where do you keep your finisher medals? I used to keep them on a hanger but I moved and have a lot of my stuff in storage so that is where my medals are right now. Except my Atlanta marathon medal – that one I have hanging in my room to remind me of my strength during that marathon. Do you wear your race t-shirts? What do you do with the ones you don’t wear? I only wear a one because it fits well – Nike San Francisco Women’s Marathon. Most race t-shirts are a men’s cut so they don’t fit women well. I keep the tech shirts but the basic cotton t-shirt I either give to Goodwill or keep them for throw-away shirts after the start of a race. If you could put on a marathon anywhere in the world, where would you have it? I am pretty happy with the variety of races, sizes, courses and causes so I don’t really have a new marathon destination. Maniac Yellow, or Maniac Black? Yellow is bright and cheery and definitely stands out in a crowd. What is your favorite pre race meal? Post race meal? Bagel with peanut butter. Post race I usually have cold pizza in my post race bag so I have something to eat right away – I get really hungry after 26.2 miles. What is your energy gel of choice? Sport drink of choice? Espresso Gu – yummy but after 15 miles I switch to Plain Gu. Purple Gatorade or for hot days Endurance Gatorade. Which race would you never run again and why? Fortunately I do not have races on a “never run again” list – I enjoyed them all. What was the most challenging race or combination of races you’ve ever done and why? Atlanta was mentally challenging because of my breast cancer diagnosis as I previously mentioned. The most physically challenging for me was Miami because I ran it two weeks after completing the Goofy Race and a Half at Disney and I was nursing injuries. What is a typical training week like for you? How many miles do you run? Any cross training? About 25 miles a week, three days a week running. I also do Yoga, Pilates and weight training. Do you have a training partner? If so, who is it? My boyfriend is my training partner. He motivates me and keeps me on track. What kind of shoes do you train in? Do you race in a different shoe? I love Adidas, Adizero XT shoes. I always have two pairs of shoes that I alternate but train in the same shoes I race in – I don’t want race day surprises. What are your short-term running goals? After finishing treatment in August for breast cancer and I still have one more surgery to go (as of Oct 09), my short term goal is simply to get marathon ready again. I was not able to keep up on long runs during chemo and radiation so I lost my endurance and I have to start from the beginning. What are your long-term running goals? My boyfriend and I always say that we like to be marathon ready all the time. I look forward to being at the level again. I also really want to run an ultra sometime – just a 50K. Assuming you have time, what do you do for fun other than run marathons? I love to lie on the beach and do nothing (preferably in Miami). I also love to cook and bake; I enjoy making new healthy meals. Who is your favorite Super Hero? Superman, Wonder Woman, Main Maniac (with cat on head), non Maniac Beauty? I can’t say that I really have a favorite super hero. |