Maniac questionnaire Name Scott Spangler Maniac #2000 How many marathons / ultra marathons have you run? 3/2 What was the first race you ever ran? (Any distance) I ran on my seventh grade cross country team. I wasn’t fast but I always finished. What was the first marathon you ever ran? What year did you run it? Did you have fun that day? Mesa Falls, in Idaho in 2006. I did have fun although there was quite a long hill that beat my legs up pretty good. Plus, I trained at sea level and the race started at 6500 ft. How long have you been a runner and why did you start running? I started really running in 2006 and I got started to lose weight. I lost 30 lbs in 3 months and just kept at it. Why did you decide to become a Maniac? Or what inspired you? My brother in law, Steve Jensen is a Maniac and he told me about the double. It sounded like the fastest way in. I love how the maniacs are like a big family at every race I see them at. Of all the races out there in this world, which one would you most like to run? The Great Wall of China. If you could run a marathon / ultra accompanied by anyone either living or deceased, who would you choose and why? I would choose my father. He started me running when I was a kid and ran to stay in shape for the FBI. He has always been someone I have aspired to be like and spending 5 hrs plus doing a marathon would be the greatest. He has never done one.
What was your most memorable marathon and why? I ran a 50 mile ultra in Hawaii at the age of 15. I won the race in not a record pace but I did win without any real training. How many kids can say that? If someone asked you to pick a race for him or her that they could run a PR at, which race would you suggest? Yakima River Canyon Marathon. It is fast and I love the Dolphins, just great people. What was the furthest you’ve ever traveled for a race? I drove 14 hrs to Idaho. Pretty weak in this day and age but it is what it is. 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? Of course they do. My mom always worries that I won’t live through the race. The rest of them just ask why it is so much fun. Hopefully someday they will find out. If personal obligations or finances were not an issue, how many marathons would you run in one year? Probably 12. From what race did you receive your favorite finishers medal? Mesa Falls, ID. It was made out of wood and engraved. I really liked the uniqueness of it. Where do you keep your finisher medals? My closet door Do you wear your race t-shirts? What do you do with the ones you don’t wear? The nice ones get worn. The rest I save or give to my dad. If you could put on a marathon anywhere in the world, where would you have it? In the sand dunes of Utah out towards Moab. Great four wheeling country. Maniac Yellow, or Maniac Black? Black What is your favorite pre race meal? Post race meal? Pre has to be a banana and half a bagel. Post would be chocolate milk and anything I can get my grubby little mitts on. What is your energy gel of choice? Sport drink of choice? Gu Lime Sublime or TriBerry. Which race would you never run again and why? The Hawaii 50 miler. I am much bigger today and just don’t like the pounding my legs take. What was the most challenging race or combination of races you’ve ever done and why? I really like the Ragnar Relay. It is challenging because running your body without rest and getting pumped for that last leg when your body says no is the great challenge. What is a typical training week like for you? How many miles do you run? Any cross training? No cross training other than sometimes basketball or soccer. I will run between 20 and 30 miles a week depending on what I am training for. Do you have a training partner? If so, who is it? Yes I do and her name is Cristy. What kind of shoes do you train in? Do you race in a different shoe? I train and race in the same shoe, Asics Gel Dedication. What are your short-term running goals? I am going to be running the Yakima Marathon with my 11 yr old son in March of 2010. What are your long-term running goals? Run under a 4:30 marathon which is fast for me. Assuming you have time, what do you do for fun other than run marathons? With 5 kids, work, school, and church plus every sport that can be played, I just love to stay active. Golf is one of my favorites. Who is your favorite Super Hero? Superman, Wonder Woman, Main Maniac (with cat on head), non Maniac Beauty? I would have to go with the Wonder Twins. They could change into anything and the blue monkey was awesome. |