Maniac questionnaire

Name Bill Gross

Maniac # Proud to be #686

State you live in – I live in a state of constant training but that makes me just like the other loons in this association. My license says Connecticut. But my heart lives in Red Sox Nation. All is calm there now. As if one World Championship wasn’t enough the second might make me smug. Next thing you know we will think of ourselves as winners. No, never happen.

How many marathons / ultra marathons have you run? Boston ’08 makes it 20. That is 20 in five years.

What was the first race you ever ran? (Any distance)

A 5K put on by the local Boys and Girls club. I could not believe that my legs would carry me over 3 miles!

What was the first marathon you ever ran? What year did you run it? Did you have fun that day?

This is a really dumb question. If I didn’t have fun how would I have become a Maniac? Sure I had fun. Lets see—Birth of my daughter, the day I got married and the day I crossed that finish line—the best three days ever.

Philadelphia Marathon, November 23, 2003. I had no idea what to expect. The longest run before that day was a half marathon in my hometown. I set out to run half of the Philadelphia to get the feeling for what it would be like to participate in full marathon.
I figured I would try a full marathon the following year. But, I felt good at 10 miles and the thought crept into my head that I could go a bit beyond half. At 15 miles I still felt good and was heading away from the starting area again. At 18 I didn’t feel so good but was too far from anything to just stop. When I saw the 20 mile marker a second wind hit me. At 22 I speed-up. At 24 it was pure adrenaline. Starting passing people in bunches. I had the biggest smile on face crossing the finish line. Like a kid on Xmas morning. The medal was icing. I couldn’t wait to do it again.

How long have you been a runner and why did you start running?

Started in 2002. Part of my life midcourse correction. Went from 225 to 170 pounds. Running was a quick way to burn some calories and avoid yet another day in the gym. Noticed that you can do it most anywhere with just sneakers and shorts.  Also noticed that the scenery moved along at a good pace—faster than walking and slower than driving.

Why did you decide to become a Maniac? Or what inspired you?

As a longtime Deadhead I needed another group association after Jerry died. This one seemed as good as any other. It is oddly the same. People with like interests travel all over the county to share their passion. We gather and tell stories of other events we attended and the highlights and lowlights of each one. We plan our next road trip and agree to meet again in the next town. Biggest difference is that event is a bit healthier and what we ingest prior and during the event—well—you get my point.

Of all the races out there in this world, which one would you most like to run?

I have been lucky enough to participate in many of my “dream” runs like Boston, New York and Big Sur. Now I dream about places like Paris and London.

If you could run a marathon / ultra accompanied by anyone either living or deceased, who would you choose and why?

May I choose two?

First- my Mom. She did not live to see me become a runner or finish a marathon. But she planted the seeds by her love of active sports long before it was cool. She played competitive tennis into her 70’s and made sure that I learned to ski and swim as a little kid. When I was a fat couch potato she would challenge me to a tennis match and run my butt all over the court.

Second- my daughter. Now 13, so everything I do is uncool. But she is a dancer and skier and shows a glimmer of interest in running. I secretly hope that she will figure out that the best birthday gift would be to run a marathon with her geezer Dad. Maybe for my 60th in 6 years? Heck, my 65th would be fine too.

What was you most memorable marathon and why?

There is nothing like a first time. Finishing Philadelphia was amazing. I ran 26.2 miles and lived to talk about it. New York is a close second because what Sinatra said is true.

If someone asked you to pick a race for him or her that they could run a PR at, which race would you suggest?

Chicago. Fast and flat as a pancake. Good crowd and support service along the way.

What was the furthest you’ve ever traveled for a race?
Rome. And it was worth every hour of travel and inflated Euro I had to spend.

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?

My wife is sure that I am insane. You can see it in her eyes even when she is pretending to be interest in my running stories.

If personal obligations or finances were not an issue, how many marathons would you run in one year?  Twelve. Think once a month would be about right. Enough time to recover and never need another long training run.

From what race did you receive your favorite finishers medal?

NY…most impressive.  Boston…most important. .  Surf City - most fun.

Where do you keep your finisher medals?

Door knobs and lamp stands.  Only NY is framed and on the wall.

 Do you wear your race t-shirts? What do you do with the ones you don’t wear?

I wear them all the day I finish that race. Only the hi tech ones are worn again. The rest are in the attic to be part of a quilt someday.

If you could put on a marathon anywhere in the world, where would you have it?
In my hometown here in Connecticut. We have a half but it is a great setting for a full.  And I could sleep late on race morning.

Maniac Yellow, or Maniac Black?

Neither. I am not a fan of logo wear when I run. OK before or after but the focus should be on me during a marathon—not my shirt.

What is your favorite pre race meal? Post race meal?

Pre= Pancakes with real syrup.  Post= Pizza and soft ice cream...yum.

What is your energy gel of choice? Sport drink of choice?

I am a GU guy. No sport drinks. Gatorade upsets my stomach and Endurance Gatorade makes me want stop altogether.

Which race would you never run again and why?

Marine Corp Marathon in DC. Something off about the entire experience. Don’t know how it got such a good reputation and seems to sell out every year. Most disturbing are the hordes of runners wondering around the Arlington Cemetery prior to the race hopping over walls and peeing behind grave markers. It was inappropriate to say the least. Guess the organization wants to start and finish their event near the Marine Memorial but it is just another photo stage to vast majority of the participants.

What was the most challenging race or combination of races you’ve ever done and why?

I think Boston is the hardest course and Disney Goofy the hardest combo for obvious reasons.

What is a typical training week like for you? How many miles do you run? Any cross training?
More weight training than running for me. I kind of figure that if you run enough marathons you stay in running shape.

Do you have a training partner? If so, who is it? No, Just me. And about 8,000 others at New York Road Runner events.

What kind of shoes do you train in? Do you race in a different shoe?
Mizuno Elixir. The lighter the better.

What are your short-term running goals? My short term goal is get through this questionnaire—it goes on forever.

What are your long-term running goals? Run a lot more marathons. Run them in interesting locations. Feel good at the end of each race. Look forward to the next one. And win my age group at 80.

Assuming you have time, what do you do for fun other than run marathons?

Skiing, especially with my daughter. Great fun to have her show me the line down a mogul field.

Who is your favorite Super Hero? Superman, Wonder Woman, Main Maniac (with cat on head)
Sorry. I am a nonfiction guy. Superheroes are the great teachers, cops and soldiers.