Maniac questionnaire
Name Paul Bridge
Maniac #732
State you live in Washington
How many marathons / ultra marathons have you run? 20+
What was the first race you ever ran? (Any distance) The Seattle Seafair 8k when I was a smoker. Blazed to a 55 minute time driven mainly by the desire to go have a smoke.
What was the first marathon you ever ran? What year did you run it? Did you have fun that day? 1993 California International Marathon in Sacramento. Happens to also be the most recent marathon I’ve run (12/2/07). Is becoming delirious and seeing visions of dead people fun? Then yes, buy golly, it was a hoot.
How long have you been a runner and why did you start running? Started running on October 18, 1992 the day after I quit smoking.
Why did you decide to become a Maniac? Or what inspired you? The overwhelming need for another singlet.
Of all the races out there in this world, which one would you most like to run? Great Wall of China Marathon while spewing Communist rhetoric.
If you could run a marathon / ultra accompanied by anyone either living or deceased, who would you choose and why? Lincoln, but only because I think I could beat him
What was you most memorable marathon and why? New York in 2001. Two months after 9/11. Policeman and fireman were all out cheering, but we cheered louder for them.
If someone asked you to pick a race for him or her that they could run a PR at, which race would you suggest? The “Run down the side of the Grand Canyon” marathon. Net downhill.
What was the furthest you’ve ever traveled for a race? Hmmm….6 hours by air.
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 gets suspicious that I run with women a lot.
If personal obligations or finances were not an issue, how many marathons would you run in one year? Probably one a month. At my age, you need as many medals as you can get.
From what race did you receive your favorite finishers medal? First one.
Where do you keep your finisher medals? Over the corner of a bookshelf.
Do you wear your race t-shirts? What do you do with the ones you don’t wear? Only wear the “cool” shirts. Most I keep in a big honking memento box as this is probably my most lasting legacy. Will most likely be discarded upon my death.
If you could put on a marathon anywhere in the world, where would you have it? Around my block about 600 laps so I could sleep in.
Maniac Yellow, or Maniac Black? Once you go black….
What is your favorite pre race meal? Post race meal? Pre: One slice of plain wheat bread. Post: Food? Pshaw. Food is for wimps. Beer.
What is your energy gel of choice? Sport drink of choice? Power gel or Gu. Powerade or, oddly Emergen-C.
Which race would you never run again and why? Marine Corps. 88 degrees, 90% humidity. Poorly organized. Marines kept making me drop and give them 20.
What was the most challenging race or combination of races you’ve ever done and why? Disney (I know, Disney and challenging are a bit ox-moronish) when I ran a 3:19:56 to qualify for Boston (needed 3:20)
What is a typical training week like for you? How many miles do you run? Any cross training? No cross training. Know I should. Don’t. Training week varies depending on whether I’m training for a marathon or not. Sloth and no sloth weeks.
Do you have a training partner? If so, who is it? My buddy Ben who is one of those who can not run for nine months then run 20 with no problem. Between us, we know every episode of Seinfeld.
What kind of shoes do you train in? Do you race in a different shoe? Been marathoning in a Brooks racing flat. Works for me. Have about a dozen different shoes I run in depending on my work out/mood/fashion ensemble.
What are your short-term running goals? At the moment. None.
What are your long-term running goals? See above.
Assuming you have time, what do you do for fun other than run marathons? Read. Be a dad. Yodel.
Who is your favorite Super Hero? Superman, Wonder Woman, Main Maniac (with cat on head). My 3 daughters who possess powers of manipulation previously unknown to human kind.