Maniac questionnaire

Name: Hoa Pham

Maniac #: 778

State you live in: Washington

How many marathons / ultra marathons have you run? 19 marathons/1 ultra

What was the first race you ever ran? (Any distance) St. Patrick's Day Dash - 5K. :-)

What was the first marathon you ever ran? What year did you run it? Did you have fun that day? Toronto Marathon. Ran it in 2000. And no, I did not have fun that day - I trained completely wrong, the weather was horrible and I had stomach issues for 2 weeks. Oh, and my time was NEVER recorded! I swore I'd never run another one again...and well....19 marathons later...

How long have you been a runner and why did you start running? I really became a runner in 2000. Before 2000, I only ran once sometimes twice a week, no more than 3-5 miles. I started really running unintentionally - one frigid Fall day in 2000. You could say a pulled a Forrest Gump - went for a run to clear my head and relieve some anger...THREE hours later, I somehow ran from Downtown Seattle to Seward Park - had to call my mom collect because I had no ID, no money, no car. Oops.

Why did you decide to become a Maniac? Or what inspired you? Fellow Maniacs inspired and encouraged me. I love being around Type A personalities!

Of all the races out there in this world, which one would you most like to run? Great Wall of China
If you could run a marathon / ultra accompanied by anyone either living or deceased, who would you choose and why?  Anyone who has a love and passion for the sport.

What was your most memorable marathon and why? Chicago. I finally qualified for Boston!
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 (on a normal weather year) - scenic and fairly flat.

What was the furthest you've ever traveled for a race? Toronto Canada

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? Absolutely. It's not so much the comments, it's the looks I get. Looks of confusion, compassion (because they think I've got some sort of illness) and the head shake of disapproval. And often it's "Why?! Why would you do something like that to yourself?"

If personal obligations or finances were not an issue, how many marathons would you run in one year? About the same, 4-6 but I'd choose races in far away places. And I would do in style!

From what race did you receive your favorite finishers medal? 2007 Pigtails. I love the little homemade pink pig!
Where do you keep your finisher medals? Currently on a doorknob but it's so full that medals fall off each time I open the door. Will have to install a sturdy hook.

Do you wear your race t-shirts? What do you do with the ones you don't wear? Yes. Tech shirts for running. Cotton shirts for lounging about at home.

If you could put on a marathon anywhere in the world, where would you have it? Hmmm....I'd have to say, somewhere in Asia. Probably Vietnam.

Maniac Yellow, or Maniac Black? Like most things in my wardrobe - Black.

What is your favorite pre race meal? Post race meal? Pre-race meal: basic spaghetti w/ marinara sauce and some sort of potato dish. Post race: Anything that is extremely fattening (i.e. bacon cheeseburgers, pizza and greasy fries) and lots of it! OH, and can't forget the most important...BEER - preferably, a black & tan (Guinness and Harps)...mmmm...

What is your energy gel of choice? Sport drink of choice? Gel: Power Gel - Plain Flavor (but prefer to munch on gummy bears) Sport Drink: Nuun

Which race would you never run again and why? Seattle full marathon. Running the out and back on the bridge AND THEN running out and back along Lake Washington Blvd + Seward loop is defeating. Everyone you see coming towards you is several miles ahead.

What was the most challenging race or combination of races you've ever done and why? Pigtails 50K. My first ultra. The weather was miserable and that extra 6 miles hurt. Real bad.

What is a typical training week like for you? How many miles do you run? Any cross training? I usually run 6 days a week w/ Friday being my rest day. Mileage varies between 40-60 miles per week. And yes, I do some cross training, mainly at the gym - Elliptical, Spinning classes, stair climber, weight training and flailing about in the pool.

Do you have a training partner? If so, who is it? Yep. My fellow Seattle Hustlers (to name a few..Alicia, Emily, Rob, Julie, Jim, Marc, John C., Ed, Bronwen...) ! :-) 

What kind of shoes do you train in? Do you race in a different shoe? Mizuno Wave Inspire.

What are your short-term running goals? To build my speed back up and run Sydney marathon under 3:50.

What are your long-term running goals? To run marathons in all 50 States before I turn 45.

Assuming you have time, what do you do for fun other than run marathons? Lot's of normal things, wine tasting, hiking, movies and often times, spending quiet time, alone....

Who is your favorite Super Hero? Superman, Wonder Woman, Main Maniac (with cat on head) X-Men Chicks - Phoenix, Psylocke and Jubilee. All their super powers combined kick some serious rear!