Name: Mary Cameron Maniac #823 How many marathons / ultra marathons have you run? 9 marathons What was the first race you ever ran? (Any distance): Schlotzsky’s Bun Run 5K, Austin, 2000. What was the first marathon you ever ran? What year did you run it? Did you have fun that day? Motorola Austin Marathon, 2004. It wasn’t really fun. I made a lot of classic beginner mistakes and was just relieved to cross the finish line without medical assistance. I swore I’d never run another marathon. How long have you been a runner and why did you start running? 5 years. I wanted to get fit and be able to run a few miles. A couple of friends had finished a marathon, and I thought that if they could do it, I could at least give it a try, as a one-time experience. So I joined a marathon training group. Why did you decide to become a Maniac? Or what inspired you? I decided to run a “second and final” marathon, to see if I could have a bit more fun than the first time. For one reason and another, none of them rational to a non-runner, I ended up running 5 in 6 months. I immediately planned another 5 for the next season. I realized I was in the grip of something I could not control. Then I saw someone wearing a Marathon Maniac yellow singlet, and my two simultaneous thoughts were, “Marathon Maniac – that’s me!” and “I gotta get one of those shirts”. Of all the races out there in this world, which one would you most like to run? If you could run a marathon / ultra accompanied by anyone either living or deceased, who would you choose and why? Queen Elizabeth 1st – I’d like to know the truth about those Tudors. What was you most memorable marathon and why? Marathon to Marathon in West Texas. Wonderful scenery, I ran by myself nearly the whole time, and had a great time thinking about nothing in particular. Excellent meditation time. If someone asked you to pick a race for him or her that they could run a PR at, which race would you suggest? Dallas White Rock. What was the furthest you’ve ever traveled for a race? Tucson, for a half-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? MOST of my non-running friends and family think that I am crazy. The words ‘obsession’, ‘nutter’ and ‘why?’ crop up a lot. If personal obligations or finances were not an issue, how many marathons would you run in one year? 12-15. I doubt my body could stand more than that. From what race did you receive your favorite finishers medal? I don’t have a favorite medal. But my favorite finisher’s gift is the orange monkey I got at the Texas Marathon. Where do you keep your finisher medals? On hooks in a closet. Do you wear your race t-shirts? What do you do with the ones you don’t wear? If you could put on a marathon anywhere in the world, where would you have it? Maniac Yellow, or Maniac Black? Yellow! What is your favorite pre race meal? Post race meal? Pre-race breakfast: oatmeal and banana, half a Clif bar; post-race: bagel & chocolate milk, then in the evening ribeye steak, fried potatoes, cheesecake, bottle of red wine What is your energy gel of choice? Sport drink of choice? Tri-Berry flavor Gu; Lemon & Lime Gatorade Endurance; Lemon & Lime Accelerade after a race. Which race would you never run again and why? Umm, this will sound mean, but I will not run a Race for the Cure 5K again – last one I ran was the only time I have feared for my safety. I saw too many people falling due to the crowds. What was the most challenging race or combination of races you’ve ever done and why? What is a typical training week like for you? How many miles do you run? Any cross training? Run 4 days, usually Saturday, Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday. Total 25-35 miles. Yoga twice a week, pilates once a week, weights & elliptical twice a week. Do you have a training partner? If so, who is it? No. I run with buddies from my running group once a week. What kind of shoes do you train in? Do you race in a different shoe? Brooks, Brooks and nothing but Brooks. Glycerins. What are your short-term running goals? Run all the marathons in Texas. It’s going to take longer than I first thought because every year there are more races: two new ones just announced for this year. What are your long-term running goals? Run as many fun marathons as possible, anywhere. To me ‘fun’ means beautiful scenery, challenging courses, and preferably fewer than 500 participants. And to run until I’m 90. Assuming you have time, what do you do for fun other than run marathons? Watch movies, read books, eat, plan marathon trips and training schedules. Eat some more. Who is your favorite Super Hero? Superman, Wonder Woman, Main Maniac (with cat on head) |