Maniac
questionnaire
Name Jim
Bitgood
Maniac # 160
State you live in Maryland
How many marathons / ultra
marathons have you run? 104 marathons
What was the first race you
ever ran? (Any distance) D.C. Police
10K
What was the first marathon
you ever ran? What year did you run it? Did you have fun that day?
Marine Corp Marathon, 1979.
Mostly.
How long have you been a
runner and why did you start running? Started running in 1971 so I could make
it from
first to third in softball without dying.
Why did you decide to
become a Maniac? Or what inspired you?
My kind of crowd.
Of all the races out there
in this world, which one would you most like to run?
Probably one that I haven't heard of yet.
If you could run a marathon
/ ultra accompanied by anyone either living or deceased, who would you choose
and why?
Maybe somebody who hasn't been born yet?
What was you most memorable
marathon and why?
Lake Toya Marathon, 1998. My first one in Japan with some of guys
I knew at work.
If someone asked you to
pick a race for him or her that they could run a PR at, which race would you
suggest?
Too many variables, I would more likely suggest several possibles
What
was the furthest you’ve ever traveled for a race?
6400 miles, according to my GPS
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? Some think
I'm crazy, others envy that I can do it.
If personal obligations or
finances were not an issue, how many marathons would you run in one year?
12-14
From what race did you
receive your favorite finishers medal?
No particular favorite, but the Deadwood one is pretty nice.
Where do you keep your
finisher medals?
Stapled to the wall.
Do you wear your race t-shirts? What do you
do with the ones you don’t wear?
Sure. Some from races other than marathons I have donated.
If you could put on a
marathon anywhere in the world, where would you have it?
Some place with a port-a-pot for every runner.
Maniac Yellow, or Maniac Black?
Neither, yet.
What is your favorite pre
race meal? Post race meal?
Carbo load brown rice. Then
I'm on the see-food diet.
What is your energy gel of
choice? Sport drink of choice?
Power-Gels are okay. Haven't tried a lot of new ones. I still like
All-Sport even though I can't find it anymore. So I take Pocari Sweat with
me to marathons.
Which race would you never
run again and why?
Can't think of one
What
was the most challenging race or combination of races you’ve ever done and why?
Kamishihoro Kougen Marathon (22 Km), 31Oct99. I found out "Kougen"
means "plateau." We went up one side and down the other. My quads
were dead for a week after.
What is a typical training
week like for you? How many miles do you run? Any cross training?
When I can run, it's about 45-50 miles a week. Usually about 80-100
miles a week on the stationary bike.
What kind of shoes do you
train in? Do you race in a different shoe?
Several.
What are your short-term
running goals?
To get back to running
What are your long-term
running goals?
To keep running.
Assuming you have time,
what do you do for fun other than run marathons?
Read, watch TV, study Japanese.
Star Wars or Star Trek?
Darth Vader or Captain Kirk?
Captain Midnight.
Jim, Maniac #160