Maniac questionnaire
November 22, 2006
Name: Natalia Norman (aka Nattie)
Maniac #: 397
State you live in: California
How many marathons / ultra marathons have you run? 5 / 3 (as of November 2006)
What was the first race you ever ran? (Any distance) Spirit Run 5K, in March 2002
What was the first marathon you ever ran? What year did you run it? Did you have fun that day? Rock and Roll Marathon San Diego in June 2003. I had tons of fun! I was really sore afterwards, but I didn’t care!
How long have you been a runner and why did you start running? Since 2002. I started running because walking was slow and boring.
Why did you decide to become a Maniac? Or what inspired you? There was no conscious decision. It just happened.
Of all the races out there in this world, which one would you most like to run? The Badwater
If you could run a marathon / ultra accompanied by anyone either living or deceased, who would you choose and why? Steve Vai. Preferably a really long ultra. I figure it would be so exciting to talk to him that all pain and agony would be forgotten DURING the race (it is always forgotten after the race).
What was you most memorable marathon and why? Mystic Places in 2004, because I ran with a group of friends who knew each other on the internet, and that’s when we met in person to run a marathon together. It was serious fun!
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 High Desert 50K in Ridgecrest, CA
What was the furthest you’ve ever traveled for a race? From California to Connecticut...
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? Yes, all of them. “I think you exaggerate, Natalia; to lose one’s toenails is not normal”; “Why do you do that?”; “You’re insane!”; “Why can’t you just run 3 miles at a time like most normal people?”
If personal obligations or finances were not an issue, how many marathons would you run in one year? 52
From what race did you receive your favorite finishers medal? High Desert 50K in 2005
Where do you keep your finisher medals? They are hanging on the wall in my home office
Do you wear your race t-shirts? What do you do with the ones you don’t wear? Yes, I wear all of them. I heard about making a quilt out of old race t-shirts, and thought that was a neat idea.
If you could put on a marathon anywhere in the world, where would you have it? Anywhere there is a stretch of 13.1 miles of sand along the beach. It would be a barefoot beach marathon.
Maniac Yellow, or Maniac Black? Manic yellow with black polka-dots
What is your favorite pre race meal? Post race meal? Coffee and a muffin. Pizza and ice cream.
What is your energy gel of choice? Sport drink of choice? Hammer gel (any flavor). Gatorade (orange flavor).
Which race would you never run again and why? None. Haven’t had that kind of bad experience with races yet. (Probably never will).
What was the most challenging race or combination of races you’ve ever done and why? The San Gabriel Mountains 50K in 2004. It was my first ultra, and the last 3 miles were killer switchbacks! It took me over 9 hours to finish.
What is a typical training week like for you? How many miles do you run? Any cross training? I currently run between 40 and 55 miles a week. The only cross training I do is my Royal Canadian Air Force exercises, everyday.
Do you have a training partner? If so, who is it? No, but sometimes I run with the OC Trail Runners group
What kind of shoes do you train in? Do you race in a different shoe? I’m not attached to any one particular shoe. I prefer Brooks and New Balance for road, and have only tried Adidas and Salomon for trails. Within these brands I buy different models all the time, with no preference as to training or racing. I usually race in shoes that are well-worn from training (but not shot)
What are your short-term running goals? To complete my first 100 mile race in 2007.
What are your long-term running goals? To still be running in my senior years.
Assuming you have time, what do you do for fun other than run marathons? Read running books and magazines and watch running movies and documentaries. I also like to do running related activities on the internet: emails, forums, running blog, ultra running wiki, running scrapbook, ...
Who is your favorite Super Hero? Superman, Wonder Woman, Main Maniac (with cat on head)
Why didn’t I get the Beatles song question? (It’s Tomorrow Never Knows,
by the way)... Oh, well... the Main Maniac, I guess...