Maniac questionnaire

October 21, 2005

 

Name  Rob Bens               

 

Maniac #  189

 

State you live in  Kansas

 

How many marathons / ultra marathons have you run?  31 / 1

 

What was the first race you ever ran? (Any distance)  The Anchorage Midnight Sun Marathon (I only ran marathons (6) until I qualified for Boston).

 

What was the first marathon you ever ran? Anchorage Midnight Sun What year did you run it? 1999   Did you have fun that day?  IT Band problems on both knees, my longest training runs were one 16-miler and one 20-miler; that said yes through the misery, I did have fun.

 

How long have you been a runner and why did you start running?  I started in college (1981) to lose weight and keep weight off.

 

Why did you decide to become a Maniac? Or what inspired you?  A reference from Keith Panzer.  I checked it out and thought “These Maniacs are just like me!”

 

Of all the races out there in this world, which one would you most like to run?  Rome Marathon

 

If you could run a marathon / ultra accompanied by anyone either living or deceased, who would you choose and why?  My father; he died in 1981 and I have so much to tell him.

 

What was you most memorable marathon and why?  My first Boston.  Because I worked hard to get there and I just savored every step.

 

If someone asked you to pick a race for him or her that they could run a PR at, which race would you suggest?  Oklahoma City (it worked for me!).

 

What was the furthest you’ve ever traveled for a race?  Kansas City to Anchorage, AK

 

Do any of your non-running friends or family members thing that you’re crazy for running as much as you do? Yes What are some of their comments to you? The usual: “I hate to drive that far”   “Doesn’t all that running kill your knees?”

 

If personal obligations or finances were not an issue, how many marathons would you run in one year?  15, maybe more.

 

From what race did you receive your favorite finishers medal?  Olathe, KS 2005 (because I helped design it).

 

Where do you keep your finisher medals?  I have an unfinished “I love me” room in the basement.  The medals are all hanging, in order on the wall.

 

 Do you wear your race t-shirts? Yes, all but one. I just threw away my 1st race shirt – 1999 Anchorage Marathon Sweatshirt; it was just too ugly and I never wore it.

 

If you could put on a marathon anywhere in the world, where would you have it?  Where ever I am living at the time.

 

Maniac Yellow, or Maniac Black? Yellow (I have worn yellow anyway at a lot of marathons).

 

What is your favorite pre race meal? Any pasta dish either red or white sauce is fine.Post race meal? Cheeseburger, fries, diet coke

 

What is your energy gel of choice? Power Gel – Strawberry banana Sport drink of choice? Grape - PowerAide

 

Which race would you never run again and why?  Probably Disney:  they hype the running in the parks thing and almost all of it was on service roads and parking lots with no spectators, very early start time, very humid and warm

 

What was the most challenging race or combination of races you’ve ever done and why? Tahoe Triple – very tough courses and my training preparation was very time-consuming.

 

What is a typical training week like for you? 5-8 miles 4 days a week, 10 miler one day a week, 18-22 miler 1 day a week and 1 off day.  How many miles do you run? 40-70 per week.  Any cross training? 2 or 3 days a week I do 2 sets of bench, leg extensions, curls, triceps, and squats (15 reps per group).  It only takes me 15 minutes. 

 

Do you have a training partner? Two for long runs.  If so, who is it?  Jim Burt and Tom Olerich.  We meet for a long run on Sat. mornings.

 

What kind of shoes do you train in? Muzuno Wave Riders right now Do you race in a different shoe?  Sometimes I race in Saucony Fastwich.

 

What are your short-term running goals?  Try for a PR soon to take advantage fo my Tahoe Triple base miles.

 

What are your long-term running goals?  Run 50 marathons before I’m 50 years old and run a marathon in all 50 States

 

Assuming you have time, what do you do for fun other than run marathons? Anything with my wife and/or kids, golf, fishing, hunting.

 

What is your favorite Beatle song? Not into the Beatles anymore but how about “Here Comes The Sun” during a morning run.