Maniac questionnaire

July 6, 2006

Name – Mauriella Elena DiTommaso

Maniac # - I don’t know yet, but there’s a number out there somewhere for me.

State you live in - PA

How many marathons / ultra marathons have you run? - 5

What was the first race you ever ran? (Any distance) – 2 miles

What was the first marathon you ever ran? What year did you run it? Did you have fun that day? – In Philly, November of 2005 – I loved it!!!!

How long have you been a runner and why did you start running? – I have only been a runner since Jan of 1999 because I had to run for the Army. I didn’t actually fall in-love with running until a few years ago. I’m such a cherry still.

Why did you decide to become a Maniac? Or what inspired you? Number one – I love marathons and every aspect of them. Number two – With a little nudge from a friend, I decided to have myself committed to the Asylum.

Of all the races out there in this world, which one would you most like to run? – Pikes Peak because I will to beat the Peak someday.

If you could run a marathon / ultra accompanied by anyone either living or deceased, who would you choose and why? – I would love to run with Peter. He saved my life nine years ago and he doesn’t even know that he did. I’ll never be able to repay him, but at least I could share with him the passion of running.

What was your most memorable marathon and why? – The Shamrock marathon in Virginia Beach because it was the first time my mother had ever watched me run; my closest aunt was scheduled to undergo reconstructive surgery on her neck, back and spinal cord but by some miracle was cleared to live a normal life for six more months just days before I ran – and she drove eight hours to come watch me run – so instead of spending time in the hospital together, we were able to hang out a marathon together; it was in my home town; and the first time ever, my best friend and I ran a marathon together … oh yes, there was also free beer at the finish line and clear skies to lay out on the beach under for three hours afterwards.

If someone asked you to pick a race for him or her that they could run a PR at, which race would you suggest? – I don’t think I have the expertise to advise anyone on what race they should run for a PR.

What was the furthest you’ve ever traveled for a race? – Just over four-hundred miles for the Hatfield-McCoy marathon in Williamson, WV.

Do any of your non-running friends or family members think that you’re crazy for running as much as you do? What are some of their comments to you? – Some of them think I’m a little out there, yes. But for the most part, they know that normal doesn’t exist in my life.

If personal obligations or finances were not an issue, how many marathons would you run in one year? – As many as my body could handle. Can’t ever know the limit without putting one foot in front of the other for as long they keep going.

From what race did you receive your favorite finishers medal? – Philly, because it was my first marathon and because it was proof of a new chapter in my life.

Where do you keep your finisher medals? – Right now I don’t have very many in my collection and pretty strict apartment rules, so I hang them on the back of my bedroom door and from the bulletin board at my desk.

Do you wear your race t-shirts? What do you do with the ones you don’t wear? – I wear them to lounge around in. I’ve heard some people say that it’s not ‘cool’ to wear them, but really, I don’t care. Most of the time they’re big, and that makes them perfect for lounging.

If you could put on a marathon anywhere in the world, where would you have it? – Around the coast line of Formentura, Spain in the Mediterranean Sea would be the most perfect course ever. A good mix of flat and hills, breath-taking coastlines, and a culture matched only by Italians translate into the marathon of my dreams. Of course, that could change during my next tour of the world.

Maniac Yellow, or Maniac Black? - No question at all: YELLOW. It’s the color of the sun – which I love; bananas peels – which keep fresh possibly the best fruit known to the world; the most comfortable running socks I’ve ever worn; the lines on the road that I love to cross; lightening bugs at night; sunflowers; and most of all, it’s the color of happiness.

What is your favorite pre race meal? Post race meal? I don’t really have a favorite pre-race meal yet. I love to try new dishes as much as possible, so if I picked a favorite this early in the game, I’d really be limiting myself. Post-race, okay … that one I definitely have figured out: ice-cold beer. Not even kidding.

What is your energy gel of choice? Sport drink of choice? Once again, this is an area of marathoning that I haven’t quite figured out yet. Many times I will run without having an energy gel and as for the drink, well, I just take whatever they have at the race. Doesn’t really matter to me at this point – as long as it refreshes me, I like it.

Which race would you never run again and why? I almost said that about Charlottesville, VA. Then I realized that I couldn’t let some mountains give me a run for my money, so I will run it again and I will smoke it next time. If I ever feel like I don’t want to run a course again, that will - in the end – just make me want to run it again. A little hard to follow, I know – but it’s the truth.

What was the most challenging race or combination of races you’ve ever done and why? – The most challenging I’ve done so far was in Williamson, WV because it was the first marathon that I ran the entire time alone.

What is a typical training week like for you? How many miles do you run? Any cross training? – 40 miles a week right now, generally over a period of five days. I am now road biking and swimming for cross – both of which are so different, but so much fun!

Do you have a training partner? If so, who is it? Yes – my best friend, Meghan. We are both new to marathons and we can read each other like a book – which is great when one of us needs a push or just a strong shoulder.

What kind of shoes do you train in? Do you race in a different shoe? Right now I train in Adidas and New Balance – they’re great for feet with high arches and that are wide across the toes. I have raced in both as well, but I like the New Balance better. But honestly, this is yet another technical area that I still have much to learn about.

What are your short-term running goals? To run faster and stronger.

What are your long-term running goals? To conquer Pikes Peak and qualify for Boston. I have a long way to go before those happen. Believe me, some day I will do both – probably not in the same day, but definitely some day for both.

Assuming you have time, what do you do for fun other than run marathons? Smoke myself on my new road bike – I love it.

Who is your favorite Super Hero? Superman, Wonder Woman, Main Maniac (with cat on head)

Do I have to answer this? Wonder Woman – of course. She’s my girl. She definitely could have smoked some marathons – I mean, come on … look at those legs. Maybe once I see the Main Maniac in action, I’ll change my mind. But until then, the chic in the red, white and blue gets my vote.