Maniac questionnaire

Name – My name is Matt Manning. Thanks for asking!

Maniac #585

State you live in – Living in the great state of Missouri!

How many marathons / ultra marathons have you run? 17 completed. 1 DNF.

What was the first race you ever ran? (Any distance) Chicago Marathon ‘04, baby.

What was the first marathon you ever ran? What year did you run it? Did you have fun that day? Chicago Marathon ’04, baby! Yeah, I had a swell time!

How long have you been a runner and why did you start running? I am not a runner. However, I do enjoy running.

Why did you decide to become a Maniac? Or what inspired you? New Years Eve ‘06. Springfield, MO. Run For The Ranch Marathon. Marathon Junkie completed some insane number of marathons for the year – all sub-3… what was it? 52? Or 51? I forget… J

Of all the races out there in this world, which one would you most like to run? I’d like to run the human race. I have this complex…

If you could run a marathon / ultra accompanied by anyone either living or deceased, who would you choose and why? Marathon Junkie… he would not let me quit.

What was you most memorable marathon and why? Las Vegas Marathon ’06 – my first BQ run. Two years in the making!

If someone asked you to pick a race for him or her that they could run a PR at, which race would you suggest? Because I am truly sadistic, I would suggest the Harpeth Hills Flying Monkey Marathon. J

What was the furthest you’ve ever traveled for a race? I dunno – KC, MO to Seattle?

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? I have no friends and my family figured me out a long time ago.

If personal obligations or finances were not an issue, how many marathons would you run in one year? 104.

From what race did you receive your favorite finishers medal? Inaugural New Las Vegas Marathon, I think.

Where do you keep your finisher medals? On a dusty shelf. I’ve thought of donating them all to Medals-for-metal.

Do you wear your race t-shirts? What do you do with the ones you don’t wear? I wear them.

If you could put on a marathon anywhere in the world, where would you have it? Machu Pichu.

Maniac Yellow, or Maniac Black? Yellow, by default.

What is your favorite pre race meal? Post race meal? Pre race meal would have to be shrimp gumbo. Post race would have to be Jack Daniels.

What is your energy gel of choice? Sport drink of choice? Not big on gels anymore, but when I take them all I care is that they have caffeine. Or 2x caffeine. Sports drink? Whatever the race provides.

Which race would you never run again and why? There is no race that I would never run again… but the ones I’ve done multiple times already are low on my list .

What was the most challenging race or combination of races you’ve ever done and why? Two: First, I ran sub-3:20s (my BQ time) 3 weeks apart… Second, I ran a double-double (4 in 9 days) with the last one in Friday Harbor, WA (a hilly sort of course…)

What is a typical training week like for you? How many miles do you run? Any cross training? No typical week. I generally get up into the 70s-80s at my peak. I’ve hit 100 in a week. I will cycle and run stairs occasionally. I will do some weight training.

Do you have a training partner? If so, who is it? God is my partner. But, he bails on me a lot.

What kind of shoes do you train in? Do you race in a different shoe? I have ASICS and Mizuno primarily. Mizuno has had an edge lately, buy ASICS are winning me back. I like to race in Mizuno Idaten (7oz flats).

What are your short-term running goals? Recover from my last insane series and train for a 3 hour fall marathon.

What are your long-term running goals? Run happy and healthy for the rest of my life.

Assuming you have time, what do you do for fun other than run marathons? I used to make beer (many styles) and boomerangs (7-ply balsa wood!). I play guitar (not much anymore). I gripe a lot.

Who is your favorite Super Hero? Superman, Wonder Woman, Main Maniac (with cat on head) – Favorite super hero? Underdog. When Polly’s in trouble I am not slow… it’s hip-hip-hip and away I go!!!