Maniacal?

You often see people out running in their bright yellow Marathon Maniacs shirts. On the outside, they look and appear normal.

But looks can be deceiving. These people don’t just pick out these shirts because they’re stylish; they run some ungodly amount of marathons to earn the right to join the “InSane AsyLum.”

Well, guess what?

You got that right. I have joined the ranks.

Meet the newest Marathon Maniac.

• State or Country you live in? California
• How long have you been a runner and why did you start running? I’ve been a runner for as long as I can remember.
• Do you also run half marathons? If so, are you a Half Fanatic too? Yes, I also run half marathons but I cannot remember how many. I honestly never thought to count them.

• What was the first race you ever completed? (Any distance) In 3rd grade, I would race the boys across the field. I did this every day until I finally had beaten them all. I completed my 1st 10k race when I was in middle school and my 1st half marathon when I was in high school.
• What was your first marathon? What year did you run it? Did you have fun that day? What is the thing you remember MOST about this race? My 1st marathon was the Napa Valley marathon in 2002. I had fun (for most of it). I remember feeling so overwhelmed with emotion when I finished that I cried. I was also surprised how much it hurt to walk when I finally stopped running. It think it hurt more than the running itself.
• Have you ever run an ultra-marathon (50K and up)? What is the longest race you’ve run? Which ultra do you remember best and why? Not yet. I’ve got my eye out for a good 50k in Northern California for marathon #20. Suggestions welcome.
• What was your most memorable race (any distance) and why? I would have to say Portland (2010). This was when I finally qualified for Boston after 9 years of attempts. The chip malfunctioned & I was uncertain if they’d be able to reconstruct the difference from finish line photo & my gun to chip start. Instead of crying tears of joy, I just cried in frustration. In the end, my BQ came through on time for me to enjoy my 1st Boston. I LOVED it!
• If personal obligations or finances were not an issue, how many marathons/ultras would you run in one year? I’m not sure. I guess as many as my body would let me.

• What kind of shoes do you train in? Do you race in a different shoe? Vibram fivefingers: bikila on road, trek on the trails.

Photograph by M.Kagan