1. WHEN DID YOU FIRST DISCOVER THAT YOU HAD THE ABILITY TO EAT COMPETITIVELY? Since I was a child, I have always had a good appetite, an active metabolism, and a burning desire to win. But not until I witnessed the greatest eater of all time--Takeru Kobayashi--eat 50 Hot Dogs in 2002, via my TV set, did it dawn on me that the sport was right up my alley, so to speak. I wanted to eat with him and the likes of American greats Eric "Badlands" Booker, Ed "Cookie" Jarvis, "Hungry" Charles Hardy, Don "Moses" Lerman, and Rich "The Locust" LeFevre at that table on Coney Island in 2003. So in June 2003 I entered and won my first-ever competitive eating event -- the Molly Pitcher qualifier in New Jersey.

2. WHY DID YOU CHOOSE THE NICK NAME, "THE BLACK WIDOW?" Because like the female black widow spider, it is my desire to eliminate the males. In competitive eating I want to eat more or faster than the men. I want to make boys out of them.

3. HOW DO MEN FEEL ABOUT LOSING TO YOU -- A FEMALE? When I first started eatiing competitively in mid 2003, some of the men that I defeated, from time-to-time, had a tough time accepting defeat from a member of the opposite sex, especially a little one like me. But I am now looked upon as simply one of the guys. 

4. HOW DO YOU PREPARE FOR CONTESTS? I rarely train (and this costs me, because these "new kids - eaters - on the block" train diligently and often). But if I am totally unfamiliar with the kind of food I will be eating, I will sometimes practice my speed for 1 or 2 minutes--usually no more. It's not healthy to consistently eat large amounts of food in a very small amount of time. Once I set a pace, I can usually keep it up for however long the contest is; the stomach capacity is always there.

5. IS EXERCISE A PART OF YOUR TRAINING REGIMEN? I do aerobic exercise up to 2 hours a day, 5 days per week. I'm also very physically active on my job--little sitting down or standing around--which helps keep my metabolism "revved up."

6. HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE YOUR BODY TO RECOVER AFTER A CONTEST? I guess I'm fortunate in that my body will have digested what I eat within 8 to 12 hours. By the next day--or late that same day--I'm usually "good to go."

7. WHAT MAKES A COMPETITIVE EATER THE BEST IN THE FIELD? Successful competitive eating involves the combination of both mental and physical qualitiess. Mentally, eaters need to be focused on the task at hand. You also have to have faith in your abilities. Physically important assets are stomach capacity, jaw strength, and hand speed.

8. WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE RECORDS? Here's my "Top 10" list of the records for which I am most proud, in descending order of preference (as of May 2006):

a. Acme Oysters: 46 dozen (552) in 10 minutes.
b. Maine Lobsters: 11.4 pounds of Lobster meat (44 soft shell lobsters -- from the shell) in 12 minutes.
c. Hard-Boiled Eggs:
(1) 65 in 6' 40 seconds.
(2) 52 in 5 minutes.
d. Downtown Atlantic Cheesecake: 11 pounds in 9 minutes.
e. Buffalo (Chicken) Wings: 5.75 lbs (of meat eaten off the bone) in 10 minutes.
f. 84 Lumber Baked Beans: 8.4 pounds in 2' 47 seconds.
g. Zocalo's Tacos (Soft-shell Chickem): 48 in 11 minutes.
h. Cheese Quaesadillas: 31 1/2 (four-inch size) in 5 minutes.
i. Phillips Seafood 3-oz Crab Cakes: 46 in 10 minutes.
j. Lulu's Crawfish Jambalaya: 9 pounds in 10 minutes.

9. WHAT DOES YOUR DAILY DIET CONSIST OF? I eat lots of healthy foods--lots of fruits, vegetables, rice, seafood, and chicken--not too much fried food. I sometimes enjoy sweets, but only in moderation.

10. HOW CAN YOU STAY SO THIN? YOU EAT SO MUCH FOOD IN COMPETITION. These competitions and eating events occur but once or twice a month. They are the exception--not the rule.

11. DO YOU ADVOCATE A SPECIFIC DIET LIKE ATKINS OR SOUTH BEACH? Not really. Each person is different and it is important to find out what works for you. But remember, if you take in more calories than you burn, you gain weight--it's that simple.

12. DO YOU BELIEVE COMPETITIVE EATING IS A SPORT? Without a doubt! It is the most natural sport of all--everybody eats. So everyone can relate to it. And it takes the same basic qualities to excel as in other sports like baseball, football, or soccer. To be successful you have to use the physical and mental abilities necessary to overcome the challenges that lie before you. This is true, for example, whether stealing a base (baseball), getting a first down (football), or identifying and sustaining the optimal eating pace for the duration of a timed (competitive eating) event, in order to eat as much as possible.

13. WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS? I want to be the # 1 competitive eater in the world--period! Beyond competitive eating, I also, some day, want to have my own fast food restaurant.

14. WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR BEGINNERS? Eating at the professional level is not for the vast majority of people. All pro events are conducted in a controlled environment with EMTs on hand. Safety is paramount, as is eating healthy on a daily basis. If you really believe you have what it takes, you can go to the IFOCE Web site and go to the "Join as an Eater" section. Participating in one or two contests may be the best way to safely "size up" your abilities.

15. DO YOU HAVE A GIANT STOMACH INSIDE THAT LITTLE BODY? My stomach is really normal size, but over the years it has been trained to stretch quite a bit. As far as capacity is concerned, I believe I can handle up to 18 pounds of food and liquid overall.

16. WHAT MAKES YOUR STOMACH STRETCH? I usually eat one meal per day, a huge one, spread out over several hours with a gallon or so of no- or low-calorie liquid, like diet soda or water. Again, the food I eat is generally healthy, not junk.

17. WHAT DO YOU DO TO GET OVER THE WALL? I try to burp to get some air out. When you're full, and you burp, you're fine. Oftentimes, however, by properly pacing myself I can avoid hitting a wall.

18. DO YOU EVER GET SICK AFTER A CONTEST? No I don't. The cheesecake was a challenge, however, because I'm not used to eating rich sweets, especially in such large quantities. The cheesecake was so smooth and it went down so fast!

19. DO YOU ENJOY GETTING LOTS OF MEDIA ATTENTION? Some is fine and much appreciated. But too much can be a big hassle. My privacy and freedom are important, and as long an event is organized and planned in a considerate way I'm okay with it. I actually turn down as many--if not more--media events as I accept. And I would refuse to do a stunt which belittles the sport. Competitive eating is not a "stupid human trick," ... I take it SERIOUSLY! Don't get me wrong; I enjoy a good laugh, as long as it isn't hurtful to others.

20. DO YOU HAVE A ROLE MODEL? That's easy: Takeru Kobayashi. He put competitive eating on the map with his 50-dog performance on Coney Island in July 2001. When he enters a contest, the question is not IF he will dominate, but by how much. He indeed is the greatest eater who ever lived, and competing with him helps me improve.

21. HOW LONG DO YOU THINK YOU CAN CONTINUE TO BE SUCCESSFUL AS A COMPETITIVE EATER, AND HOW LONG WOULD YOU LIKE TO REMAIN ON THE CIRCUIT? When it's no longer fun, or when I feel that I am no longer improving, I'll stop competing. But for right now (mid-2007), there is still plenty of gas left in the tank.

22. IN COMPETITION ARE THERE ANY FOODS YOU AVOID? I won't eat things like cow brains, frog legs, reindeer sausage, or other "exotic" foods. There are plenty of other kinds of food to choose from, without having to resort to such dishes.

23. WHAT IS THE SECRET TO EATING A LOT VERY FAST? Speedeating is about developing and practicing techniques like hand-speed and hand-eye coordination, as well as chewing and swallowing fast. It is so important to have LOTS of water handy to ensure food doesn't get stuck in the throat. Hence, that's why one should NEVER practice alone.

24. WHAT IS THE ATMOSPHERE LIKE AMONG EATERS ON THE PRO CIRCUIT? HOW DOES EVERYONE GET ALONG? Overall, most of the eaters get along very well with one another. Once the contest begins, however, my focus is only on winning.

25. HOW MANY COMPETITIONS CAN YOU DO IN A YEAR? I am comfortable with one to two eating events per month, or about 12 - 18 per year.

26. DO YOU ENJOY COOKING? IF SO, WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE FOOD TO COOK? I enjoy cooking occasionally, but have very little extra time to do so. Because of cost and time factors, I'm pretty much a buffet person.

27. HOW DO YOU FEEL BEFORE A CONTEST? ARE YOU NERVOUS WITH BUTTERFLIES? When I first started eating competitively in the summer of 2003, I was a bit nervous before contests, but with experience I learned to totally tune out everything--the crowd, my feelings, etc.--and focus on the task at hand. The title of rapper and world class (now retired) gurgitator Eric "Badlands" Booker's competitive eating CD, "Hungry and Focused," says it all. An eater needs those qualities above all others.

28. IN COMPETITIVE EATING ARE THERE SEPARATE CATEGORIES FOR MEN AND WOMEN? No, men and women compete against each other. However, once in awhile you might see separate men's and women's records for a certain food. This is the case with the Nathan's Famous Hot Dogs. That's only because Kobayashi is such a dominant champion, I suspect. (Also see responses to FAQs #2 and #3.)

29. DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE EATING EVENT? IF SO, WHAT IS IT? I don't really have a favorite, but I must say that the more people there are in attendance, the more fun I have -- even though I don't often win them. As such, Krystal Burgers, Nathan's Hot Dogs, Wing Bowl, and the Buffalo Wing Festival are three of the many that I thoroughly enjoy participating in.

30. HOW TALL ARE YOU? I am 5'5." My weight is 100 lbs.

31. HOW DID YOU FEEL ABOUT NOT BEING ALLOWED TO COMPETE IN WING BOWL XIV, WHICH WAS NOT OPEN TO ANY PREVIOUS WING BOWL COMPETITIORS? I'm sure the organizers must have had their reasons for only inviting Wing Bowl "virgins." Besides, that's over now and I don't even think about it. 

32. DO YOU BELIEVE KOBAYASHI CAN EVER BE BEATEN? Until Joey's (Chestnut) incomprehensible 50-Dog act at the Vegas (Hot Dog) qualifier in May 2006, I totally believed that Kobayashi was virtually invincible. But given the aforementioned event, coupled with Joey's equally unbelieveable 52-Dog performance July 4, 2006, I can say that Kobayashi is, well, human. But it will take a superhuman effort to defeat him. I DO NOT believe, however, that anyone will ever replace him as the Number 1 eater in the world while he is still competing. Takeru Kobayashi is not just your "average" superstar.

33. WHY NOT PUT A BLOG ON YOUR SITE? That's not me; that's not my personality; I'm more private. Besides, the blogging and competitive eating-related news niches are currently filled very admirably by sites such as www.eatfeats.com (formerly trencherwomen) www.beautifulbrian.com, and http://www.urbanhonking.com/truefan. My focus is eating.

34. AS A COMPETITIVE EATER, WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER TO BE YOUR GREATEST STRENGTH? I think perhaps my greatest strength is the ability to accurately pace myself and make adjustments throughout the contest. On the other hand, many of my losses have occurred because I misjudged others or improperly paced myself, based on what I thought it would take to win. 

35. DO YOU HAVE ANY PREFERENCE FOR CONTEST DURATION? It really doesn't matter to me, but taking into consideration fan appeal, eaters' health and everything else, perhaps 10 - 12 minute-contests are best. The IFOCE recognized this early on. Personally, what may be best for me would harm most competitive eaters, so I would never recommend it -- a contest of an hour or more, even though that would allow me more time to enjoy my food.

36: SONYA, WHY DON'T YOU LIST UPCOMING MEDIA AND EATING EVENTS SO THAT YOUR FANS CAN KEEP UP WITH YOU? I am asked that question perhaps more than any other. There are really two reasons. First, I guess I'm just a bit superstitious -- much like being reluctant to put up a new year's calendar in December. Second, I always like to remain flexible, not rigid, in case I change my mind or my schedule changes for whatever reason. (Also see my response to FAQ # 19.)

37. SONYA, WHAT IS THE ONE LIMITING FACTOR THAT PRECLUDES YOU FROM BE A BETTER EATER? Without question -- speed of swallow! That limitation is worsened when I get nervous or am not focused. If I can conquer that, many people might be surprised at how much and how quickly I can eat. That's why I've always believed that the sport of competitive eating is as much, if not more, mental, as it is physical. ("Crazy Legs" Conti and Takeru Kobayashi are correct in that regard.)

38. IS THERE A PARTICULAR FOOD YOU'RE EXCEPTIONALLY GOOD AT SPEED-EATING?  I'm perhaps best in various forms of Seafood (Lobster, Oysters, Shrimp, etc.), because of my quick hands. I'm also very good at Hard Boiled Eggs, for the same reason.

39. EATING CHALLENGES SEEM TO BE POPULAR THESE DAYS. WHY DON'T YOU COMPETE, AND IF YOU DID HOW DO YOU THINK YOU WOULD DO? Since I'm under contract with the IFOCE, I'm not allowed to, except with special permission, which I have not yet asked for. If I were to compete in them, however, I'm sure I'd win each one I attempted. I'm not bragging. That's just fact.  

40. SURELY YOU HAVE HEARD OF GAL SONE IN JAPAN, WHO SEEMS TO BE THE IN THE NEWS QUITE A BIT. HOW DO YOU THINK YOU WOULD DO AGAINST HER? Thanks for asking that. I absolutely laud Gal Sone for her amazing talent. She is phenomenal, to say the least. I would look forward to the priviilege of competing against her. I'm certain I would do very well.
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41. WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE A SEPARATE COMPETITIVE EATING CATEGORY FOR WOMEN ONLY? No! Look at any sport. It's the men's league that gets most of the attention. So I would rather compete against them, instead of competing against only females. That would not be very much fun for me.

42. MS THOMAS, WITH FANTASY SPORTS SO POPULAR THESE DAYS, IF YOU HAD YOUR CHOICE, WHAT WOULD A FANTASY COMPETITIVE EATING COMPETITION BE FOR YOU? That's a thoughtful question. Thanks for asking it. I would love to have 30 - 45 minutes to eat most any nonexotic food against any competitior in the world, in an objective contest, whereby the food is weighed.

43. SONYA, WHAT ADVANTAGES DO YOU HAVE OVER YOUR MALE OPPONENTS?  Right now I'm laughing, because in the past 2 years or so, so many eaters have not just taken their game to a higher level, they have done it so quickly; my rate of improvement is much more gradual.

However, because of my totally natural training technique, which is virtually no training at all, I do have staying power in this sport. I eat the same way now as I did 10 years ago. That is, I eat for enjoyment and to replenish calories that my body burns so very quickly. Not only do I exercise, but I'm on my feet--moving--60-70 hours a week at my job.

So do I want to practice speed-eating? I should say not! I practice for speed for a couple of minutes at a time, perhaps once or twice a month. As such, I'm confident that I'll be able to remain very competitive in this sport for many more years, should I choose to.

44. ARE THERE ANY NONWINNING EATING PERFORMANCES THAT YOU ARE MOST PROUD OF? Yes. That's a great question because oftentimes if a competitor doesn't win the performance is forgotten altogether, regardless of how great it was. The one that sticks out for me is when I lost to (now World Champ) Joey Chestnut in a 10-minute Gyoza (stuffed Japanese Dumpling) contest from Aug 26, 2006. He out-ate me 212 to 210. Though I lost--by only two Dumplings--I've little doubt that Joey (and possibly Kobayashi) was likely the only person on the planet who could have scored a vistory over me that day in that food, which is why Gyoza is my very favorite nonwinning performance. (Go to http://www.rafu.com/community_1_1_1.html.)

45. HOW DO YOU EXPLAIN THE SPORT OF COMPETITIVE EATING BEING THE CULTURAL PHENOMENON THAT IT APPEARS TO BE TODAY? It's really hard to explain, and this is just my opinion. But there is a hunger for dramatized reality TV today and competitive eating (CE) fits very neatly into that genre. Everybody eats, so every living thing can associate with CE, but very, very few people can speedeat massive quantities of food. So there is an inherent appreciation of Major League Eaters who can consume several days' worth of food in just a few minutes.

Major League Eating (MLE) has a diverse cast of colorful characters with distinct personalities. These range from mild-mannered eating machine (and current World Champ) Joey "Jaws" Chestnut to the flamboyant "El Toro" Jiminez, from the dreadlock-laden "Crazy Legs" Conti to ever-youthful Rich "The Locust" LeFevre (he's 60 going on 30), and from the beautiful, talented Juliet Lee to the greatest eater CE has ever known, 6-time World Hot Dog Champ Takeru, "The Tsunami" Kobayashi.

As a matter of fact MLE and Mastiff LLC will be releasing a video game: MLE, The Game, which will be going on sale in May 2008. You can obtain more information at the Web site of the same name: http://mlegame.com, which will feature the aforementioned eaters and many more. An article about the game is available at http://wii.ign.com/articles/865/865001p1.html.

46. SONYA, WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE IFOCE RANKING SYSTEM? I'VE BEEN FOLLOWING YOU SINCE 2003 AND YOU ARE BETTER NOW THAN EVER, YET, YOU ARE 6TH IN THE RANKINGS. HELP ME UNDERSTAND.
You are exactly right about me being better now than ever and I'm as confident as ever (or more so) in my ability. However, the new kids on the block, like Joey "Jaws" Chestnut and Pat "Deep Dish" Bertoletti are so very committed to being the best they can be. Even the veterans like Tim "Eater X" Janus, "Humble" Bob Shoudt, elder/youthful statesman Rich "The Locust" LeFevre and CE spokesman / eater "Crazy Legs" Conti continue to step up their games -- just as I do. Just look at the Nathan's Hot Dog (Finals) results over the past several years; Kobayashi is no longer the World Champ and he's the greatest of all time! 

What hurts me, for sure, is that I don't practice, per se, except for a minute or two to increase my speed. To be honest, and this may sound weird, but I don't like to practice because I love, so much, to eat for enjoyment. Eating is my biggest hobby in life -- thank God for my metabolism and health. As such, my not practicing is a double-edged sword. Though I might sacrifice a higher ranking at the expense of enjoying my food, so be it. I can live with it. 

Though I'll likely never be ranked much higher than I am right now, I've come to realize that there are still less than a handful of people in this world who can eat the quantities of food I set records in. I also believe that my best days will continue to be ahead. It will start with me being the first woman doing the double deuce (40) in Hot Dogs this year on July 4th.

47 SONYA, YOUR TWO FAVORITE WORLD RECORDS ARE ACME OYSTERS AND HARD-BOILED EGGS IN WHICH YOU ATE 46 DOZEN IN 12 MINUTES AND 65 IN 6 MINUTES 40 SECONDS, RESPECTIVELY. IT HAS BEEN SEVERAL YEARS SINCE YOU ATE EITHER FOOD. HOW DO YOU THINK YOU WOULD DO TODAY?  Thanks for asking and I'm very happy to answer. I am confident that in contests of those same lengths, I would increase my previous totals, but perhaps not by much. I believe I could easily eat 48-50 dozen Oysters in 10 minutes, and I am quite confident I would easily eat 70+ HBEs in 6 minutes, 40 seconds.

48: SONYA, OF ALL THE WORLD RECORDS IN COMPETITIVE EATING, CONSIDERING ALL THE DIFFERENT FOODS AND TIME LIMITS, WHICH ONES DO YOU THINK ARE THE GREATEST? This is so subjective, because the opinion of every eater and every fan will be so very different. But I've picked 12, listed in order of preference:

1. 66 Hot Dogs and Buns in 12 minutes, Joey Chestnut, July 4, 2007: To come in ahead of the greatest competitive eater of all time, in ANY food, speaks volumes!
2. 58 Johnsonville Brats in 10 minutes, Takeru Kobayashi, Aug. 5, 2006: I was the defending champion before that day with 35 Brats. Need I say more?
3. 103 Krystal Hamburgers in 8 minutes, Joey Chestnut, Oct 28, 2007: Kobay did not participate, but had the previous record with an unbelievable 97, yet Joey exceeded that total..
4. 212 (chicken and vegetable) Gyoza in 10 minutes, Joey Chestnut, Aug. 19, 2006: I finished second to Joey that day with 210, and I will tell you now that no person on this earth could have beaten Joey that day!
5. 266 La Costena Jalapeno Peppers in 15 minutes, Pat Bertoletti, Feb 23, 2008: Pat is so far above everyone else in this world in Jalapeno Peppers that it isn't funny.
6. 46 Dozen Acme Oysters in 10 minutes, Sonya Thomas, Mar 20, 2005: I think I could do a few dozen more today.
7. 21 lbs of Grits in 10 minutes, Pat Bertoletti, Sept. 29, 2007: Pat put an exclamation point on both speed and stomach capacity that day!
8. 15.25 lbs of Strawberry Shortcake in 8 minutes, Pat Bertoletti, June 17, 2007: That's a lot of cake in such a short amount of time.
9. 57 (17.7 lbs) of Cow Brains in 15 minutes, Takeru Kobayashi: (2002): I listed it, but I don't even want to think about it.
10. 7.5 lbs of Buffalo Chicken Wings in 12 minutes, Joey Chestnut, May 21, 2007: And that's off-the bone!
11. 8.8 lbs of Asparagus in 10 minutes, Joey Chestnut, Apr 26, 2008: Joey gets better and better! He truly is "The Future of Competitive Eating!"
12. 44 Maine Lobsters (11.3 lbs of meat, from the shell) in 12 minutes, Sonya Thomas, Aug 13, 2005: I was partnered with one of the greatest Lobster crackers on the planet -- Geoff.

Again, this is just my very, very subjective opinion. Each and every record you see at the IFOCE Records page (http://www.ifoce.com/records.php) is absolutely phenomenal, as are the people who set them! And don't forget about the participants who put up outstanding totals to push them into that record-setting territory.

49. SONYA, WHY DON'T YOU POST ON SOME OF THE BLOGS OUT THERE? IT WOULD BE INTERESTING TO READ YOUR OPINION ABOUT THINGS? That's the whole reason for my Web site -- especially this page. Even though I visit and read some blogs on occasion, I can say what I need to say right here. Blogging is just not my style. (Also see my response to FAQ # 33.)

50: HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THE CHANGE OF CONTEST LENGTH, FROM 12 TO 10 MINUTES, FOR THE NATHAN'S CIRCUIT, AND HOW WILL THIS AFFECT YOUR PERFORMANCE? To be honest, I feel kind of sad any time people mess around with tradition. When you think of Nathan's you automatically associate 12 minutes with it, but not anymore. Anyway, looking at the qualifiers thus far, eaters seem to be eating almost as much in 10 minutes as 12. I think the same will hold true for me. In 10 minutes I expect to come within two or three Hot Dogs of what I would do in 12 minutes.

One of the things that really disappoints me, is that I wanted to at least try to be the first woman to do the double deuce in Hot Dogs. I am not one to make excuses, regarding gender, size, or anything else. In my mind, when it comes to competitive eating, people are people, whether he or she be a woman or a man, whether that person is 400 lbs or 100 lbs, or whether the eater is 6' 5" or 5'4". And since Hot Dogs are such a very difficult food for me to consume (swallow quickly) in competition, I would have considered it a personal victory to be the first woman to eat 40 HDBs.  

However, let's be honest. Given 10 minutes my chances of doing the double deuce this July 4th are very slim now, especially since I do not practice (except for a 2-minute speed drill). But, I'll just have to accept things as they are and do my best, regardless. I hate excuses, and I won't use time as one, should I come short of that goal this year.  

51. HOW MANY CALORIES DO YOU EAT IN 1 DAY? I am not much of a calorie counter, but, if I had to guess, I would say roughly about 5,000 calories per day. But I burn at least that many calories per day, even when I don't exercise.

52. WHY DO YOU WORK 60 - 70 HOURS PER WEEK? First, I live in the very expensive Washington DC area. (BTW, I sometimes work more than 70 hours per week.)
Second, I'm a very proud BK Store Manager, and I have to be the best at my job. I must set the example in food service, serving the best customers in the world: our men and women military members. Managing my BK fast food restaurant is my first love. Plus, it's my managerial job that puts food on my table and helps me make ends meet. Competitive eating, as much as I love it, is merely a pastime.