Motivated to Succeed

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Location:

Pittsfield,MA,

Member Since:

Jul 02, 2008

Gender:

Male

Goal Type:

Boston Qualifier

Running Accomplishments:

 

 

  •  2006 Mohawk Hudson River Marathon (NY)
  • 2007 Vermont City Marathon (VT)
  • 2011 BPAC 6 Hour Run (NY)
  • 2011 Mind the Ducks 12 Hour (NY)
  • 2012 Maple Leaf Indoor Marathon #1 (IN)
  • 2012 Maple Leaf Indoor Marathon #2 (IN)
  • 2012 BPAC 6 Hour Run (NY)
  • 2012 Mind the Ducks 12 Hour (NY)
  • 2012 Memorial Day Marathon (MA)
  • 2012 Around the Lake 12 Hour (MA)
  • 2012 Hancock Shaker Village 50 (MA) 
  • 2012 Bay State Marathon (MA)
  • 2012 First Descents Marathon (DE) 
  • 2013 Maple Leaf Indoor Marathon #1 (IN)
  • 2013 Maple Leaf Indoor Marathon #2 (IN) 
  • 2013 Circular Logic Marathon (IN)
  • 2013 Lake Waramaug 50M (CT)
  • 2013 BPAC 6 Hour Run (NY)
  • 2013 Ragnar Cape Cod Ultra Team (MA) 
  • 2013 Memorial Day Marathon (MA)
  • 2013 Relay For Life No. Berkshire (MA)
  • 2013 Ragnar Adirondack Ultra Team (MA)
  • 2013 BayState Marathon (MA)
  • 2013 One Day At the Fair Marathon (NJ)
  • 2013 West Palm Beaches Marathon (FL)
  • 2014 Arena Attack XL Center Marathon (CT)
  • 2014 Maple City 6-Pack Marathon #1 (IN)
  • 2014 Maple City 6-Pack Marathon #2 (IN)
  • 2014 Maple City 6-Pack Marathon #3 (IN)
  • 2014 Maple City 6-Pack Marathon #4 (IN)
  • 2014 Maple City 6-Pack Marathon #5 (IN)
  • 2014 Maple City 6-Pack Marathon #6 (IN)
  • 2014 Circular Logic Marathon (IN)

 Personal Bests:

  • 400 - 1:01 (2004)
  • 800 - 2:16 (2004)
  • Mile - 5:12 (2004)
  • 2Mile - 11:27 (2004)
  • 5k - 19:44 (2005)
  • 10k 40:46 (11/22/07)
  • 15k - 1:07:40 (11/11/07)
  • 13.11 Half - 1:38:31 (12/9/07)
  • Marathon 3:59:18 (1/25/14)
  • 50 miles 11:44 (5/14/11)

Eagle Scout with Bronze and Gold Palms (2002)

Biked from Ticonderoga, New York to Old Orchard Beach, Maine in August of 2005 (Total of about 290 miles

Short-Term Running Goals:

200 miles @ 72 Hour Race in May

Under 200 #

Sub 4:00 Marathon

 

 

Long-Term Running Goals:

QUALIFY AND RUN IN THE BOSTON MARATHON.

Personal:

I am 27.  Have done 33 marathons and ultras. Really trying to get in shape to get back to running the miles I want to. I love to read and worked for four years in a bookstore. I like to keep track of the books I read. Currently I work as a 6th & 7th grade history teacher at the only charter school in Berkshire County, as well as serve as the coach for the cross country team! Been experimenting as a pescatarian (eating only fish) since August 10, 2011. 

 

Just earned my Master's Degree in Adolescent Education for Social Studies. I have the most wonderful WIFE in the entire world.. EMMA! October 16, 2010

Run when you can, walk when you have to, crawl if you must. Just never give up! - Dean Karnazes -

We are all teachers and we are all students in this sport. - Dean Karnazes -

The simple act of putting one foot in front of the other and moving forward at an accelerated rate can be one of life's greatest - and simplest - pleasures. ~Dean Karnazes 

"Your beliefs become your thoughts, your thoughts become your words, your words become your actions, your actions become your habits, your habits become your values, your values become your destiny." - MK Gandhi 

"The marathon mercilessly rips off the outer layers of our defenses and leaves the raw human, vulnerable and naked. It is here you get an honest glimpse into the soul of an individual. Every insecurity and character flaw is open and on display for all the world to see. No communication is ever more real, no expression ever more honest. There is nothing left to hide behind. The marathon is the great equalizer. Ever movement, every word spoken and unspoken, is radiant truth. The veil has been obliterated. These are the profound moments of human interaction that I live for." - Dean Karnazes 

 

Benn Griffin


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2014 Books I've Read: 

 

 

 

 

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Miles:This week: 0.00 Month: 0.00 Year: 0.00
Vibram Five Fingers KSO Lifetime Miles: 367.52
Vibram Komodo Sports (yellow) Lifetime Miles: 570.38
Vibram Bikilas (red) Lifetime Miles: 655.87
Vibram Bikilas (blue) Lifetime Miles: 414.89
Altra Lone Peak Lifetime Miles: 155.19
Lizzy Miles 2012 Lifetime Miles: 58.60
Vibram Komodo Sport (black) Lifetime Miles: 195.60
NB Trail Minimus (orange) Lifetime Miles: 101.74
Altra Instinct (grey) Lifetime Miles: 389.78
Vibram Bikilas (red #2) Lifetime Miles: 10.60
Vibram Bikilas (green) Lifetime Miles: 230.05
Altra Adams Lifetime Miles: 2.00
Merrell Road Glove Lifetime Miles: 46.11
Running MilesSwimming YardsBike Miles
49.000.000.00
Vibram Bikilas (blue) Miles: 27.00Vibram Bikilas (red) Miles: 22.00
Night Sleep Time: 7.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 7.00Weight: 218.00
Running MilesSwimming YardsBike Miles
6.250.000.00

Day #30: 6.25 miles, easy recovery run in 52:31 (8:24/mile). Everything seems to be in working order after the long run yesterday and my first 50+ mile week this year. Operation Slim Down is in full force. At this rate I should be under 210# by March 1st! (Wishful thinking I bet but we will see). Concentrating on eating 5-6x a day, no ice cream, and limiting breads. Feeling lean and mean. On a personal note what I learned today from my run: I should not consume smoked salmon and garlic triscuits before running. Had the worst heart burn imagineable - every 3-4 minutes. Nearly made me cry. But at least I know I can still persevere and get the run down on a bad day! Need to plan for the next couple weeks - Hoping to get a sub 5:00 at Maple Leaf Indoor Marathon. That'd be sweet and a 20 minute improvement from last year. Can I do it? My beard thinks so!

Omega 3's rock,
Until they come out your nose
Protein Nose Nuggets!

“Somewhere along the line, we seem to have confused comfort with happiness” - Dean Karnazes

Vibram Bikilas (blue) Miles: 6.25
Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00Weight: 0.00
Add Comment
Running MilesSwimming YardsBike Miles
6.000.000.00

Day #31: 6 mile progression run; (47:49 on a full stomach, 7:58/mile). Started a little slower than 8:30s for 20, then 8:00s, then last 2 miles in 14:46. Felt good, other than that I was running on a full stomach. Legs pleasantly tired from this long month of miles. Feeling the strongest I ever have at the start of a year. I hope this bodes well for my races this spring and fall! Blew my diet today, was at just about max calories because of pizza. I hate dinner. It's always my downfall.

Sweat drops down the walls,
Right onto the power cords,
Don't worry. I LIVE!

“Catch on fire and others will love to come watch you burn.” 
― John Wesley

Vibram Bikilas (red) Miles: 6.00
Night Sleep Time: 7.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 7.00Weight: 218.00
Add Comment
Running MilesSwimming YardsBike Miles
7.000.000.00

Round 2, Day #32: 7 miles total in 58:49 (good for 8:24/mile). Thoroughly enjoyed this run. Am reading "Born To Run" for the 10th or 11th time, and read a solid 60 pages of if tonight before going to YBar and seeing some fantastic slam poets (@Curtis Asch) in the WXW Winter Invitational. I love their talent. So inspiring! Going to bed now, and then up in about 4.5 hours to start making my midterm for Wednesday as well as preparing for the faculty meeting and my 6th grade health and wellness class. ugh! I hate being underprepared. I feel like I am working harder than ever!

Thunder cats! Insects!
Has anyone seen my balls?
Good times.... great people!!!

"The ultimate is not to win, but to reach within the depths of your capabilities and to compete against yourself to the greatest extent possible. When you do that, you have dignity. You have the pride. You can walk about with character and pride no matter in what place you happen to finish."  - Billy Mills

Vibram Bikilas (red) Miles: 7.00
Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00Weight: 0.00
Add Comment
Running MilesSwimming YardsBike Miles
9.000.000.00

Round 2, Day #33: (AM) 4 miles easy in 35:30, good for 8:53/mile. Felt good and relaxed. Got my sweat on. Weighed in and was 216#. Making a difference and moving towards the end of the scale I want to be at. Finished my midterm exam (28pp). I just hope that the kiddos don't make voodoo dolls. 

Sweat infused glory,
Dictates today will be mine.
Full force. Full fury.

"Everyone is an athlete. The only difference is that some of us are in training and some are not." Dr. George Sheehan

 

Round 2, Day #33: (PM) 5 miles total in 41:24, good for 8:17 a mile. Felt good to get a second run in after a long day. I guess my take away from today's pd is that I need to make more time for me, less time for work, and be more present while at home. It's tough when you are exhausted at the end of the day. Sticking to the diet is getting tough, but I burned some extra calories and I am going to have a small Stewart's reward (first ice cream since Christmas!)

Pain is just weakness.
Give in - it wins. But fight and
Victory is yours!

“Make friends with pain, and you will never be alone."~Ken Chlouber, Colorado miner and creator of the Leadville Trail 100 mile race 

Vibram Bikilas (red) Miles: 9.00
Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00Weight: 0.00
Add Comment
Running MilesSwimming YardsBike Miles
8.500.000.00

Round 2, Day #34: 8.5 miles to push me just over the 200 mile mark for the month! Total Time was 1:09:37, good for 8:11/mile pace! I ran the first 4.1 fairly uneventfully until my bowels felt like they were going to explode and I barely made it to the bathroom. I know exactly what caused it and every time I eat it before a run I tell myself "this is a bad idea". Stupid, stupid, stupid! Ran 33:43 for the first 4.1, good for 8:13/mile. Then got back on the horse, albeit a bit lighter and ran another 4.4 in 35:53, good for 8:09/mile. Am nearly halfway through "Born to Run" again. I just always read it so quickly. I can't put it down!

Corredor con queso
No estoy bien ahora.
Cuidado! Shit! Shit!

"Learn to run when feeling the pain: then push harder." - Ann Trason

Vibram Bikilas (blue) Miles: 8.50
Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00Weight: 0.00
Add Comment
Running MilesSwimming YardsBike Miles
6.000.000.00

Round 2, Day #35: 6 miles late @10pm tonight after having dinner and going on a movie date to the Beacon with Emma. Total time was 48:47, good for a total of 8:08/mile! Wow. Dare I say my fitness is improving? I shouldn't have eaten the popcorn! Legs felt pretty strong and not too tired. I need to get in a double digit day tomorrow though, no exceptions. Will be my 5th week of consecutively higher mileage if that's the case. Trying to get in shape is a tough gig but someone's got to do it. Don't want to embarrass  myself at the indoor marathons in Goshen in February!

Norwegian head hat
And short shorts on Feb the 1st,
Say it ain't so, bro?!

"When I’m out on a long run, the only thing that matters is finishing the run. For once, my brain isn’t going blehblehbleh all the time. Everything quiets down, and the only thing going on is pure flow. It’s just me and the movement and the motion. That’s what I love - just being a barbarian, running through woods." -Jenn Shelton

Vibram Bikilas (blue) Miles: 6.00
Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00Weight: 0.00
Add Comment
Running MilesSwimming YardsBike Miles
6.250.000.00

Round 2, Day #36: 6.25 miles in 47:23, good for 7:35/mile. Eased into the run at a relaxed pace then hit a 5k pretty hard, but the odd thing was my breathing was controlled and I felt like I could have kept that pace for another 5k at least. I ran the 5k in the middle in 22:26, 7:12 pace. Then cooled off. I am thinking about going to Taconic tomorrow in the morning for some loops to just clear my head and get in the zen zone before a day filled with school work. Tomorrow's indulgence will be homemade guacamole!

Forward progress toward
previously far off dreams.
This year will be mine!

“Being a runner means you are now "free" to win and lose and live life to its fullest.” - Bill Rodgers

Vibram Bikilas (blue) Miles: 6.25
Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00Weight: 0.00
Comments(1)
Running MilesSwimming YardsBike Miles
49.000.000.00
Vibram Bikilas (blue) Miles: 27.00Vibram Bikilas (red) Miles: 22.00
Night Sleep Time: 7.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 7.00Weight: 218.00
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