Motivated to Succeed

December 21, 2024

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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
6.600.000.00

8:10 AM - This week in the northeast is going to be cold. And colder. And then even colder at night. Not cool. I decided after a successful class last night I would celebrate with my long run for the week this morning before my two classes tonight. I woke up around 7 and had a cup of coffee and a piece of toast and drove to the school. Temperature was between 15 and 20 I'd say with a slight 5-10 mph wind. Went out and back on Parkis and Crane, two roads I do a lot of my runs on primarily because I like the lack of traffic on them! Funny thing was when I got back to my car I actually got to laugh at how funny I looked. I was bundled in 3 layers on my legs, 3 on my torso, mittens and a hat. But the funny part was that I had icicles hanging from my glasses and all in my beard. I looked worse than Snoqualmie Ridge Runner's picture I think it was. I had neglected to keep my camera in my car last night because I didn't want the cold to zap the batteries, so the best I could do was take a photo with my camera, though I am technologically slow and don't have any text messages or anything so don't know if I can actually transfer the picture to my computer? All in all a really fun run. Splits were:

  • Mile 1: 9:10
  • Mile 2: 8:57
  • Mile 3: 8:41
  • Mile 4: 9:06 (big hill)
  • Mile 5: 8:43
  • Mile 6: 8:35
  • .6: 4:55 (8:11)

Total Time: 58:09 Total Distance: 6.6 mi Average Pace: 8:48

11:00 PM - Found a fortune cookie on the oven when I got home just now from school. I opened it and read it. I will try to live up to this "fortune" in 2009: "Ambition has no obstacles." - Wise Chinese He/She

Asics 2120s Chili Pepper #1 Miles: 6.60
Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00Weight: 0.00
Comments
From Marion on Tue, Jan 13, 2009 at 10:52:40

You should be able to send the picture to your email address. My girls do it all the time. They just type in the email address into the "to" line for the message with the pic. Then save the pic to your computer and VOILA!!! If that does not work- I will PM you my cell phone number so you can send me the pic. I have got to see it!

It is SO cold, you brave brave man!! Are those leggies of yours behaving???

From Lucia on Tue, Jan 13, 2009 at 10:55:46

WOW you guys have it really cold! It's not as bad here, I don't think. As long as the wind isn't blowing hard, the cold is tolerable. And it's been very dry too. No snow. Boo hoo!

Congrats on starting a new semester! You'll do great!

From The Howling Commando on Tue, Jan 13, 2009 at 11:07:32

Marion - Okay, thanks! I'm going to try to do that! My legs are doing fine. I only had a little bit of heel pain last week at the end of one of my shifts, but I think it was just from standing so long at work! No pain before or after today's run :)

Lucia - Thanks! I hope I do well, too! Yeah it's supposed to be a cold week, which I don't understand. We have all this snow on the ground and I thought snow was an insulator!

From The Howling Commando on Tue, Jan 13, 2009 at 11:24:56

hmm I tried sending it to my e-mail and it said invalid address. Would it be possible to send it to someone else's phone and then have them upload it on to a computer and email it back to me? I guess I really should remember to carry my digital camera with me more often!

From Marion on Tue, Jan 13, 2009 at 11:29:47

I can't send it to my email address, but my girls can to their gmail accounts. You could send it to me or someone else who knows how to do it. My girls will be home after school :) They also send their pics directly to their facebooks too.

From The Howling Commando on Tue, Jan 13, 2009 at 11:49:24

Well maybe if they don't mind we could ask them to help us send it to one of yours or their phones and then they can email it back? I just think it's a funny picture and I would like to have it somewhere in my collection :)

P.S. I make some mean PB cookies if I need a little leverage for them to help a stranger :D

From wheakory on Tue, Jan 13, 2009 at 12:21:25

Nice workout and what such dedication. From your house is the traffic bad? Do you ever start a run from your house? I'm just curious. We can now call you "bundled icicle man"? Just joking I know how much determination it takes to run in the cold weather and your a great athlete and have a lot of determination.

From Marion on Tue, Jan 13, 2009 at 12:23:48

Naw- they don't mind. I'll pm you my cell #

From The Howling Commando on Tue, Jan 13, 2009 at 12:35:14

Kory - Yeah I will run from my house a lot of times, but never in the winter after my close encounter 2 years ago. My road is a dead end road and is connected to one of the busiest 2 lane roads in the county. Hence they always have snow plows going to keep the roads clean, and as it is either .8 or 1.5 miles respectively in either direction to get off of that road onto another road, I don't want to risk my life any more out there on Rt. 29. hehe

Marion. Cool Thanks! I hope it works!

From Kelli on Wed, Jan 14, 2009 at 15:35:57

I saw the news reports----BRRRR!!!!! Glad I am only in the kind of cold not the really cold! BUNDLE UP, or stay in!

Why was their a fortune cookie in the oven?

From The Howling Commando on Thu, Jan 15, 2009 at 08:02:53

Yeah we'll see what today's run brings, Kelli! It's below zero right now :(!

There was a fortune cookie ON the oven not in it hehe. Someone left one out for me I guess

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