Motivated to Succeed

April 28, 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: 

 

 

 

 

Favorite Blogs:

Click to donate
to Ukraine's Armed Forces
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
0.000.000.00

Embarrassed that I have not been blogging that much. Simply have not had the time to exercise with work and school finishing up. Finally got my stuff handed in. Huge storm in the northeast shut down everythign and made it problematic with our final classes last Thursday night. Good news from today: GOT MY NEW ORTHOTICS! I am supposed to wear them 1 hour today and then add an hour each day until I get up to 7-10 hours. Then I can start jogging in them. Follow up scheduled for next month sometime. I am excited. I hope that this will mean new and better things on the horizon! Keep the faith! Waddle on friends! as our friend John "the Penguin" Bingam would say!

 

Kind of somber story.. reminder to treat each day like it is our last and to keep the faith. Everyone please pray for all those affected by winter weather this year.

My sister's exboyfriend Will is a pretty good guy. He and his two brothers have had a pretty rough few years lately with his mother passing away in 2005. Though he doesn't come around the house much any more, his youngest brother, Shane (9) is like a brother to me. My mom takes care of him a lot and he spends a lot of time here. Well his father's new girlfriend has family in the area and I guess her parents' best friends moved up to Scotia near here a year or two ago. With the power out everyone out here has been using generators and her parents' friends started theirs up to keep the heat on. They left the door open for ventilation, but I guess the door closed in the heavy windstorm the other night. Well to make a long story short their daughters dog was over there and she called to check on it. When no one answered she went over, and found that her father had died in his sleep and her mother had woken up and tried to get out but had collapsed on the bed, also expired. :( Needless to say this is not what Will and Shane's family needs to go through right now ;(. On top of that I have to see their other brother, Jeremy (19) at work tonight. Hoii.. 'Tis not the season for downers like this

Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00Weight: 0.00
Comments
From marion on Tue, Dec 16, 2008 at 12:21:14

Yeah!!! Yeah that school is over! Yeah that the orthotics are here!! Yeah for waddling on! I am ice skating! FUN!!! Spring will be here in 3 months!!!

From The Howling Commando on Tue, Dec 16, 2008 at 15:29:32

I can't wait for spring! the scary thing is it's not even officially WINTER yet! :(

From marion on Tue, Dec 16, 2008 at 15:39:29

True- but only 5 days until official winter begins! Then we will be in for 2.5 crappy months and 2 months of iffy weather and then SUMMER!!!

YEHA!!!

From marion on Tue, Dec 16, 2008 at 15:42:08

Benn, I just read your update- that is HORRIBLE! I am SO sorry! That is so sad. Hang in there and just love them as best you can! Again, I am SO, so sorry!

From Brent on Tue, Dec 16, 2008 at 21:12:06

Benn, best to you with the Orthos. By the way, I have heard the John the Waddle man speack several times. Me being a avid reader of runners world could not resist talking to him before is talk at the Honolulu marathon. Well, I was the brunt on all of his jokes during his talk. I did not realize him asking me questions was material to poke fun at my competitive side. He is a good speaker and has a good perspective on "non competitive running". I wish that I would have had a tape recorder. *Note, one thing about going to marathons, I have met Alberto Salazar, Joan Benoit, Dick Beardsley and several other legends. I also had Joan autograph her book and have autographs of several of them for my scrap book. I still think that Alberto is the best marathoner of all time.

Sorry to hear about the passing of your friends. It seems we have the same thing happen in Utah a couple of times each year.

From The Howling Commando on Wed, Dec 17, 2008 at 00:46:04

Marion - Yes, cannot wait until SUMMER!; Thanks for the support. I know they'll get through this. They are very strong.

Brent - How lucky! I have yet to get a single autograph for my scrap book! I'm ashamed of my lack of one actually. :( . However I did read "Duel in the Sun" and I have to say it was one of my favorite reads. How cool to meet such legends, Brent! This might sound corny, but you are a legend in your own right, at least to me. You're a mortal legend for a back of the packer like me! :-D

From will on Wed, Dec 17, 2008 at 21:25:04

Benn, tough times, for sure. As van Gogh liked to say, sorrowful, yet rejoicing.

Congrats on finishing up the semester, and good luck with your new shoe thingys.

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