Motivated to Succeed

March 29, 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:

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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
15.000.000.00

1:00 PM - Emma had to work 8:30 - 7:00 today. I hopped on the treadmill after getting some veggies to make a casserole dish for dinner. Watched a couple episodes of "Intervention", and then contented myself to reading the next 60 pages of Geoff Williams's book. I really like this book.

Here is one of my favorite parts of the book because I think things haven't really changed. People try to exploit something that they think can benefit them only to have it blow up in their face.

"In another instance, Pyle's advance men came into one town - probably in Arizona - drumming up support and interest in the race before the runners came through. They mentioned the names of some of the runners to one of the newspaper editors, who perked up when he heard about Phillip Granville. "That is rather coincidental," the editor said. "He is Canadian, and so am I. His name is Granville, and by jove, so is mine. I wonder if it could be....

The editor guessed that Granville might be a cousin, and Pyle's men didn't dissuade him. Before the race, the editor wrote a lot of articles about Granville, giving him a ton of publicity and making it seem that he was the finest athlete in all the land, which was not a wholly outrageous statement. Granville, the editor, bragged to his friends that Granville the runner was his cousin. After whipping the town into a frenzy, the editor stood with a group of his friends as the runners came through, anxiously waiting to welcome his would-be relative."

"The editor, who was white, was unaware that Phillip Granville was black, an Oxford-educated Canadian born in Jamaica. It was never recorded exactly what happened when everyone saw Granville run through the town..." (page 104) 

Total Time: 2:28:36 Total Distance: 15 miles Average Pace: 9:54/ mile 

Vibram Komodo Sports (yellow) Miles: 15.00
Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00Weight: 0.00
Comments
From Nate on Mon, Apr 02, 2012 at 08:47:32 from 67.20.217.232

Your treadmilling ability kills me. I'm jealous, after about 13 miles I'm ready to cut off a foot so I can stop

From Benn Griffin on Tue, Apr 03, 2012 at 08:20:57 from 72.43.210.34

Thanks, Nate. I like to read on the treadmill a lot. Helps me feel like I'm accomplishing more than just running. Plus keeps me close to home in case I am needed.

How are things? What races you got on the horizon? I saw a couple serious weeks of miles touching 50! I sir am jealous of that! A good week for me is 30 and a great is 35+. Doesn't happen all that much for me though! haha

Keep in touch and hope to see your training paying off in big ways!

Benn

From Nate on Tue, Apr 03, 2012 at 08:49:48 from 67.20.217.233

I get dizzy if I try to read on the treadmill so I just end up watching TV shows on DVD while plugging away.

I have a half marathon coming up the first weekend in May and then just 5-15k scattered over the summer. I was going to run a fall marathon but I'm gonna scrap it and hope my last time gets me into boston for 2013

I'm trying to maintain a good base (45+mpw hopefully closer to 55) for the year so when I start training for boston towards the end of the year I'll be in good shape to bump up the mileage.

You're ultra schedule is looking pretty ambitious. Good luck with all the miles!

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