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The Gazette Stockade-athon 15k

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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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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
Race: The Gazette Stockade-athon 15k (9.321 Miles) 01:14:31, Place overall: 429, Place in age division: 24
Running MilesSwimming YardsBike Miles
10.400.000.00

8:30 AM - It was cold this morning in Galway. Only about 30 degrees or so. Gorgeous though. The sun was out. By race time at 9am it was probably mid 40s and still climbing. I ended up wearing a long sleeve shirt which was probably overdressing. My dad came with me to the Stockade-athon 15k race in Schenectady today. It was the fifth time that I've run it and my dad is also a veteran of the race, finishing it seven or eight times, though he hasn't run it in a few years because he broke his toe and had achilles issues. Now instead he goes for long walks with my mom on the backroads. They're doing a 7 mile walk this afternoon actually. (I know they both like the time they spend together :-D) Got to Schenectady around 8:30 and rushed over to the pavilion to pick up my packet and the t-shirt. I was one of the last ones to get the packet I guess. Went and put the bib on my shorts (I like wearing the bib on the shorts instead of the shirt because it minimizes annoyances. Put a PowerGel in my pouch on the Ampiphod and stretched. My dad saw an old coworker across the parking lot, Skip Acox, whom I had not seen since I was about four years old. Skip actually got my dad his first administration job as an assistant principal after he had been a kindergarten teacher for so long. He said it was nice to catch up. Afterwards, made our way out to the starting area. It was a pretty deep field, and the eventual winner actually flew in from Colorado for the race. Shaun Donegan, the winner of all the trail 5ks I did this summer (5k PR about 15:48) ended up getting 16th and about 52:00 time.

THE RACE:

No time for a warm-up. Ankle felt good while I was jogging in place and stretching. I had only run twice in the last two weeks so I didn't know what to expect. Race was supposed to start at 9am but late registrations pushed the start time back five or ten minutes. Eventually the gun went off and we were off, though I had placed myself between the  8:00-9:00 mile markers. Going into the race, I was hoping for: A - sub 1:20, B - sub 1:25, C - sub 1:30

MILE 1: (8:51) The first mile was a bit slow because I was trapped in the ranks. My GARMIN said that I ran an 8:38 first mile which was a bit better. I find it amusing that there are people that will line up contrary to where they should be ability wise. Case in point was a cluster of overweight men in front of me that were talking about running a 1:30 pace, which would have put them farther behind me, more in the 10:00-11:00 range. Had to bide my time until the first hill at the mile 1 mark where ranks start to thin. Saw my dad standing on the left side of the hill and I threw my pair of gloves over to him. He wished me good luck. And we were off.

MILES 2-3: (7:39; 7:38) The next miles were significantly faster. My legs felt fresh and as the first four and change miles are downhill before turning and going uphill, I worked the downhills. Was steadily picking up and spitting out the back all the runners that started too fast. I felt relaxed, calm, cool, and collected as I made my way out of the park and down past the hospital towards the Stockade. Hit the 5k mark in 24:59. Alright! I'll take that to the bank!

MILES 4-5: (7:15; 7:33) Mile 4 brought us into the stockade area. I was cruising on the steep downhills, but was still relaxed and sipping every 5-minutes from the waterbottle. Took water from the aid stations as there was room, but it was better to have my own bottle! As I entered the stockade, unzipped the pouch and took a Vanilla flavored PowerGel. First time I had used this brand and flavor. Not a big fan, but it went down easy enough. Tasted like luke warm soupy pudding. Cruised through mile 5 knowing that the State Street Hill loomed on the horizon. Swung a wide left out onto State Street. Hear it comes.

MILE 6: (8:16) State Street Hill is a massive, multi-tiered hill gaining probably about 300 feet by the time you hit the top. It is an unforgiving hill and many newbies get chewed up and spit out. This was my fifth time running this race so I know what to expect. My biking expertise comes into play on hills. I shorten my stride but keep the same cadence and lean in slightly, keeping my focus about five feet in front of me. Steadily I climb, and albeit slower than some runners, I find by the time I get to the top I am able to recover faster and overtake people that pass me on the uphill.  A lot of carnage here on the hill, especially when we round the corner about halfway up and people realize the hill's just begun. I happen to like uphills. So much fun! Second 5k split was: 24:14.

MILE 7: (8:12) A bit more uphill through the cemetery (a new addition in the last couple years) and then we hung a left onto a side road before coming to the right turn which brought yet another hill to come back up and into the park. The second half of the race is truly brutal. It will really mess you up if you aren't ready. I did my short stepping technique and held my ground. Came up and over the hill and could see people finishing. The last two miles you are doing a loop around the park and then another one inside of it, but one of the beautiful things about the setup is that you can see people a couple miles ahead of you as they are doing the last .5 mile loop around the Duck Pond to finish up.

MILE 8: (8:19) Saw my dad cheering for me which gave me a much needed morale boost. My right hamstring was getting a bit tight, and then I remembered I didn't really stretch my hammys much before the race. Oops! That'll teach you not to cop out of a warmup haha. Mile 8 has changed in the last two years too to cut out a hill around the tennis courts. Phew! Went backwards along the first mile and a half of the course. Held my ground and continued to pick up the carnage from ahead.

MILE 9: (8:11) Thought I was picking up the pace as I was picking people off, but I guess I was holding steady. My third 5k split was 25:20, so I slowed a bit from earlier in the race. Entered the loop by the Duck Pond and my dad was waiting on the left. It is so awesome to have people cheering for you. Was nice to see him there. We share so much with this course and running in general, especially since fifth grade when I started to run with him and did my first 5k alongside him.  He's my hero. Held steady until the 9 mile mark and then picked it up. Ended up doing the last .38 miles in 2:47 (7:22 pace).

Finished and crossed the line. They now have automatic timing chips, as the ARE (Albany Running Exchange) hosts the race now. Only I couldn't get the bread tie twists to come off. Eventually a lady helped me take it off and I looked to my left and saw my friend Jen who also runs and ran the Philadelphia Marathon in 2008 finish only 30ish seconds behind me. Not bad considering her achilles has been hurting her she said. Was cool to see someone I knew :)

Overall, the race was a huge success. Was not expecting this result considering I haven't done good training in the last couple weeks aside from some biking. Ended up smashing my A-goal out of the water. Finished in 1:14:31, good for 8:00 a mile, although if you factor in the extra .06 I ran starting in the middle of the pack, I actually ran 7:56 pace per mile!  Good enough for 429th place out of 1268 runners, and 24th of 37 runners in my age group.

Total Time: 1:14:31  Total Distance: 9.38 miles Average Pace: 7:56!

COOLDOWN: Wanted to redeem myself for not doing a warmup, so I slow jogged to the car and then did three loops arond the soccer field as I waited for my dad to walk to the car. My quads were shot, probably from the wind trainer and from all the downhills in the first half of the race. I will sleep well tonight! 1 mile in about 10:17.

Brooks Addictions 8 - #2 Miles: 10.40
Night Sleep Time: 8.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 8.00Weight: 0.00
Comments
From Brent on Sun, Nov 08, 2009 at 15:08:45 from 66.7.127.219

Benn, nice race and rade report, shows how strong you are. How is the ankle? Nice to have your dad support you. My mother has seen me finish 2 marathons and one 4 mile race, my date 1 marathon and a 4 mile race. Nice to have your parent's support, especially where you dad has walked the walk.

Stay Kool, Strong Winter, B of BS Rools out

From Gazelle on Sun, Nov 08, 2009 at 18:50:42 from 96.240.196.167

:)

From Will on Sun, Nov 08, 2009 at 21:36:47 from 76.199.12.83

Yes! What a great race!! You were flying and ran great, you are getting faster and stronger, keep it rolling this winter.

From seeaprilrun on Mon, Nov 09, 2009 at 11:13:02 from 68.103.250.39

Great race and you smashed your A goal! Sometimes the break from running serves as a taper and you have fresh legs and run faster. Glad the ankle is better.

From Rossy on Mon, Nov 09, 2009 at 13:06:32 from 151.151.21.103

Benn, terrific race (especially after recovering from an injured ankle)! Also, I completely agree with your strategy for running uphill and need to adopt this strategy; that is, sometimes I attack them too much; therefore, I get passed after the climb is over. I’m just starting to learn how to give consistent effort on the hills with a shorter stride and a nice lean. Run on!

From Snoqualmie on Mon, Nov 09, 2009 at 16:14:39 from 24.18.192.33

Another fantastic accomplishment in the bag!

From The Howling Commando on Mon, Nov 09, 2009 at 21:17:10 from 72.224.31.85

Thanks, everyone! Felt pretty good yesterday. Groaning like an old grandpa today though! Did a recovery run at the track and quads and hammys were crazy go nuts sore! Ankle feels pretty good though.

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