Motivated to Succeed

Troy Turkey Trot 10k

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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: Troy Turkey Trot 10k (6.22 Miles) 00:40:46, Place overall: 73, Place in age division: 16
Running MilesSwimming YardsBike Miles
9.200.000.00

10:30AM - Weather High 30s, cloudy.  The 5k went off an hour before and Jonn cruised to a 19:26 Finish good for 105th place of 3174 runners!!  Had a phenomenal race and finished about 35 seconds ahead of his 20:02 finish last year! Great ruN!

I was getting psyched for my run. Legs felt fresh and relaxed and I was raring to go.  10:30ish came around and still the last of the 5k runners were finishing.  I lined up after a 1.5 mile warm up well back in the pack.  I lined up right under the 7 minute per mile banner, and held my tongue well for the substantially um "hefty" runners that were lumbering up to the starting line for what looked like their first race ever.  More power to them to get out here and run, and I was determined to make up any time I lost later. (Plus I've realized this helps me keep my first mile slower than others so that I feel relaxed later in the race... nothing could have prepared me for the awesome race to come however!

MILE 1 - Hit at 6:50; Under my 7:00 goal pace, and felt good and relaxed, weaving through the slower runners. Crowd was still thick here at this portion.

MILE 2 - Hit at 13:04!! (Had to double check my watch.  Was that for real? That meant I had just ran a 6:14 Mile? And didn't feel winded?? Thinking: "Okay, Benn.  Lay off now; find your rhythm."  "But this IS a rhythm.  A good one too!"  "Well keep with it then!"  Remember what Jonn said:  "Just race."  Fell in behind a nice guy in 80s spandex that seemed to know everyone we met along the course.  As the race was also the New York State Masters 10k Championship, there was a lot at stake for the veteran runners.

MILE 3 - Easy, around 2.5 miles saw the leaders coming back at us, a lot them I know first hand.  It's nice to see at least part of the race develop and see the strategy that's unfolding - how far apart the leaders are.  Hit the 5k MARK at about 20:33 and for the first time realized I was well under my goal pace!  Determined not to let up I pushed with that 80s guy in spandex, staying behind him as we dodged the "rabbits" that were appearing more and more to transition to tortoises.  Thinking mantra: "Do it for, Emmy.  Do it for you.  Take out the slow runners; Take 'em to school!"

MILE 4 - Hit at 26:00 exactly.  Wow Mile 4 was definitely faster I think because I saw as I rounded the cone and came back on the opposite side of the road just how many people I was ahead of.  Also determined to stick with Spandex Man!

MILE 5 - Gradual uphill into the wind.  Starting to feel a little coldness on my hands and my knees.  Should have worn gloves.  Noticed that we had relaxed off the pace a bit as we hit the 5-mile mark at 32:53.  But wait! I wanted to scream!  Is that time right? Checked my watch again... it was!!  I just broke my 5 MILE PR from way back as a Freshman Collegiate XC Runner in 2004!! Previous record: 33:03!!! After a silent celebration with a quick clenched fist "Woot!" I presseed on, setting sights on the next runners!

MILE 6 - Still cruising, sweating, and breathing steady but IRONICALLY not hard!!  I couldn't believe how this race was unfolding.  My previous 10k PR in the race had stood at 46:30.  I knew now I would utterly obliterate that old record.  As I turned the corner for the home straightaway back down towards the starting line, I could hear Emma, My Mom, Jonny, and Suzannah (my sister) screaming for me.  I picked off four more people in the last 300 meters and cruised home....

10K - 40:46!! **NEW 10K PR!** 

I took off my chip and tossed it in the bucket and went to pick up my medal and the real prize I sought ... nice ripe bananas and a multi-grain bar.

Overall Place: 73rd!!! of 671 runners that completed the course (Way better than the 280+ finish of 580 in 2004)

Division Place: 16th of 35

PERSONAL BEST> Post Race Thoughts: Wow that was the biggest adrenaline rush of my running career!  I have never felt more relaxed, more composed, and more proud of myself, even if I finished well back in the pack.  Even if I didnt receive actual trophies, my trophies were sentimental: I had my finisher's medal, but more importantly, I got my long sleeve t-shirt (this was important as the last two years despite me filling out my entry form 8 weeks in advance and checking off a tshirt size I was denied tshirts after driving an hour down to the race on the morning of).  So that was a victory in and of itself.  But perhaps best of all was my family's shock that I'd finished so quickly! 

Jonn: "Holy crap, Benn!  Was that a new PR? I thought you said you were gunning for 45 minutes dude!"

Mom: "Way to go kiddo! That's way faster than I've ever run!"

Emma: "I'm so proud of you, Benn!!! You're my hero!"

Su: "Way to go Boo-Boo! You looked so good! Like you weren't even tired!"

**Afterwards on the way to Thanksgiving weekend with Emma's family I had time to think about the race, and despite me having "horrible form" as Jonn pointed out, as well as weighing 166 pounds on race day (as opposed to the 149 in 2004), I had managed to set a huge PERSONAL RECORD!   I can't wait for my next race, and I'm determined that after I take a couple days to enjoy the Turkey Day festivities I will restart solid training.  This is my lazy weekend, plus I haven't seen Emmy in 3 and a half weeks since Halloween so it's time to take a couple days off.  Still about 30 miles this week.  Next week I'll get back on track.

 

40:46 Overall Time   6:35 PACE PER MILE!!!! Felt so good!

Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00Weight: 0.00
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