Motivated to Succeed

Troy Turkey Trot 5k & 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 5k & 10k (6.22 Miles) 00:50:42, Place overall: 345, Place in age division: 31
Running MilesSwimming YardsBike Miles
10.500.000.00

9:30 AM - Got up early and headed down to Troy, NY with Emma and my brothers Jonny and Harry. Annual Turkey Trot fun! Jonn couldn't run because he had surgery on his hand yesterday, but Harry and Emma were signed up for the 5k and I was signed up for the 10k. I told Emm and Harry I would run the race with them. We found a parking spot and then jogged over to the start line around 9am so that we could use the facilities before the race. Kind of bummed we didn't get the size of shirts we ordered. This is an annual problem. Stupid race organizers ask what size shirt you wear and then don't order the size for you anyways! Grr. This was the largest field they've had. Over 6600 runners! We lined up a bit far back but it was still fun.

Race conditions at the start were cloudy skies and temps in the high 20s to low 30s. I should have brought spandex, but alas I did not have any. We lined up and waited for the gun.

THE RACE: (5k) - Bandito Fabuloso

MILE 1: Very, very slow. We ran a 12 or 13 something. Blah! Started picking our way through the crowds and running on the sidewalk. Harry was keeping up fine! We were following Emm who was setting the pace in front. It is actually kind of fun to start towards the back and just race around slower runners. We did this last year to great effect because we arrived late to the starting line.

MILE 2: This mile was much faster, right around 8 minutes. Pushed it and Harry kept pace and actually pulled me along! Really fun!

MILE 3: We kept on pushing, even as the crowd thickened as we caught the stragglers falling back to us. Many of the 6600 runners are not even "Weekend Warriors" as a sub 21:00 5k will get you in the top 75 usually. We pushed all the way to the finish and I am certain our last mile was a sub-8:00. 

We finished with a "gun time" of 29:43 and 29:44. Emm got 1675th place overall, 78/283 in her division, and Harry got 1680th place and 292/532 in his division. I ran bandit. If I looked at our actual splits, I would put us around a 25:30 5k minus the incredibly slow first mile. FUN!

 

THE 10k RACE - 10:45 am Race conditions: high 20s/low 30s, overcast skies. Note: should have worn spandex! Numb legs!

I jogged to the car after the 5k and switched shirts quickly before hitting up the port-a-johns and getting in line for the 10k. The 10k is a championship race, but always much smaller, typically 500 or so runners. Today there were 752 finishers. Didn't know how to approach this race given my poor training this fall and especially given the goose egg "0" mileage last week! I was hoping to average somewhere near my 8:08 pace at Stockadeathon a few weeks ago.

MILE 1: (8:35) Went with the flow for the first mile as we made our way out for the first of two loops. Ran the 5k course in reverse. Bittersweet because the long gradual downhill turned into a long gradual uphill x 2! 

MILE 2: (7:24) Way too fast! Got sucked along with a group and didn't watch the time! Oops! Made a decision to slow down before the 5k mark.

MILE 3: Feeling pretty good as I made my way around the corner and the start of the second loop. I hit the 3.1 5k mark somewhere around 24:30. 

MILES 4-5: Hurting a bit. My fingers and legs were starting to get numb and I started to get passed by people that had 1. not run the 5k minutes before and 2. had saved some in the tank for the second loop. I just kept my pace honest and hoped for the best. Ran these somewhere in the 8's.

MILE 6: Finished with little feeling in my legs. They almost hurt from the cold! Fading but that was to be expected with poor training. Finished with a smile though and picked off a couple people :D. Only a few seconds off my pace from Stockadeathon! Not bad!

Total Time: 50:42 Total Distance: 6.22 miles Average Pace: 8:11 

Brooks Addictions 8 - #4 Miles: 10.50
Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00Weight: 0.00
Comments
From Rossy on Fri, Nov 26, 2010 at 17:36:56 from 151.151.16.7

Sounds like your Turkey Trot was also pretty cold.... Anyway, nice race Benn (especially after coming off of last week)! Keep it up and this spring you'll be back to running some seriously fast miles!

From Nate on Sat, Nov 27, 2010 at 11:13:06 from 67.252.184.93

Cool RR, the Troy TT 10k is/was my favorite race of the year and I miss getting to do it. I was always a little sad that the 10k never got the crowd the 5k did and it was a nice warm-up jogging it before the 10. The weather was always so crazy, it could be 60 or 0 and you never knew until mid-morning. I'd always have a pile of clothes with me. Good luck getting speedy and thin again. It's my plan too!

From Benn Griffin on Sat, Nov 27, 2010 at 21:53:18 from 72.224.17.255

Thanks, Ross! I got to keep track of what I eat and make the effort to work out every day during the winter even if I don't want to and even if it's only for 20 or 30 minutes.

Nate! So good to see you on here! It's been a while. Haven't seen you since probably '04 or '05 at the Wilton races. How have you been?

From Nate on Sun, Nov 28, 2010 at 12:02:13 from 67.252.184.93

Yeah, 2004, the last summer I lived at home. Those Camp Saratoga races were always tough, working a full day and then getting your butt kicked at a XC race. Been good and living in Buffalo, the later part of college was rough on me fitness wise but all is well out here. Congrats on the marriage and job and what-not

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