Motivated to Succeed

Fortitude for First Descents Marathon

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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: 

 

 

 

 

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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
72.200.0015.00
Vibram Bikilas (red) Miles: 27.10
Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00Weight: 0.00
Race: Fortitude for First Descents Marathon (26.4 Miles) 05:35:00, Place overall: 74
Running MilesSwimming YardsBike Miles
27.000.000.00

Drove straight from work to home. My mom stopped here and we got into the Yaris and on our way as soon as I said goodbye to Emmy. Drove through I-87 South, into Jersey, a million tollbooths later and we finally got to the hotel at 1130 pm. I passed out, only to be woken up at about 130 or 2am by a fire siren in the small suburb of Dover, DE. Got up at 5am, bath and dressed, on the road by 6am. Got to Lewes, DE at 7am. Got changed, used the restroom and got to the starting line. Lots of Maniacs there. Announcements claimed that there was a First Descents participant in the crowd, a young lady dressed in pink. She was running her first marathon. In addition, there was a 9 year old boy named Niklaus who was running his first marathon (he ended up coming in only about 20 minutes after me! AND he beat his dad!). He is trying to run 7 marathons on 7 continents to raise $1,000,000 for charity. I hope he succeeds in his quest! They gave some directions and we were off! 

Loop 1 (6.6. miles - 1:10:00). Felt good. Went out slow and just enjoyed the sights and sounds. Settled into an honest pace. Wearing regular shoes, first time for a marathon since May 2011 - weird.  Made sure to stay in front of at least a dozen or so runners. Loop was nice. 1.5 miles on pavement, then 1.5 miles through boggy smelly tide pool area, then 1.5 miles through pine forrest, and finally 1.5 miles along the beach path. Aid stations at 2 miles and 4 miles. Ate 1 Hammer Gel.

Loop 2 (6.6 miles - 1:12:00). Feeling okay. Had another Hammer Gel. Ankle a little sore but not bad. Hamstrings hurt the most because of the orthotics I think, but I needed the support or else I would not be able to withstand the pounding. Stayed pretty consistent. Saw mom at about mile 10 and she let me change shirts. Got out of my sweaty sweatshirt and into my Stockadeathon orange shirt and my "bunghole" shirt from Bunghole Liquors in Salem, MA.

Loop 3 (6.6 miles - 1:35:00). Walked a loop with mom. I would run the 4 different "tentacles" that were out and backs that broke off, and then jog until I caught up with her, then fast walk and talk with her. I loved this part. It's been a while since I got to spend quality time with my madre! A couple people passed us but that was ok.

Loop 4 (6.6 miles - 1:30:00). Mom said she was up for walking one more, which would mean a total of about 15 miles of walking for her. I did the same thing as the last loop, and then kept running for the last 2 miles. Nearly caught a group of about 4-5 runners up ahead. The guys I was playing cat/mouse with (brothers or cousins with the same last name) did not come back. I think they were annoyed because they thought they could catch me. Little do they know that I was taking it easy because of the lingering pain in the sprained ankle department. Finished only to find out there was no food left! Argh! I hate that! Always no food for the back of the packers.

Total Time: 5:35:xx Total Distance 26.4 miles - 74th of 92 finishers. 

Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00Weight: 0.00
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Biked 60 minutes while I read the first 107 pages of Powell's Relentless Forward Progress.

Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00Weight: 0.00
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Running MilesSwimming YardsBike Miles
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Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00Weight: 0.00
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Running MilesSwimming YardsBike Miles
1.000.000.00

Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00Weight: 0.00
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Running MilesSwimming YardsBike Miles
3.100.000.00

Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00Weight: 0.00
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Running MilesSwimming YardsBike Miles
1.000.000.00

Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00Weight: 0.00
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3.000.000.00

3 miles easy in 25:34, followed by 300 crunches and 25 pushups. And so it begins... Body Transformation 2013.

Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00Weight: 0.00
Comments(1)
Running MilesSwimming YardsBike Miles
1.000.000.00

Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00Weight: 0.00
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Running MilesSwimming YardsBike Miles
5.000.000.00

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Running MilesSwimming YardsBike Miles
15.000.000.00

Round 2, Day #1: 15 miles on the dreadmill. Sweatfest and I loved every second of it. Most of the pain in the ankle is gone. Sprained ankles suck! Speaking of which, how are you doing,Brendan Avila?

Running is my bliss,
Work hard for the big pay offs,
Two thousand thirteen.

Vibram Bikilas (red) Miles: 15.00
Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00Weight: 0.00
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Running MilesSwimming YardsBike Miles
2.000.000.00

Round 2, Day #2: 2 miles on the dreadmill before Emm got home. Nothing too major. Everything feels good, just a little sore from yesterday. Only 2 months until the indoor marathon fest!

Beat the inner doubts,
Rise above and conquer all,
Sweat you fatty! Sweat!

Vibram Bikilas (red) Miles: 2.00
Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00Weight: 0.00
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Running MilesSwimming YardsBike Miles
3.100.000.00

Round 2, Day #3: 3.10 miles in 30:55. Steady as she goes. Finished "Relentless Forward Progress" and sent in my application to 3 Days at the Fair's 48 hour race 5.17-5.19. It's official. Here's goes nothing. Still taking it easy trying to rehab the ankle. I want to strengthen, not reinjure.

Ultrarunning strong
Guide me on this quest of strength.
No try, only DO!

Vibram Bikilas (red) Miles: 3.10
Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00Weight: 0.00
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Running MilesSwimming YardsBike Miles
7.000.000.00

Round 2, Day #4: 7 miles as I read 120 pages from the Rrrrick's book. Sweaty miles. Nothing special. Felt good though. Last mile was a sub 8. Total time was 63:00 for 9:00/ mile.

Most miles ever,
Next year will more greatness.

Time to achieve, bro!

 

2012 RACES:

  • 2/25/12 Maple Leaf Indoor Marathon #1 - Goshen, Indiana -5:18:24, 20th place overall, 19th in AG
  • 2/26/12 Maple Leaf Indoor Marathon #2 - Goshen, Indiana -5:39:07, 22nd place overall, 19 in AG 
  • 4/29/12 BPAC 6 Hour - Buffalo, New York 5:30:00, 29.5 miles completed (average pace of 11:11/ mile!)
  • 5/12/12 Mind the Ducks 12 Hour - Rochester, New York 32 miles, 7:00:00
  • 5/27/12 Lenox Memorial Day Marathon - Lenox, Massachusetts5:28:09, 107th overall of 139 finishers, 15 in AG.
  • 6/19/12 BART Field Day Mile
  • 7/4/12 28th Annual Independence Day Run 5k 
  • 7/27/12 24 Hour Around the Lake (12 hour race) - Wakefield, MA 5:19:00
  • 7/28/12 The Color Run (5k) - Boston, MA 
  • 9/3/12 Greylock Road Race (8 mi), 1:32:50, 47th place overall 
  • 9/22/12 Hancock Shaker Village 50 miler  - DNF Started, got lost, 32 miles in the woods in 7:43 and got out for beer. Only 7 finishers total.
  • 10/14/12 Shillelagh Shuffle 3 mile - 20:59, 147th place, 8/66 in age group of 1641 finishers. Emm - 21:58 and 6th of 131 in AG.
  • 10/21/12 Baystate Marathon - Lowell, MA NEW PR! 4:26:50
  • 11/11/12 Stockadeathon 15k - Schenectady, NY  1:12:07 (1st Clydesdale!)
  • 11/xx/12 Saratoga Turkey Trot 5k
  •  12/1 Fortitude for First Descents Marathon, DE (5:35:40, 75th of 95 finishers)
  •  

    2012 Books I've Read:  

    • Hunger Games, Suzanne Collins
    • Catching Fire, Suzanne Collins
    • Mockingjay, Suzanne Collins
    • Running on Empty, Marshall Ulrich
    • C.C. Pyle's Amazing Footrace, Geoff Williams
    • Journey into Mohawk Country, George O'Connor and Van den Bogaert 
    •  The Girl in the Green Raincoat, Laura Lippman
    • I, Alex Cross, James Patterson
    • A Few Degrees from Hell: the 2003 Badwater Ultramarathon, Scott Ludwig 
    • The Automatic Millionaire, David Bach
    • The Couple's Guide to Finishing Rich, David Bach
    • See Dane Run: One Man, 52 Weekends, 52 Marathons, Dane Rauschenberg
    • Killer Instinct, Joseph Finder
    • Around the World in Eighty Days, Jules Verne
    • Pirate Latitudes, Michael Crichton 
    • 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Jules Verne
    • Running For My Life, Lopez Lomong
    • Eat & Run, Scott Jurek 
    • Ice Hunt, James Rollins 

     

 

Vibram Bikilas (red) Miles: 7.00
Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00Weight: 0.00
Add Comment
Running MilesSwimming YardsBike Miles
72.200.0015.00
Vibram Bikilas (red) Miles: 27.10
Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00Weight: 0.00
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