Motivated to Succeed

Week starting Apr 07, 2013

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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
44.600.000.00
Vibram Bikilas (green) Miles: 44.60
Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00Weight: 0.00
Running MilesSwimming YardsBike Miles
10.000.000.00

Round 2, Day #100: 10 miles early; 4 miles at about 9:15 pace, followed by 4 miles of alternating hard 800s by recovery 800s. Hard 800s were 3:51, 3:51, 3:50, and 3:48. Cooled down for 2 miles afterwards. Time to put my feet up and relax a little.

Consolidated
successes. Sometimes that's all
it takes - rewarding.

“Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional.” 
― Haruki Murakami

Vibram Bikilas (green) Miles: 10.00
Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00Weight: 0.00
Comments(1)
Running MilesSwimming YardsBike Miles
2.000.000.00

Day #101: 2 miles in 17:31. Nice and easy. 

Monkey trouble will
spur others to follow suit.
Leading to carnage.

"I not only use all the brains I have, but all I can borrow." - Woodrow Wilson 

Vibram Bikilas (green) Miles: 2.00
Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00Weight: 0.00
Add Comment
Running MilesSwimming YardsBike Miles
6.500.000.00

Day #102: 6.5 miles total. 1.5 miles with the nutrition/fitness class. Did 1 mile warm up in about 9:30, 3 miles of 1 min "on" at 7.5-7.7mph and 1 min "off" in 25:30, then 9:17 cooldown. Total of 5 miles for the workout, 6.5 miles for the day. Got a bit cocky with .1 to go and tripped the circuit with .02 on the last "on" oops! Went up the steep hill by Russell Field for the first time today. Holy crap that's a beast! New xc team workout hill??

Summit the steep climb
and your reward is endless...
Magnificence conquers all.

"A big leather-bound volume makes an ideal razorstrap. A thin book is useful to stick under a table with a broken caster to steady it. A large, flat atlas can be used to cover a window with a broken pane. And a thick, old-fashioned heavy book with a clasp is the finest thing in the world to throw at a noisy cat." - Mark Twain

Vibram Bikilas (green) Miles: 6.50
Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00Weight: 0.00
Add Comment
Running MilesSwimming YardsBike Miles
6.000.000.00

Day #103: 6 miles in 52:32, steady as she goes. Was a bit dehydrated. And sweaty. Drank 48 oz of water afterwards from a wide mouth ball jar. Yeah, you read that right.

A chupacabra
sweat running with a full beard.
Fear the beard, junior!

"The revolution is carried out by means of one's thought, not through one's family background." - Kim Jong Il

Vibram Bikilas (green) Miles: 6.00
Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00Weight: 0.00
Add Comment
Running MilesSwimming YardsBike Miles
6.100.000.00

Day #104: 6.1 miles total. 2 miles with nutrition class. Evening workout was a progression run. 1 mile warm up and then hit it hard: 4:36, 3:58, 3:36, 3:07, 1.1 mile cooldown. I was breathing hard the last one.. but I don't really feel tired. 31:31 total for the 4.1 effort (7:41 pace)

Butt cheeks stare at me.
Fanny mcgee baby cakes!
Can't touch 'dis! Yeaaaaaaah buddy!

“You might say something isn't proven until it's tested... and the same could be said for the strength and the will of a person.” ― Evette Carter

Vibram Bikilas (green) Miles: 6.10
Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00Weight: 0.00
Add Comment
Running MilesSwimming YardsBike Miles
2.000.000.00

Day #105: 2 miles in 16:54 after the longest day of school ever, high five from the Pei crew, and then an awesome planning session from the BURCS consortium. So much fun today and I feel motivated to push myself to run more and farther. Hoping minimum 100 miles during spring break over the next week and a bit. Starting with 12+2 make up from today tomorrow, then another 12 on Sunday. Woohoo!

Insight from friends will
transform ideas into
testaments of strength.

Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another: ‘What! You too? I thought I was the only one.’ - C.S. Lewis - - - Michael MenardAna M. Wolf

Vibram Bikilas (green) Miles: 2.00
Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00Weight: 0.00
Add Comment
Running MilesSwimming YardsBike Miles
12.000.000.00

Day #106: 12 miles, relaxed, carefree and just enjoying every step. 1:53:32, good for 9:28/mile. What a difference a couple weeks make! Weight still high and stagnant, but my energy is improving. Read from "Teach Like Your Hair's On Fire". Pretty sure if I tried like half the stuff Rafe does, I would get fired. (Green Bikilas)

In each step we take,
Strength replaces inner doubt,
and confidence grows.

"The ultra distance is an amazing thing. I told my sister: 'No matter what has happened in your life before, or what will happen in your future, nobody can ever take that ultra away from you. When you're an ultra runner, you're a runner forever.'" - Vanessa Runs

Vibram Bikilas (green) Miles: 12.00
Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00Weight: 0.00
Add Comment
Running MilesSwimming YardsBike Miles
44.600.000.00
Vibram Bikilas (green) Miles: 44.60
Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00Weight: 0.00
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