Motivated to Succeed

Week starting May 03, 2009

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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
4.090.0033.50
2009 Cycling Mileage Miles: 33.50Asics 2120s Chili Pepper #1 Miles: 4.09
Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00Weight: 0.00
Running MilesSwimming YardsBike Miles
0.000.0011.00

8:30 AM - Rainy and overcast. My final last night went better than expected. It was 25 multiple choice questions on alternavtive assessment and evaluation. I also had a take home essay and a project I handed in as well which will make up part of the grade. Hopped on the wind trainer this morning and did an easy recovery ride. Read more from Pears's An Instance at the Fingerpost. I am up to page 185 or so now. Wish it wasn't a 700 page book. It's good but it's taking me a while to get through it and theres a few other books I want to read at the same time! This week is supposed to be crappy weather wise, but I'm hoping on Thursday to drive to Massachusetts and help Emmy get the ground ready for a veggie garden! Also today I have my last final of my graduate degree. I still have my summer class and then student teaching, but hopefully NO MORE FINALS :).

Total Time: 34:00 Total Distance: 11 miles

2009 Cycling Mileage Miles: 11.00
Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00Weight: 0.00
Comments(2)
Running MilesSwimming YardsBike Miles
0.000.0020.00

9:00 AM - Well the Spring Semester is officially over. I took my last finals yesterday, though they did not start off smoothly. In my haste to go to Albany yesterday I grabbed the wrong blue folder and forgot all my articles that I needed for my first final. I quickly called my mom and we drove towards each other and met halfway about 25 mins from school. It was like a drug drop, and the Dunkin' Donuts gal that was taking a smoke break definitely gave me a weird look as I took the parcel and sped off into the sunset. There were a bunch of accidents and of course I hit every red light on the way back AND got stuck behind a tourist from New Mexico that spent 5 mins looking for his stupid ticket to pay the toll. I hate tourists sometimes. :) At least I'm a smart tourist when I go places I would like to think. Now we all know I wouldn't even have minded if I wasn't late to a final exam! Aggh! So I finally got there and our final was all on computers. Our teacher got every student a laptop to take the test on. So we had to write our essay on them and then email them to her. Kind of cool actually.  So now I am 12 days until my next semester starts. Twelve days is not enough I tell you!

Got on the bike this morning and read to page 235 in Iain Pears's An Instance at the Fingerpost. It's really getting interesting. Set in post-Cromwell England in 1663. It is a murder mystery where a young servant girl is convicted and hung for poisoning a former employer with arsenic. However, after her death, there are suspicions that she was not, after all, the killer. The book is written from four different perspectives in the first person. Really interesting. I just got into the second narrator's story today, and am on chapter five of that. It is a long book though. I have to get through this before the next semester starts!

Rode easy for an hour as I read. Am getting eager to come up with my next cycling goal. Was thinking maybe a circuit century could be fun.. plan out a 20 mile loop and do that 5 times? I don't know though.

Total Time: 1:01:00 Total Distance: 20 miles

2009 Cycling Mileage Miles: 20.00
Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00Weight: 0.00
Comments(2)
Running MilesSwimming YardsBike Miles
4.090.000.00

2:45 PM - It was supposed to be rainy today, but it actually turned into a pretty nice day. Overcast and such but then the sun started to come out after lunch. I ran errands with Emmy this morning. We got stuff for the vegetable garden and then I got my Mom her Mom's Day gift that she mentioned she wanted. Had a cute lunch date at Panera Bread after we went to Charland Jeweler's for Emmy's 6 month ring checkup! While we were there we put a down payment and put our wedding bands on layaway! Exciting stuff! Then after stopping by her house quickly, we headed to the Ashuwillticook Rail Trail and stretched and went running! YES, RUNNING! According to my records the last time I went running was February 9th. And on that day I went 4.09 miles. I ran the exact same distance today, though part of the last mile was spent walking. I ran nonstop to the 5k mark though so that was good! Emma is so amazing to put up with me because 1) I was slower than heck and 2) I have a dorky cyclist tan on my legs and I am sure that was a bit embarrassing to be caught dead with this "newbie" It was really fun though! Then we came home and had dinner and am looking forward to a movie date before having to go to work tomorrow morning! Feels like forever since I blogged a run! Hit the 5k mark in 30:55 Splits were:

  • Mile 1: 10:10
  • Mile 2: 9:51
  • Mile 3: 9:51
  • Mile 4:13:55 (with walking)
Total Time: 44:44  Total Distance: 4.09 miles  Average Pace: 10:56 / mile

 

Asics 2120s Chili Pepper #1 Miles: 4.09
Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00Weight: 0.00
Comments(1)
Running MilesSwimming YardsBike Miles
0.000.002.50

3:45 PM - Partly sunny with light rain. Jonn was going out for a ride, and I offered to go with him, but I am a sucky partner. About 1 mile in he pointed out something was wrong with my wheel. I tried to continue riding, but my back wheel was messed up. Took it to the bike shop 15 miles away in Saratoga and sure enough when I heard the sharp "twang" at mile 80ish of the century it was me busting a spoke :(. I wanted to yell when I heard the estimate though. He goes: "yeah it will be 1.5 for the spoke, and 25 for labor." Figures!

Total Time: 8:15 Total Distance: 2.5 miles

2009 Cycling Mileage Miles: 2.50
Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00Weight: 0.00
Add Comment
Running MilesSwimming YardsBike Miles
4.090.0033.50
2009 Cycling Mileage Miles: 33.50Asics 2120s Chili Pepper #1 Miles: 4.09
Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00Weight: 0.00
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