Motivated to Succeed

Week starting Sep 13, 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
18.720.000.00
Brooks Addictions 8 Miles: 18.72
Night Sleep Time: 25.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 25.00Weight: 187.50
Running MilesSwimming YardsBike Miles
6.200.000.00

10:30 AM - Sunny when we started, cloudy afterwards. Temperature about 77 or so. Pretty warm. Went to Spa Park with Emmy and we did the .6 warmup to fill the waterbottle and then stretched. Did most of the 5k loop together and then she broke off from me and I did a second loop by myself. Got progressively faster as the run went on. Calves and groin were a bit sore from the speed workout in the Vibrams yesterday. Felt pretty strong though today. Was super psyched after the 800s yesterday and then the good run today. We saw a lot of runners, more than I usually see, and found out it was because of a run going on there today. Also, hit 37.27 miles for the week starting last Monday. Sweet deal! New record for 2009! As I was finishing up the second loop I saw Emmy and we ran the last part together. I really pushed it, probably got down to about 6:08-6:10 pace for the last .25 miles. Emmy hung with me. I bet she had no idea how fast we were running. We finished within a couple seconds of each other and the same little old lady was there sitting on the bench by the finish line. She said the same thing to both of us, "Nice day for it!" She was too cute. We saw Saratoga's XC team doing a run and we walked to the car and then back tracked a bit and did a .8 mile cool down from the car and stretched, then went to work to drop something off and pick up recyclables. What a great run and end to the week! Splits were:

  • Mile 1: 10:11
  • Mile 2: 9:41
  • Mile 3: 9:08
  • Mile 4: 8:24
  • Mile 5: 8:13
  • .38: 2:46 (7:13 pace)
  • .82: 6:59 (8:33 pace) cooldown

Total Time: 55:22 Total Distance: 6.20 miles Average Pace: 8:56

Brooks Addictions 8 Miles: 6.20
Night Sleep Time: 8.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 8.00Weight: 188.00
Add Comment
Running MilesSwimming YardsBike Miles
6.220.000.00

4:00 PM - After student teaching, which went great today! (Did a listening comprehension activity on the history of baseball with the kids) I headed to Wilton intent on doing a trail run and then hitting up EMS for a waterbottle holder for my hand (which they were out of!). Got to the trail head and a lady and her two dogs were coming out of the trail, though the lady was in a dress so I don't think she and the dogs were there to use the trail! Well she at least. Kept my eyes open for doggie doody as I completed one loop somewhat hard, and then eased off at the start of the second loop. Felt pretty good. Knee was a little tender but overall felt good. Arches of my feet still hurt from the Vibram workout. But it's a good hurt. At least I think so... haha! Man student teaching is kicking my butt. It's so much work! Hardly have a second to breathe, but it was nice because the last four or so days Emmy has been over which has helped things. She has done such an awesome job helping us clean up the house that Mom and Dad are offering to hire her! No joke! Splits today were:

  • Mile 1: 8:15
  • Mile 2: 8:00
  • Mile 3: 8:26
  • Mile 4: 9:25
  • Mile 5: 8:46
  • Mile 6: 8:36
  • .22: 1:44 (7:56)

Total Time: 53:14 Total Distance: 6.22 miles Average Pace: 8:33

 

Brooks Addictions 8 Miles: 6.22
Night Sleep Time: 9.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 9.00Weight: 0.00
Comments(1)
Running MilesSwimming YardsBike Miles
1.000.000.00

4:00 PM - Overcast, dark thunderstorm clouds. Had a very good day of student teaching, and then came home quick to grab food before I go with my mom and brothers to a college fair for my middle brother Jonny. He is a senior this year. Wanted to test something out, so I asked my mom and she found a CamelBak. I had tried to buy a handheld waterbottle holder yesterday at EMS but they didn't have any. So found the CamelBak but we don't have the bladder that goes in it. :( Going to go to Walmart and pick up a bladder I think. I didn't want to get caught in the rainstorm so I just tooled around the front yard with the two St. Bernards chasing me. I did 7-8 circuits up and down the driveway. It fits pretty well, I'm just worried about chafing around my neck area.  Has anyone else done trail runs with CamelBaks? Would be interested to hear your thoughts. Don't know if I'll run with it though since I haven't done any long runs with one before. However, this course is going to be super hilly, so I know I will both need the liquid and my hands free to catch myself before I fall.

Total Time: 7:58 Total Distance: 1.0 miles Average Pace: 7:58

Brooks Addictions 8 Miles: 1.00
Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00Weight: 0.00
Comments(3)
Running MilesSwimming YardsBike Miles
5.300.000.00

4:40 PM - Partly Sunny with a temperature around 64 or 65 at the start. Actually might have cooled a degree or two by the end. Definitely fall weather now! Saw a couple other runners on the trail. One said howdy the other gave me the stink eye, probably because I looked like a freak. I was wearing my 2L Coleman MAX camelbak thing that I bought last night because it fit better than the one we had here. It's bright orange and I love it because I can shove snacks and my car keys in it while I run instead of carrying them in my hands. Only con of the whole run today was the SpLiSh sPLoSh SPlAsH of the water rocking side to side as I jogged. Felt good though during the run. Ran on the 5k Wilton course that I did the summer series on and I felt relaxed and was pretty close to some of my racing times! I hope this bodes well for the half marathon. I am excited just to have fun out there! Got an email with all the specs. Going to print them off and review them tomorrow during lunch, but for now must go and prep a lesson. Last day of their week long project on baseball. I'm going to help do a history of baseball park food! Haha! History teachers are crazy! Splits today were:

  • Mile 1: 9:05 (loosening up and two hills)
  • Mile 2: 8:50
  • Mile 3: 8:52
  • Mile 4: 8:50
  • Mile 5: 8:46
  • .3: 2:23 (8:09 pace)

Total Time: 46:47 Total Distance: 5.30 miles Average Pace: 8:50

Brooks Addictions 8 Miles: 5.30
Night Sleep Time: 8.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 8.00Weight: 187.00
Comments(1)
Running MilesSwimming YardsBike Miles
18.720.000.00
Brooks Addictions 8 Miles: 18.72
Night Sleep Time: 25.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 25.00Weight: 187.50
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