Motivated to Succeed

Hancock Shaker Village 50 Miler

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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
Running MilesSwimming YardsBike Miles
49.310.000.00
Vibram Bikilas (blue) Miles: 4.00NB Trail Minimus (orange) Miles: 3.50Vibram Komodo Sport (black) Miles: 41.81
Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00Weight: 0.00
Running MilesSwimming YardsBike Miles
6.000.000.00

Day #68: 6 miles total. Ran Lenox Mountain with Emma this a.m. up the Overlook trail and then down what we thought was the other trail. Found out after about .5 miles it was not the trail we wanted and had to hike back to the summit. Finally found the right one down and it was a bruiser of a trail. View at the top was amazing - perfectly blue skies everywhere. It was :29 minutes to go up, 10-15 mins off the trail and back tracking, and then :22 minutes plummeting down the other side. I really love this and it is closer than Monument Mountain. Might be my go to trail for a quick hard run of about an hour. Later when I got home I did 2.5 miles at 8:30 pace, 21:15 total. Am hurting though. Ear I think is getting worse and I can't really talk. Even though I hate my doctor and I am convinced he thinks I am faking every time I go in, I think that it is necessary. Productive day overall. Got all the stones to the kennel, dishes and laundry done, just procrastinating on school work. 

New trails yield new views,
Perspectives changed; Earth's magic.
We are small, finite. 

Vibram Bikilas (blue) Miles: 2.50NB Trail Minimus (orange) Miles: 3.50
Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00Weight: 0.00
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Running MilesSwimming YardsBike Miles
1.150.000.00

Day #69: 1.15 miles; 10:00. Kept the streak alive, barely. Woke up and had lost my voice and the ear thing had intensified. Went in to work but couldn't stay as my head was pounding and I could barely talk. Called 2 doc offices - my PCP never answered and my old PCP office was apparently closed. Thankfully all my aunts on my mom's side are in the medical field and one of my aunts is a doctor. She got me hooked up with some antibiotics, aleve, medicated ear drops, nasal spray, robitussin pm, and some sudafed. Hoping they start to work. This is no way to live.

Medicated state.
Pain go away - you not fun!
Rest come swiftly now.

Vibram Komodo Sport (black) Miles: 1.15
Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00Weight: 0.00
Add Comment
Running MilesSwimming YardsBike Miles
1.160.000.00

Day #70: 1.16 miles; 10:00. Home again from school. On the meds, feel a little better but not much. Tomorrow will be interesting. Need to rethink my lesson to avoid as much talking as possible. Please hurry up and go away ear infection. Got a call last minute to drive to Vermont to pick up some xc uniforms that were ready - had to drive an hour in torrential rain and winds (there was a tornado watch in effect) to make it there before they closed at 5. Made it home safe, then took Ruby to the vet to find out she has lost 2.6 pounds! She is lean, mean and a mole killing machine!

Nyquil for nighttime,
Pray tomorrow is better.
Miss being just me.

Vibram Komodo Sport (black) Miles: 1.16
Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00Weight: 0.00
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Running MilesSwimming YardsBike Miles
3.000.000.00

Day #71: 3 miles. No improvement in my ear; forgot my meds at work today too, so tonight's going to suck. If you were me would you still do the 50 miler on Saturday? I shelled out 100 bucks for it and I feel like I'm in the best shape leg wise that I've ever been in. If only I could hear out of my damn ear! Hurts to chew.

Oh you cruel world,
Heart wants; body won't allow.
Do I deserve this???

Vibram Komodo Sport (black) Miles: 3.00
Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00Weight: 0.00
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Running MilesSwimming YardsBike Miles
4.500.000.00

Day #72: 4.5 miles total. Ran with the cross country team. They were glad to have their Coach back. Ran easy 2 miles and 1 mile of hard 85-90% effort 100 m sprints. Found out my youngest runner, Jordan is only 10 and is named after Michael Jordan (her middle name is Michele!). She finished her first ever 5k yesterday. Very proud of my runners. Had a total of 16 finishers yesterday. Our team is getting bigger and bigger! Ran another 1.5 miles by myself before a shower. Trying to stay on top of the ear drops and antibiotics. Body feels good, just can't talk or hear. Stupid bugs.

Sports induced wedgie.
Do I pick? Or NOT to pick?
THAT is the question!

Vibram Komodo Sport (black) Miles: 4.50
Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00Weight: 0.00
Add Comment
Running MilesSwimming YardsBike Miles
1.500.000.00

Day #73: 1.5 miles w/ the cross country team. Had 9 show up today. Feeling better. Still can't talk and ear is about 1/2 blocked, but feeling physically better. Looking forward to tomorrow. Going to give it a go. 9 runners showed today: 5 6th graders, 3 7th, and 1 8th grader. These are the ones that are putting in the hard workouts and are going to see the big improvements. I'm excited for them. Had them do 4 x .25 miles with the first 200m easy out and then 90% effort on the way back. Had them start slow, and push push push. When they finished 4 I asked who was tired. Everyone said yes! So I said great, go again. After the 5th when I asked no one spoke. So I said, Well guess we need to run it out of you if you ain't tired yet! So they went for a 6th. The last one, we did a reverse run, where I had the last place finisher go first, then the 8th, then 7th. The last runners Mark and James started about 35 seconds after the first runners. They nearly caught the other runners, but Jessie was holding back the whole time. 

Ready for a trip,
Odyssey into the woods.
Please, please! Don't get lost!!

Vibram Bikilas (blue) Miles: 1.50
Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00Weight: 0.00
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Race: Hancock Shaker Village 50 Miler (50 Miles) 07:43:00
Running MilesSwimming YardsBike Miles
32.000.000.00

Day #74: 32 miles total; Hancock Shaker Village 50: Hardest course I've ever seen. No joke. Only 7 people made it to the turn around and decided to continue. Got lost 4 miles into the race, hooked up with 3 other people, backtracked and missed turn again and climbed Mt. Sinai for the second time .. Hit the first aid station at "6 miles" in 2 hours. Technical, rocky, muddy, root strewn trails. Loved every second of it. With backtracking I logged 30 miles by the time we got to the turn around. Since it took 7 hours and 43 minutes to go that far, there was no way to finish the 50 miler. Cooled down to HSV, 32 miles total for the day in a time of 8:04. Enjoyed microbrew, a tofu wrap, and homemade vegan backed beans before driving up to Berry Pond to get the drop bag I could never use. One of the most epic trail runs of my life. Only some crackling in my ear. Worst was that it interfered with my balance and I fell 3 times while going downhill. The race director started going to the aid stations to round up people so they wouldn't be running the last 11.8 on the Taconic Crest Trail in the dark. This course was humbling. I felt like I ran, hydrated, and fueled better than any other race in my life, and yet my time was so slow!

Hard doesn't describe,
That course be a beast Michael 
Will be back next year.

Vibram Komodo Sport (black) Miles: 32.00
Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00Weight: 0.00
Add Comment
Running MilesSwimming YardsBike Miles
49.310.000.00
Vibram Bikilas (blue) Miles: 4.00NB Trail Minimus (orange) Miles: 3.50Vibram Komodo Sport (black) Miles: 41.81
Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00Weight: 0.00
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