....... both physically and mentally - only my second run since 26 on the 22nd.

Some news:
The Wellness program "JAXfit" is launching at the Jackson Lab. It will be interesting to see how it develops. It's a six figure investment between incentives and contracting with companies to run the program and coach participants. It is not strictly an altruistic act, because a successful wellness program can have up to an 8-1 return on investment through health insurance savings.

Participants get a $50 sign-up bonus and then are paid $5 per paycheck ($130 annually) if they stay in the program. I will be signing up of course and don't think I'll have any problem with the physical activity part of the plan, although I think I'll have to start eating more fruits and vegetables. I'll periodically let you all know more about JAXfit from a personal and company perspective.

It's good to be back.

total, which included 5 runs up Beacon Hill ("hills, baby!") and a couple miles on the dreadmill. For my strides on the dreadmill, I got that sucker up to 10.2mph. Not fast for some, but that's fast for me. Thought I might even pop off the back. Some core exercises and stretches to boot.

Keep running!

a great place to run in the early am. ~3miles down King St to Battery Park and up Market St. I learned a lot about Charleston history on the way.

From DBB, I ran along the east side of Eagle and back, plus a little more, just for fun. The rain started up right as I was finishing.

Kevin, welcome home! I really like the JAXfit idea. It sure makes sense to me, and the health insurance savings should provide good incentive. Hopefully this is the start of a new trend among businesses. You, Judy, Mark and Joyce will be excellent role models, even if you don't eat fruits and vegetables.

15 swimming + 20 water running

Around Mountain loop and Brown Mountain loop as figure-8. Then (5)x 15sec. repeats on that steep section by Parkman. A bit over fifteen total.

All weather imaginable out there -- steady northwesterly coming through the pass between Sargent and Bubble, a moment of gold sideways as the sun found a gap in the clouds at the western horizon, then a nice big gibbous moon waxing through the night fog to cap it all off.

5 x 5 minute intervals around Eagle Lake.

A few leaves still in play.

with the girls, two of those miles in the pouring rain. Anticipating tommorrow's workout.... still don't know what it is. Coach better give me Sat. off, or I may need to put my foot down, gently of course.

Well we did it. Jean and I finished the 26.2 and that is all we wanted to do. No time no nothing This was my 13th Marine and Jeans 4th my time was 5:07:10 and Jean did 5:25:17. Sun came out Sat morning and we did 4 miles on a nearby bike path. Sunday morning the temp was about 50 with sun. As the day progressed the wind picked up but wasn't too bad. This was our longest Marathon but we both feel good that we finished and have no excuse about the time.
We could have driven from here to Boston in our running time. Thanks for all your support!
Judy,enjoy your Marathon.
JC what was your time in Chicago?
Don--Jean

Easy 6 and a half on frisbee hill loop+a loop around campus.

Stretching/Ice-bath also...man...i didn't last for more then 8 minutes tonight in that thing. It was collllld.

Wanted to let you know Marine Marathon #1--2:21:20, #2--2:24:22, #3--2:26:24. If I was right your Chicago time was 2:24:45. Thought you may be interested.

Don--Jean

Vanessa and I took a day off and just walked around in the afternoon, gawking at some of the "cottages" hereabouts and even saw some sunshine out there. Life is good in the woods.

Couldn't motivate to run after dark on my own, so I hit the mill for a modest ramp-up mill run, ending at 7:13s. Feel good, ready to go on Saturday.

2mile warmup

Then 5x5:00 each getting faster.

1-mile cooldown.

In April when I did the test I ran 5 minute pieces at 6:00, 5:40, 5:25, 5:13 and 5:00 paces my threshold was just under 5:13. This time I started off with the same pieces and probably would have done a 4:50 piece if I needed too. I felt fine this time around and
5:00 pace wasn't hard, but right from the start things were way off.

In April when I ran the 6:00 pace interval my heart rate was 151. This time at 6:00 pace my heartrate was 164. My lactate levels were already way higher too. By the end of it although I felt fine, it was clear that my body was still tired from the marathon. My threshold this time around was around 5:20-5:24 range(not sure what yet). So way off that of April. Of course if I'd tested it two weeks ago instead of running a marathon it would have been better than April.

Funny thing was I wasn't going to get tested until before Christmas but I kept saying how I felt great(which I do) and wanting to jump back into hard training. As soon as I said that they told me I had to do this test. Well HR and blood Lactate levels don't lie, I'm still fatigued from the marathon even if I think I'm not. Shit, before I even stepped on the treadmill my resting heart rate was over 100 and my resting heart rate usually is around 30 when I'm well rested. So they proved a point, it takes more than two weeks of easy running to recover for a marathon fully even if I feel good. So another couple weeks of light stuff and probably no racing until I get back to Maine in December.

It is very interesting to me that your heart rate and lactate levels were higher, yet you felt that the 5:00 pace wasn't hard. Did they have an explanation for that?

Running/Walking = 76