Training Log Archive: Nadim

From Northfield Rd. to Arlington Rd. with Max, then back alone.

From Arlington Rd. to Northfield Rd. to then back with Max.

Event: SVO Susquehanna Stumble XIV
 

SVO: Susquehanna Stumble, at Fuller Lake in the Pine Grove Furnace area of Micheau State Forest, PA. I jogged around a little. It felt a little strange given my lack of recent running but a good sleep the night before made me feel better than before; when I shuffled about rushing to do an errand the day before, my calf hurt.

SVO: Susquehanna Stumble, starting at Laurel Forge Pond in the Pine Grove Furnace area of Micheau State Forest, PA. There was a nice bunch of people who came out for the annual Stumble. The field was a little smaller than in some years. Despite the lack of training this week, and the week before, I felt okay during the run--perhaps a bit slower. I paced myself.

This initial part of the course was flat but the course setter Brad Whitmore made up for it at the second control as we climbed upward toward the Appalachian Trail. I was through the first window (ABC) in good time and feeling okay about how well I was navigating. I was reading and picking-up things in the terrain well. I caught up to Scott Pleban at #8 and got ahead briefly at control H in the 5 control window (GHFED). Dave Pruden caught both of us there. There, lack of oxygen showed--I ran toward E when I should have got toward F. This cost me as I corrected to F, and then went to E. Losing contact with them wasn't so bad since I continued to navigate well but I probably pushed less in a physical manner. I was happy to hit the long leg to #14 by following a subtle contour change. I lingered after the first loop to drink extra an eat a bannana (right at about 2 minutes). I generally feel it's time well spent in a long race but it's hard to know for sure.

I hit #16 pretty well. but it was obvious to me before getting there that I'd have to take an unscheduled nature stop. That was 40 seconds that I could have used better. The climb up to the last window (KLJI) was slow but at least there was a good bit of road running in between climbs. I hit K and L well, I was happy not to blow J and had gotten a little too high before seeing it. I was navigating okay getting to #22. Somehow, I ran a little above the boulder and passed it. There were several unmapped boulders there. Not seeing it on the largest that I went to, I looked back and then downhill and saw only one more sizeable boulder to go to. It was +2 contours down and I doubted it could be the one--it wasn't. Heading back, I could see the control and boulder that I needed. I lost 2:30 minutes. Heading down, I ran fairly cleanly. The only time lost was when I ran over a trail, hitting a stream, and coming back a short way to a bridge. I've always done well in this flat section of the Hammonds Rocks map--it's remenicent of the Bowie, MD map that I had lived near and trained on when orienteering was still new to me. using the trails and attacking straight worked. Some streams and ditches had changed since being mapped. The stream in front of #25 was getting mistaken for the larger and flowing creek by others but I spiked it. The jumping over the streams and ditches did induce cramping as that action usually does to me after +2 hours of running. Hitting the pavement was worse. I managed to hold it together though and finished with just a sore right hamstring. My overall place on the Long Stumble was 6th; This was about 4 minutes behind Dave Pruden, and 5 minutes behind Scott Pleban.

Long - Splits

From Northfield Rd. to Arlington Rd. with Max, then to the Bethesda Metro Station.

From the Bethesda Metro Station to Arlington Rd., then to Northfield Rd. I worked late but made it to the library in time to vote. Emerging from the dark on my bike, and with Max's bike, I parted the campaign workers who had set a gauntlet. Afterward, I rode home with Max's bike.