Training Log Archive: Nadim

Event: QOC Lake Needwood
 

QOC: Lake Needwood. I had some trepidation about going the distance on this course, knowing it would be hilly and steep. The woods have been opening-up, so that helped. Having mapped the area helped too though not always. The map needs updating for new rootstocks and deadfall. Controls were hung very low. Though #1 was very visible coming from the right side, many of the next ones were touching the ground half way up the bag. One had be right at the feature to see those.

About the time I was climbing toward #6 is where I started slowing down. I'm just too heavy for now, and haven't been doing enough running to get over these in a better way. I lost time at #8, after having taken the Rte. 28 highway bridge to avoid the swollen stream. It took me 2-3 minutes to find the misplaced control (more in the large reentrant, than on the east/creek facing hillside. With other low hung controls, I was hunting many of the smaller unmapped depressions in the area. After that, I took the trail toward the boulder (#9) and went further to get around the marsh (successfully dry). I was a slight bit off to the left going up to #10 but the cliff clued-me in before I made it worse. For #11 (in an area showing 3 rootstocks), the new deadfall confused me. I crossed a ditch and either mistook it for another, or the control was not in the right place. I'll need to go back and fix the map there. I lost at least 2 minutes. I went around partway, going to #12. After that climb, I made a novice error going to #13, probably induced by being tired. I stopped early at the first big reentrant--some people whom I'd passed and had been walking had nearly caught-up to me before I went on--I probably lost 1.5 minutes.

Going to #14, I got to the area but wasn't reading carefully. I went to the larger group of boulders lower down and lost 30 seconds or so.

Going to #15, I went straight along the ridge and over the hilltop. The climb felt steep after all of the other climbs so I had second thoughts about a better way being through the valley then on the rides to the left. On the direct route I chose I hit the cairn and manmade feature right on target and spiked the control--I hadn't even distinguished the dot knoll until I was on top of it and found the control behind it.

I went straight to #16 and #17, though I stopped short at #17. I had confused the feature to be another dot knoll and after-reading, I realized it was a rootstock further up. That rootstock is now too decrepit and will be removed from the map.

I angled across the hillside toward #18 and dropped down before the fenced area. I was misreading the hill that control was on, so I climbed the road on the left side of the fenced area to get me to where I could shoot across the pipeline ride without getting too wet. I rounded the spur to the control but was having second doubts about missing it. It just seemed a long way around, probably due to the shape of the spur being different lower than it is higher up. I went straight toward the cairn (#19), going on the left and higher side of the unmapped deadfall.

For #20, I ran up the pipeline ride on the trail until it entered the woods and went straight to it from there. I was a little unsure and slightly left at the end but essentially I spiked it.

For #21, I ignored trails getting to the pipeline ride but then too trails to just above the clearing. It seems that some additional clearings have opened up. I went down toward #22 after that and came out near the trail intersection. It was greener ahead along the trail so I attacked from the intersection, seeing the control a long way before I got to it.

I was torn between going left and right to #23. I went left, got on the trail, and then right on the trail again. I had to climb at the end but hit it well. At least by this point, I was feeling some pain in my back where I had surgery. My right leg was feeling weak too. I just planned to take it easier from there but I was too tired to run hard anyway.

Rounding the lake to #24, I went down right away to the trail and got to the road. I took roads to just past the archery area, then used a short trail to get to the pipeline ride. I kept going straight across--the green had opened up in this area. The hillside was mostly white and mapped low vegetation in the valley was mostly gone--maybe until summer. Even the grassy areas across the creek were good. I saw the manmade object (heating oil tank) and started hunting around it. I didn't see the control so I checked the description and only then looked at the rootstock right behind me to find it. I lost around 20-25 seconds.

For #25, I ran straight, but on the left side of both ruins. I like this area this leg covered and it's been underused. It's somewhat awkward to get to for advanced courses and sometimes the grasses are too high. This time is was wide open like it was when I mapped it. I was expecting the control to be lower in the forest but happy to see it from far away.

For #26, I skirted the edge of the Go Ape area. It was marked out of bounds but I recall clearing use of it with the vendor. They said it's all park land and didn't have a problem with us running under the ropes. I was surprised that the ropes expanded to the other side of the road--a guy was zip-lining above me while others hooted and howled. I did a bit of an S to get across the gullied creek, and the deadfall, and probably lost a little time.

I ran low along the lake until the boathouse area--nice running for tired legs. I got on the road and looked in the picnic area from below w/o seeing the control. When I was sure it wasn't along the road, I ran up. I lost 20-30 seconds.

I think everyone who ran or walked lost time with the controls being hung low, in areas needing a map update, and sometimes out of place altogether. This was good Billygoat training, and I need more of it. Max ran Yellow with his friend Tyler Day. Samantha, who helped hand out maps but who'd been waiting alone a lot, was tired. I risked carrying her back to the car. We had a late lunch at Urban Barbeque.

Blue - Splits

I spent the time visiting family, and fixing training wheels and pedals back onto Samantha's bicycle.

From Northfield Rd., to the Bethesda Metro Station. I had been raining hard the day before and it was damp on the roads.

From the Bethesda Metro Station, to Northfield Rd. I had headwinds.

From Northfield Rd., Bethesda, MD, to 13th & C St. SW, Washington, D.C. It was nice to have a tailwind most of the way but I'll probably pay for it going home. It was about 57 F starting out, and I carried my laptop. I got on the CCT just behind a guy and passed him before River Rd. He or someone else rode partly in my draft to Georgetown. I felt surprisingly good.

From 13th & C St. SW, Washington, D.C., to Northfield Rd. I was surprised to find out that the winds had switched again. I got a nice tailwind just about the whole way home.

From Northfield Rd. to Folkstone Ave., then back via Heampstead Rd. I brought Samantha's trail-a-bike along and we rode back together. She was happy to be riding.

From Northfield Rd. to Norfolk Ave. via Del Ray Ave. I ate lunch, then rode back home. It's neat that it's only 4 minutes by bicycle to Bethesda Triangle. It was a nice sunny day!

From Northfield Rd., to Huntington Pkwy., to Old Georgetown Rd. to Beech Ave. to Johnson Ave,. to Heampstead Ave. to Folkstone Rd.., to Hartsdale Ave. I felt better than I thought I would but I was feeling heavy.

From Hartsdale Ave. to Northfield Rd. I jogged and mostly walked with Samantha.

From Northfield Rd. to the Bethesda Metro Station.

From the Bethesda Metro Station to Northfield Rd. I had intended to run earlier in the day but meetings prevented that.