Training Log Archive: Nadim

Greenway Trail: From Berryville Rd. at the big creek bend, north to the Rte. 28 Darnestown Rd. parking lot and back. I had intended to do a longer run on Sunday, but with snow expected then, it made sense to go ahead with it today. The temperature was about 34 F throughout the run. Initially, I thought I might have been a little overdressed but it seemed right later on with the sun being lower. With it not having rained much for a few days, I was surprised to find that the trail had some sloppy parts. Most of it was pretty good. It was just a surface layer that had melted in some places that was slick. I didn't feel very strong or capable for most of this run. It'd been a long while since my last longer run and with most of my running on being on roads lately, I felt like I had to choose my steps carefully. My quads were sore within the first 2 miles. Upon turning around, I thought I might improve my speed, since I'd be tracking stream going down along with it, but I didn't. Most miles were under 10:30/mile pace except when going up the longer hills. My cracked heel (pictured--hard to take a selfie of one's heel at my age :)), started hurting in the last 2 miles. That problem has been around since November at least but had abated. Recently, the second smaller crack has been hurting me when I lay in bed to sleep or put on my shoes. I ran a little more on my toes to compensate, like in college when I had a planter's wart on a heel--back then and counter-intuitively, that got my foot stronger and I ended up running faster. It hadn't been hurting running or walking around much until now. I saw several hikers and one other runner who appeared to be headed out as I was finishing my last mile. Later, bringing home a mexican pizza from Potomac Pizza, hit the spot.

From Little Falls Pkwy., the Capital Crescent Trail past the Dalecarlia Reservoir to the MacArthur Blvd. tunnel, back to and the Little Falls Trail, to Massachusetts Ave., to the Capital Crescent Trail, then back to Little Falls Pkwy. I was going to run from home, but since I had dropped Max off on my way I drove over to do this run. Like yesterday it was cold. It was 26 F starting out, but there was hardly any wind. The moon was mostly blocked out by partial clouds so once again, that darkness made it feel like I was running in a tunnel. There were 2 people to see cycling and 2 walkers with their dog. Along the way out, I decided that going to the tunnel was the best way to get in enough distance. Coming down and peering through the partial woods, it seemed like the Little Falls Trail was once again open. I got further than last time by getting across a bridge over the creek, but then I saw construction. I made a wrong turn on the unpaved creek-side trail to get past it, but I backed out when I realized that it wasn't where the paved Little Falls Trail had been. The paved Little Falls Trail was either covered in dirt or had been dug up too. I slowed a lot and ran over a fenced-in mulch and stick covered dirt pathway, that heavy vehicles had been driving over. It wasn't bad to run over but it did require watching the ground closely. I suspect they were replacing a sewer pipe under the trail as I've seen in other areas. The paved trail was to be found again after a short while. The short steep climb up to the Capital Crescent Trail and then the grade to and over the River Rd., bridge kept me slow for while.

From the intersection of Elmhirst Ln. and Elmhirst Dr., to Elmhirst Pkwy. to the Elmhirst Trail, to Cedar Ln., to the Rock Creek Trail, to Old Spring Rd., back up the Rock Creek Trail past Cedar Ln. to where the road and trail parallel closely at a side stream bridge, to Cedar Ln. to the Elmhirst Trail, to Elmirst Pkwy. to Elmirst Dr. to Elmhirst Ln. Since it was 27 F and windy, I decided that running in the valley would be best. I wore my Goretex suit to block the wind, along with outer running mittens over my usual gloves, and of course, a hat. I was pretty comfortable overall. I had a tailwind going out and didn't have to fight too much returning. It was too dark most of the time to look at my watch and figure out my pace. I felt okay. The run was fairly flat. A moon still looking full was in front of me going out--that and the usual car headlights blinded me at times. Moon shadows were strongly discernable. Going back I still had tree shadows which sometimes made the paved trail hard to see and stay on. I thought the distance where I turned around was going to be enough but at Cedar Ln. near the end, I figured that I'd need to add-on a little. I thought I was keeping a better cadence than other runs.

20 situps.

From Northfield Rd., I went into Greenwich Park, to Old Georgetown Rd. to Alta Vista Rd., to Rockville Pike. to Battery Park and Glenbrook Rd., to to Maple Ridge Rd., to Goddard Rd., to Custer Rd., to Northfield Rd. I was not feeling very strong on this run, perhaps from retaining water. It was 37 F starting out, dry, and with a full moon. I improvised the ending of this route and the distance worked out okay. It felt like I was climbing a lot or most of the time.

20 situps.

From Northfield Rd., Mooreland Dr., to Glenwood Rd., to the Bethesda Trolley Trail on the south side of NIH, to Jones Bridge Rd., to Maryland Ave., to Fairfield Dr., to Lynbrook Dr., to Chestnut St., to Kentbury Dr., to Chelton Rd., to East-West Hwy., to Old Georgetown Rd., to Wilson Ln., to Custer Rd., to Huntington Pkwy., to Moorland Rd., to Charlcote Rd., to Northfield Rd. It was foggy, in the mid 30s F, and the roads were damp. I cruised through not pushing much but still feeling the climbs. I added on ad hoc to get the distance, and thought it was going to be longer.

20 situps.

From Northfield Rd., Custer Rd., to Huntington Pkwy., to Old Georgetown Rd. to Beech Dr. to Singleton Dr. to Bulls Run Pkwy., to the trail along the middle school to Bradmore Dr. to Ewing Dr./Roosevelt Rd., to Grant St. to Northfield Rd. I didn't push today. I was feeling a little sore from the Wheaton event and other outings. The temperatures were supposed to be in the mid 30s F starting out, and it seemed like there was light rain. It later changed to sleet. I didn't have any trouble slipping except when running in front of the local hospital where they had salted the sidewalks. The globular grains were like ball bearings on the gradual slope. I kept a steady pace. It was 31 F upon finishing with a minor dusting accumulating after I was done.

20 situps.

Event: QOC Wheaton
 

QOC: Wheaton Regional Park. For the early controls on the Red course, I felt slow. The last 3rd of the race I felt that I was moving better. Having done the remapping of Wheaton and some minor expansions I knew the map too well. It felt like I wasn't navigating so well, as much as just knowing where to go. Wheaton tends to be green too and that tends to disrupt my navigation more. Michael Dickey had also done a good job setting the course in this small place where practically all legs have been set before. There were 210 entrants registered and we started at Pine Lake.

S-1 - I went down the left fork of the trails and cut in before the first reentrant. Stopping in that reentrant, I felt silly and went on straight to spike it. I probably lost 10 seconds due to not reading the map well enough.

1-2 - I took the trail and used it to climb slightly above the control. I didn't see the small rocks and that worried me. Michael had warned me that there was a need to update the map where a tree had fallen. I didn't realize it was on this leg, near this control. I went to the wrong side of the fallen tree, and climbed up to the old rootstock after getting around the newer fallen tree.

2-3 - I used trail heading south and eastward. I approached the control from the paved trail bend to the north. There was an intermittent trail or a deer trail leading very close to the control in the gully. I was slow on the climb.

3-4. Someone had been making new trails going in the direction of the next control--perhaps mountain bikers, which is unusual and not permitted in this park. I ignored them and ran SW to the paved trail near the school. Using dirt rails to get near the ice rink, I ran in-between the ball fields to just east of the control. It was less hilly that way, and I got to use more trails, than the route that uses the paved trails more.

4-5 - I chose to run around on the paved trail and attacked from the north. This may have been a little slower but took less energy.

5-6 - I used the road and parking lots, the came across fields to the fenced nursery area for Brookside Gardens. I attacked from a bend in the fence, down a reentrant. I'd been tailing another guy and gaining ground. He headed into what i'd mapped dark green as I got to the rootstock.

6-7 - I wasn't reading the map as much as I should have. I headed off somewhat straight expecting to hit the intermittent trail, but I was above it. I did read enough to know how many ditches to cross and saw the control from afar.

7-8 - I headed to the dirt road, then across the fields to the playground. Lots of kids were there and I ran with my arm to my mouth and nose. running along the edge of the forest, I decided to plunge in just before the field corner. That was a bad choice that cost me 10-15 seconds in going through and around some thorns.

8-9 - I got down to the train tracks and cut right to get around the green forest with the stream. Entering the forest again, I went right across the small mapped marsh and could see the control ahead.

9-10 - I didn't want to go up and punch through the green. I tried to pickup the old intermittent trail that is disappearing. At first I was surprised to see that it was looking well used. That ended quickly after reaching the ridge top. After passing a side reentrant, I misread the center of the broken control and went to the bottom of the gully first. I lost about 10-15 seconds.

10-11 - I picked up the paved trail, then left it crossing the stream to get closer to the fieldhouse. I'd seen Ken Walker Jr. do this when I'd arrived. The map showed it to be green in this area and I could tell that the park service had cut back the growth (it'll probably grow back soon enough). I was able to spike the control on the shallow ditch, but I hadn't seen it from across the larger reentrant until I was right on it, due to it being behind a fallen tree.

11-12 - I ran straight across 2 trails and emerged on the 3rd a little south of the dirt road intersection that I'd wanted. Taking that to the maintenance yard parking lot corner, I went right back into the forest. My aim was bad. I ended up well above the gully, where I paused before going down to it.

12-13 - I felt like I was dog-legging it a bit as I ran up over the hill to the north. I saw Max heading to the control I'd just been to. He later told me he had been tailing me for a few controls. I got slowed in the green and unnecessary hill climbing and later once across the maintenance road, I hesitated deciding which trail would be faster. Max came up behind me as I took off. I chose a more direct route with less trail which crossed open forest. There I could run like I used to, going downhill. I kept running crossing trails and the stream to get to the gully system cleanly. However, I hadn't read the map well enough--the broken circle confused me on the run. Even though I looked in multiple directions in this familiar place, I somehow didn't see the control on my left, and I passed it to the next gully intersection below. As I came back, I saw Max coming in and he punched just before me. With all the baubles I think I lost 20 seconds on my route.
An even better route I figured out after the race, would have been to go out the east and to have used the road.

13-14 - I cut right of going straight to avoid some of the greenery. Max had gotten caught-up in it and I passed him before the creek crossing. I went straight and was just a little to the right as I saw others leaving the control.

14-15 - I went straight on this climbing leg. There was new deadfall just before the mapped old deadfall that the control was on. I led Max around it on the right side and spiked the control.

15-16 - Max said goodbye and I wasn't sure if that meant he had a different control or not. I went due west, crossed the creek on the bridge, and cut uphill at the next intersection. I decided to use trails to the south after this, but in hindsight, straight might have been better. I attacked from a trail bend while running fast and didn't pause to set a bearing. I saw a control ahead in a reentrant or ditch and the magnet pulled me in even though I knew the dot knoll that the control was on. I got near the trail to the north, the cut south. I probably lost close to a minute.

16-F - Continuing my bad decisions, I was worried about crossing the green on the route to the paved trail (right side of the dog park). I ran up the reentrant, then walked up the hill through some light and dark green. This cost me a minute, and I found that Max had finished before me :( - at least he was running the Green course.

Somehow I won the Red course by just a little bit. More competitors were on Blue and Green.

Red - Splits