Training Log Archive: Nadim

Event: Cancelled - QOC Patapsco Granite
 

From the Bethesda county pool parking lot, the Capital Crescent Trail to the Little Falls Trail, to Massachusetts Ave., to the Capital Crescent Trail, to Dorset Rd., to the Little Falls Trail, to Willet Pkwy., to Hillmead Rd., then back to the Bethesda county pool parking lot. I got a late start, after doing work earlier and then giving Max his first driving lesson. It was dark when I started. I tried keeping an easy pace starting out. In the second mile, I picked up the pace not knowing it. The construction on the Little Falls Trail in the 3rd mile was the same as it had been so I moved slowly on the dirt and rough mulch in the dark. From there until the end it was generally hillier and uphill. It was 46 F when I finished. Since I wore full sweats, I was fairly sweaty when I finished.

From Ray's Meadow Park and the Ohr Kodesh Congregation parking lot (near East West Hwy in Rock Creek Park, MD), I ran up the Rock Creek Trail to the trail intersection with Kensington Pkwy., then ran back to East-West Hwy., then back to the OHR Kodesh Congregation parking lot. The sky had darkened early due to imminent rain clouds. I wanted to get going before it started, even with Max wanting to try out his new driver's learner's permit that he got this afternoon. It was 46 F. I ran in shorts and a sweat jacket, but had no gloves, and was comfortable. My running was not smooth. I felt sleepy tired starting out. That got to feeling a little better but by the last half mile, I could tell my left leg was more tired than my right leg, and I was sleepy tired again--odd. I pushed more with my right leg which is weaker, and that seemed to rest my left enough to rest it and speed up. As I started driving away, the first rain drops fell.

From Northfield Rd. to Custer Rd., to Wilson Ln., to Maiden Ln., to Whittier Blvd., to Woodhaven Blvd., to Bradley Blvd., to Valley Rd., to Temple St. to Ridge Rd., to Ridge Pl., to Greentree Rd., to Heampstead Rd., to Sonoma Rd., to Grant St. to Northfield Rd. It was in the low 50s F, starting out and in the upper 40s when I finished. My arms were a bit cold in a t-shirt and shorts again, but I was dressed appropriately otherwise. I even sweat a little. This route is hillier than most that are local. It may even be understated. Most of the time I moved okay but never felt strong.

25 sit-ups.

From Northfield Rd. to Old Georgetown Rd. via Greenwich Park, to Cheshire Dr.. to Grosvenor Rd. to the Bethesda Trolley Trail at Fleming Ave. to Old Georgetown Rd. to Northfield Rd. via Greenwich Park. Like most everyone else around here, I enjoyed the warmer weather today--54 F as I ran in just shorts and a t-shirt. Almost all of the snow and ice was gone. I felt that I was moving okay most of the time, and not slowing too much on the few hills. I was going to do a shorter route but when I forgot to take the long way around to start it out, I figured I'd make it up on the far end. I lost some time turning around twice when I realized I'd missed the turn. More people were out than usual even though it was dark. I have been feeling some lower back pain again yesterday and today, on my right side, and felt it toward the end of this run.

25 sit-ups.

Samantha and I went for a walk. From Northfield Rd., to Aberdeen Rd., to Huntington Pkwy., to Moorland Rd., to Custer Rd., to Northfield Rd.

From Northfield Rd., Custer Rd. to Wilson Ln. to Glenbrook Rd., to Bradley Blvd., to Kennedy Dr., to Dorset Ave., to the Little Falls Trail, to Hillandale Rd., to Bradley Blvd., to Arlington Rd., to Old Georgetown Rd., to Huntington Pkwy., to Custer Rd., to Northfield Rd. It was in the mid-50s F when I started. There was a tiny bit of running on leftover ice in places but more wet spots. I still wore sweats but not the gloves or hat. I felt sluggish and weak for the first 2 miles. In contrast to when I ran this route with a tailwind last week, I'd been about a minute faster for the same 2 miles. However, I started feeling better after 3 miles. A few times as I hurried to scoot between pedestrian and/or car traffic I felt my old stride kick-in and it it didn't hurt. I finished 10 seconds slower overall.

25 sit-ups.

From Northfield Rd., Greenwich Park, to Old Georgetown Rd. to Beech Dr. to Singleton Dr. to Bulls Run Pkwy., to the trail along the middle school to Ridge Pl. to Greentree Rd., to to Bradmore Dr. to Ewing Dr./Roosevelt Rd., to Garfield St., to Huntington Pkwy., to Hampden Ln., to Lambeth St., to Moorland Ln., to Charlcotte Rd., to Northfield Rd. Resting my legs above my head last night helped with the blood flow and made my legs feel better after the orienteering, but I was still tired today; even while starting out. I was slowed down by ice and old walked on snow in places. The worst was along Old Georgetown Rd., again, but I did get to use the bike lane eventually, and that had been plowed. It was in the upper 30s F.

25 situps.

Event: QOC Hemlock
 

QOC: Hemlock Overlook Regional Park, VA. We started from the Kincheloe Soccer Park - grassy but muddy fields that I'd only run through when doing an EX2 race a long time ago. I ran the Red course which unfortunately, was still about the right distance for me. The hills took it out of me this day. I felt about as tired at the beginning of course, as at the end. The early part involved more climbing. I made one big mistake and that was one I shouldn't have.

S-1 - I mostly ignored the trail, cutting above the first reentrant but over the one before the control. I wasn't sure I was reading the contours well. They seemed more generalized.

1-2 - I stayed to the right, using the ridge. Going right past #14, I cut through the green which wasn't bad. I descended a reentrant, crossed a large one and went over a spur to drop right in. I might have gotten a little to the left if the greener didn't encourage me.

2-3 - I went over to the right of straight, using the reentrants. Going over the ridge, I was a little to the left at the end, but close enough to see it.

3-4 - I went just right of straight at first, passing near but not seeing #7. I gained on another guy ahead of me by not having to go as far down, and climb back up as we crossed reentrants. I did the same attacking, and spiked it, ahead of the other guy.

4-5 - I ran straight but came left of the control. I didn't see any of the other mapped rootstocks and was left of where the control was. The guy I'd seen at #4 started left of me but when he didn't see me finding it, he cut right, behind and above me. I had cut right by that time too, and saw the control. I was able to get there first.

5-6 - I went straight, but I read the contours wrong. The other guy passed me along the way but was more to the right. Reading them backwards, I was anticipating a spur, not a reentrant. I hit the trail beyond, and climbed more heading to high ground. I then read the control to be in a reentrant. This didn't make sense so I turned back, almost hit the trail again before dropping down to finally hit it. I'd lost about 4 minutes. My GPS track shows that I was incredibly close when I'd missed initially.

6-7 - I tried to go straight. On the last reentrant, I couldn't see a ditch ahead of me, except off to the right. I went there and it was it. I'd drifted left.

7-8 - I went fairly straight until past #3 which I did not see. Afterward, I dropped and contoured around the reentrant system. Popping over the spur, I spiked #8.

8-9 - I went right of straight, using the reentrant system to get to the trail. Crossing the trail further to the right, I made my way slowly to the saddle above. Descending a big reentrant, I went past some mapped boulders, then crossed the stream. From there, I angled up and spiked it.

9-10 - I started out straight, past the training equipment, the power lines, and then down to cross the big reentrant. As I climbed out toward a saddle, I confused myself thinking I was heading toward the saddle to the east. I cut left expecting to have to cross a hill and another small reentrant, but seeing the green of the mountain laurel, I followed the edge and it took me right to the control. In other words, I'd executed the route efficiently but didn't realize I was doing it--that was somewhat lucky.

10-11 - I ran straightish, but contouring a little. I went past the lodge that we'd hosted many winter events in, but I did that on the right side of it. It seemed more efficient to not drop down and have to climb through the green, so I used the parking area to drop in from above. That route wasn't so good either. Some ropes above knee height were in my way that I had to cross multiple times. The green wasn't so easy to get through either. Once at the powerline ride, I could run again.

11-12 - I used the power line ride to get to the road. At first I wasn't sure how to do the rest. Rounding the out of bounds corner I stayed on the leg line until the first reentrant system, then climbed the longer straighter reentrant towards #8. I got on the ride until I crested the hill. From there it was a nice run downhill on the flattish ridge. I paid close attention to my compass. The snow may have helped me see the shape of the hills better than I otherwise might have. I passed Francis Hogle, and Hideharu Tanaka, before pausing above the control. I couldn't see it ahead despite good visibility the recognizing the bottoming-out of the hill. Going a little further, I saw it just to my left.

12-13 - This was mostly straight. I did aim-off a little to the left to save climb, but the unmapped deadfall forced me back to straight. I spiked it.

13-14 - I climbed up to the trail, turned left, but then veered off to the ride. From there I went to the reentrant junction and then attacked to spike it. I saw Mark Mace along the way who asked me how I was doing. I was tired but said okay, thinking that the finish was near.

14-15 - I used the ridge that I had between #1 and #2. Crossing a reentrant and then the trail I drifted to the left side of the ridge. That took me into the deadfall, which wasn't bad. I hooked right at the end and spiked it. Like at #5, I wasn't sure that the control was on the mapped rootstock. It seemed in the center of the circle on the formline.

15-16 - I debated dropping right away but the vegetation didn't look so good. Going straight, I crossed the little stream with a splash that got both feet wet for the first time. I was pretty slow crossing the hard frozen snow at the end. This was mostly being tired.

Red - Splits