Training Log Archive: Nadim

In Rock Creek Park, MD. From Beach Drive near Ken Gar, north on the Rock Creek Trail to Mile Post 10 and back. My legs felt heavy starting off. I was also sleepy. I though I was doing a level 3 effort. Going this direction on the trail is hillier than going south and I felt the climbs. I pushed it harder coming in but thought I was going the same speed as going out. Mile Splits: 7:36 (approximate), 7:04, 7:06 (21:46), 7:04, 6:48, 6:40.

Great Falls National Park, MD. From Falls Rd. to the start of Dave QOC Onkst's Summer Short Series event. Jogging easy with Peggy. We noted some new storm damage.

Great Falls, MD. QOC Summer Short Series training. Starting on Loop A with Jon Torrance running Loop B and Dave Onkst (course setter starting just behind me, I quickly fell behind. I glanced at the first let and underestimated it. I got all confused with an intermittant trail intersection that I just didn't see. Dave passed me before I headed out to #2. It got worse. The new version of the map had some to do with it but I also was having a lot of trouble running through the green. The green seemed to be everywhere except shown on the map. Eventually, I had to ignore it. By this point, I was longing for the last winter run I had here where it seemed that I could run fast, see everything and read on the run. On #11 on the first loop, I couldn't make sense of the contours--the dot knoll should have been below the spur, not on it. I really think the mappers messed up here. At one point, starting the second loop and confused again by the intermittant trail intersection, Ted Good who had been walking, passed me--I'd confused the ribbon marked 1b with 16 which was nearby. With a chaser speed-walker Ted Good behind me who would of made Eric Weyman proud, a comment from Spike floated into my mind. When he wasn't hitting things solidly in a race in Ohio, he started taking safer routes. Instead of going straight at the short legs, I took care to navigate on the contours. It worked mostly. The rest of the second loop (B) after #1 was much better for me but I still had trouble with #19 which I'd found easily the first time through. Using ribbons in the green areas of Great Falls was challenging for me and thus good training. I really had to know the features to find it. Normally, I can spot the control if I get inside the circle. One (other) thing I didn't well on the exercise was to read the control codes before running at it. I hardly used them and it showed.

Picking up 3 ribbons then jogging back to the start with Andy Strat.

After watching Emporer Penguins March back and forth across the ice, I was too tired to do more than 45 situps.

From Rosedale Ave., Bethesda, MD to C St. SW, Washington, D.C. I tried to keep pace at level 3 but eventually caught a guy who motivated me on. He took one pull but I led almost all and was doing 21mph on the flats into Georgetown. I alternated pushing and easing back. It's surprising what a little rest, vitamins(?), inflated tires and a tailwind at least part of the way will do. I'm not sure about the weight since I ate light--perhaps it was because the last night dinner was eaten late.

From 12th & Independence Ave., SW, Washington, D.C. to Rosedale Ave., Bethesda, MD. There was lots of car traffic slowing me down leaving work and in Georgetown. Light rain kept me diligent not to fall. I paced between 16 and 17mph up the hill and got passed by a younger rider doing around 20mph.

45 situps. Legs are sore and I feel tired elsewhere too.

From Rosedale Ave., Bethesda, MD to C St. SW, Washington, D.C. Moving sluggishly into a headwind a guy caught me and we traded pulls from Massachusetts Ave. into Georgetown. The headwind was significant most of the way and I slowed a good bit once we split. Lots of boats were still on the water from the Independence Day celebration the night before.

From C St. SW, Washington, D.C. to Old Georgetown Rd., then to Rosedale Ave. in Bethesda, MD. To escape the thunderstorm I waited until about 6pm when it was still sprinkling but left before the locked me in. The roads were slick at first so I took it easy. The steambath started drying-up after leaving Georgetown. My legs were very tired and a little sore so I took it easy and let a guy pass w/o trying to keep up. I picked-up some groceries in Bethesda and strolled in.

From Rosedale Ave., Bethesda, MD. to Georgetown on the Crescent Trail, across Key Bridge, up the Custis Trail, up the W&OD Trail to the Fairfax County Pkwy./Algonkian Pkwy. to Traskwoood Ct. It was my sister's birthday today so I rode out for a barbeque. I had intended to go the long way via Leesburg but ran out of time. Going as described, I took a two minute break at the I-66 bridge for a Gu and felt much better the last half of the ride. Once again, most of the ride was into the wind. After Maple Ave. in Vienna, my front derailer started failing. By the time I was at Reston, I could only use the middle chain ring. My cycle computer wouldn't register any distance or speed until after I finished and played with it. I miss riding on the rural roads.

Ridley Creek State Park, PA. Warm-up for the DVOA Sprints with Dave Onkst and Ted Good. We figured staying in the parking lots to warm-up would be safe but as we jogged, we could see at least 4 controls. My quads felt sore. I think it might be due to not taking vitamins which I mistakenly left in Kansas City. I had taken them the week before and was ran well twice.

Ridley Creek State Park, PA. DVOA Sprint Stage 1. Throughout the run I kept having trouble keeping in contact with the map and especially reading in the circle. I never felt strong and my legs were sore going up hills. It was difficult for me to distinguish contours from the course on the map. The numbering showing both the control and code added to my confusion. The course had sharp changes in direction which often breaks my rythym. Green areas like this course are often hard for me too since the dodging keeps me from reading along the way. My biggest errors were at #4 and #9. See the Split List.

Ridley Creek State Park, PA. DVOA Sprints Stage 2. I felt like I was doing better on this sprint but a poor choice on the way to #4 using the field led to a big error. I got to #5 before going to #4. I had other bobbles after that--dissapointing. See the Split List.

DVOA Sprint Stage 3 NW of Philadelphia, PA on 'The Willows and Skunk Hollow' map. Getting to the start I was a bit late and had to rush getting ready. We had to hunt for Peggy's purse after lunch--left at a restaurant the night before--found it! Peggy started about a minute or two ahead. I ran better than earlier in the day until after leaving #9, I decided to go across the white woods to #10. I somehow turned 180 degrees and found myself at the bridge over the stream. Incredulous that I could be at that point on the map, I wondered if there were more than one bridge and that this was just one more problem with the map--it wasn't. I lost +7 minutes. The rest was okay but again another dissapointment. See the Split List.

DVOA Sprint Stage 4 NW of Philadelphia, PA on 'The Willows and Skunk Hollow' map. The sprint was the revers of Stage #3. It was a last chance for some redemption. Because it was a chase start and because I'd done poorly earlier, I started about 15-20 minutes after finishing Stage #3, 4 seconds behind Karl Alswede and 15 seconds ahead of Peggy. I was much cleaner but still had a few bobbles. See the Split List.

SPRINT/Stage 1 - Splits

SPRINT/Stage 2 - Splits

SPRINT/Stage 3 - Splits