Training Log Archive: Nadim

From Northfield Rd. to Maple Ave. with Max in his trailer, then to the Bethesda Metro Station via the Georgetown Branch tunnel. It was a nice warm and so far dry morning.

From the Bethesda Metro station to Maple Ave., then to Northfield Rd. via the Georgetown Branch Trail.

From Northfield Rd. to Maple Ave. with Max in his trailer, then to the Bethesda Metro Station via the Georgetown Branch tunnel. It was a bit colder than yesterday morning and with some southern headwinds which I hope are bringing warmer weather.

From the Bethesda Metro station to Maple Ave., then to Northfield Rd. via the Georgetown Branch Trail. Having not needed it for a long time, I had removed my headlamp from my helmet just the night before. The sunset is much later now so I have less need for it. I was a bit late leaving work so as Murphy's Law would have it, I was close to needing to use it today. The winds have died down or perhaps they were behind me. I was able to spin quickly and efficiently for a faster ride home.

My left knee has been feeling uncomfortable and popping more lately so I'm still laying off from running.

From Northfield Rd. to Maple Ave. with Max in his trailer, then to the Bethesda Metro Station via the Georgetown Branch tunnel. The temperature was in the upper 30's F but with either no winds or a tailwind it didn't feel like it. I hit the stop signs and traffic lights pretty well and got to Max's day care in under 10 minutes which is probably about the fastest that I've done it.

From the Bethesda Metro station to Maple Ave., then to Northfield Rd. via the Georgetown Branch Trail. It was still chilly for an April day. A light snow shower was falling as I got to Max's day care and I was going into the parking lot just as Peggy and Max were coming out.

From Northfield Rd. to Maple Ave. with Max in his trailer, then to the Bethesda Metro Station via the Georgetown Branch tunnel. With the temperature just under 60F, it was the warmest that it's been this year on my morning ride, making it all the more delightful. Having pumped up my bike tires seemed to make a difference. I was moving much better. I need to do the same for the trailer. Like last Monday, my legs felt a bit tired from the weekend racing.

From the Bethesda Metro station to Maple Ave., then to Northfield Rd. via the Georgetown Branch Trail. It was windy so it was great going down Maple Ave. but once I got the trailer there and turned around it was like I had a parachute to pull. In one building canyon on Bethesda Ave. I was slowed to 9mph and when a sustained gust came along I had to gear down to keep going. With the plastic rain cover rolled up, the wind blew in the velcroed netting thus making the parachute or open box shape.

Event: QOC: Prince William Forest
 

McFarlan Woods, Cincinnati, OH. Warm-up for the Flying Pig Long event. I jogged over to the start with Mike Eglinski and then jogged back and forth on a trail till it was my turn to go.

McFarlan Woods, Cincinnati, OH. OCIN: Flying Pig Long. This was really a classic course distance with 3 long legs and a few to test raw power on repeated hill climbs. Overall it was pretty fun but I could have enjoyed it with less climbing. I started 4 minutes after Michael Eglinski and a minute ahead of the eventual M20 and Red course winner. I was caught by the latter person a little before finishing the long leg to #1. After #1 I'd caught sight of and ran either in front of or behind Tori Borish for many controls. I was moving a little faster but would make a small mistake or less optimal route and we'd be back together again. On the way to #11, I saw Vadim Masalkov chasing Michael Eglinski. Tori dropped off, Vadim pulled ahead and I chased Michael to #12. We ran parallel to #13 but I pulled ahead going down the last bit. I was struggling with the climb out to the Go control and saw not only Michael Eglinski closing in while on a steep climb, but also Greg Balter who was running Blue. Overall, I finished 5th in a fairly tough M45+ field. I was well behind Mark Voit's leading M45+ 63 minute Red course finish but only a little over 2 minutes out of third place (Ted Good was third and Eric Buckley was second in 67 minutes. A Canadian was not far off Ted's time). I feel it's a good result for me given the shape that I'm in. The courses were not very technically difficult but they were physical.

A negative to take back is that with 2 3-day orienteering weekends in a row my left knee, the one operated on last summer, is feeling the toll. It doesn't recover as quickly as this amount of orienteering puts wear and tear on it. It was throbbing after the meet similar to the warning signs I had before the disasterous QOC Wheaton meet over a year ago when I pretty much had to stop running for several months. I took some Motrin that my orthopedist perscribed but that I hadn't touched since last summer when I had the operation--it was fortunate for me that Peggy had brought it along. At least I'll have a break for the next two weeks from orienteering racing. The orienteering racing seems to put the most stress on my knee.

Sunday Long Red - Splits