Training Log Archive: Nadim

From Northfield Rd., to Custer Rd., to York Ln. to Overhill Rd., to Hampden Ln., to Northfield Rd. I had only a short while before dinner so I took a hilly route.

Event: QOC Fountainhead West
 

QOC: Fountainhead West. I ran Brown today since I was concerned about my left ankle. My right knee still hurts too but can be tolerable for orienteering if I don't jump or climb steeply with it. Aaron Linville set a pretty good course. Since Brown is short and there are only so many options for the start and finish, the legs had similarity with some previous courses.

S-1 - As soon as I crossed the road, I stepped into a hole. Fortunately I didn't fall. I dropped to the stream, went a little left and climbed up the right side of a large reentrant. Crossing at about the saddle, I dropped on the right side of the reentrant and spiked the control.

1-2 - I angled over to the bridge, took the trail until it ended/split, and angled up the hill. I came out just above the earthbank and soon saw the control. I climbed out the left side of the reentrant and overran the ride without seeing it. I came back and decided to use the trail a little and go around the hills left of straight. In the past I'd have run straight since it involves little climb, but I reasoned that I'd save energy and perhaps still be faster. I spiked the control but probably did lose time.

3-4 - I dog-legged back the way I'd come on the ridge, until I hit the trail. The trail intersection was obscured. I paused and went on, but I felt shaky. I recognized the reentrants on my right and ran through the tops of them. I could make out the shape of the spur ahead, saw the ruin and knew I was in good shape. My son Max was leaving just before I arrived--he'd run Green.

4-5 - I went fairly straight, going left when the deadfall was in my way. That got me there.

5-6 - I contoured towards the top of the reentrant and eventually hit the trail after crossing the top. At the trail intersection I paused to get my bearing and then ran down the right side of the reentrant to the control. There was less deadfall in the way on the right side.

6-7 - I didn't want to climb at the end, since I haven't been in shape and I'm climbing poorly now. The hillsiding to go around on the left didn't feel so good on my ankle. I knew by this time that I made the right choice dropping down to Brown since going longer would increase the likelihood of further injury. I used the trail and ran across the tops of the reentrants to spike the control from above.

7-8 - I went down cautiously. My spikes held firmly. I was a little left of the bridge so I just crossed the stream. It turned out that Videlin Aleksiev was ahead of me. I wasn't sure if he was going to the same control or not. I didn't gain on him. When he crossed the ridge, he was to my right. I crossed at the ridge at what seemed like it could have been the fork but a little north of it. I spiked the control so any lost time was just my running/climbing speed right now.

8-9 - I wanted to angle straight, but after starting that way, the drop at the creek looked too steep for my. I cut left a bit before the creek and ended up crossing where the reentrant #8 was in, emptied. I went straight up the hill initially to avoid what looked like an almost earth bank. This was fast but my bearing to the finish intersected the expanded green in the next reentrant. I got through it and hit the road right where the trail and road intersect. I was on the road only a few steps before I crossed it. This worked great.

Other than my route choice for #3 and #7, I felt like I had no navigation errors. Neither of those cost me much.

Brown - Splits

From Hoyles Village Park, I covered two small forested areas amidst the suburban Germantown housing. It was in the 50s F and breezy, but sunny today. The swelling on my left foot is going down now but later sitting in a movie theater with my feet up, I was getting some aches, so I know it's still healing.

From Northfield Rd., Jefferson St., to Roosevelt St., to Garfield St., to McKinley St., to Heampstead Rd., to Johnson Ave., to Beach Ave., to Singleton Dr., to Balls Run Blvd., to Ridge Rd., to Greentree Rd., to Ewing Dr./Roosevelt St., to Irvington Ave., to Garfield Rd./Aberdeen Pl., to Aberdeen Rd., to Wilson Ln. to Bradley Blvd., to Glenbrook Rd., to Wilson Ln., to Custer Rd., to Northfield Rd. My sister Rubina came over, watched Samantha and made dinner while I went out for a short ride. I felt pretty weak and heavy. It was in the mid 60s F and finally sunny again. My left ankle is almost as swollen as it was on Monday.

From Northfield Rd., to Old Georgetown Rd., via Greenwich Park, to Somoma Rd., to Heampstead Ave.,. to McKinley St., to Garfield St., to Huntington Pkwy. to Moorland Rd., to Northfield Rd. The rains paused so I got out for a walk. I started walking slower and easier tha nI have been so that I could gauge my left ankle sprain and not reinjure it. It did indeed hurt a but starting out, but it got better for a while. When I started feeling more discomfort, I turned onto Sonoma Rd., to head back. However, later, I felt better again so I looped onto the Huntington Pkwy. The swelling is still high. My right knee still hurts.