Training Log Archive: Nadim

Serpentine Barrens Conservation Park, MD. The prime purpose was to set out controls for solo training. As I went across the map, I found the need to make various map adjustments. Some were for better point feature alignments, but other times, some vegetation needed adjustment. It took much longer than I'd planned. The sun was a orange ball just above the horizon as I was exiting.

Event: QOC PWF - Training Weekend CANCELLED
 

From Northfield Rd., to Georgetown Pike via Greenwich Park, to Beech Ave., to Anniston Rd., to Ewing Dr., through North Bethesda Middle School to Bradmoor Dr., to Folkstone Rd., to Hartsdale Ave., to Heampstead Ave., to McKinley St., to Garfield St., to Roosevelt St., to Jefferson St., to Northfield Rd. This was a pretty nice run. Like before, there were many people out. It was somewhat sad to see an Corona virus related interaction where a group of kids and parents on the middle school parking lot had been playing. One kid on a bicycle wander over toward a friend who wasn't part of their party. The parent, with fear in their voices shouted for him to come back.

From Northfield Rd. to Norfolk Ave., then back. It was good to get out on a relatively nice day.

Great Falls Park, MD. Starting from the parking lot across from the Old Angler's Inn, I ran up the Berma Rd. to the towpath, to the River Trail, back to the towpath at the north end of the River Trail, down the towpath to the bridge south of the Widewater, then up to the parking lot where I'd started. There was a slight detour on the towpath south of the tavern coming and going. This was the longest run that I'd done or tried since getting injured. It was a pleasant sunny 49 F. I ran in a t-shirt and shorts. I felt pretty good starting out, though even in the first mile, I felt some warning pangs from my left calf. It was a little more centrally located than previously. I backed off the pace to compensate and that seemed to work. I slowed gradually but felt a need to keep careful not to re-injure myself. When I originally injured myself it was while doing a similar towpath and river trail run much further south. When I hit the long stretch of towpath at the turning point for heading back (just under 3 miles), it was again not long before I felt my calf starting to hurt. I slowed, then slowed again. I felt a little silly running so slow but the idea of keeping myself moving seemed much better than walking most of 3 miles back. As I got back to the Tavern area and descended the slight grades at the successive locks, my calf started loosening up. I did run a little faster, and decided to take the towpath all the way down rather than the slightly shorter route on the Berma Rd.

Most of the rest of the run was pleasant after that. I saw something that looked like it might have been an otter in the canal--maybe a young one since it might not have been very long, but it was too thin to be a muskrat. Probably the most unpleasant thing was passing some walkers who were trying to keep from going stir crazy and taking pictures of the river gorge overlook. It just so happened that there were puddles on this part of the towpath and so the path was narrowed where 3 people had stopped. I ran by closer than I would have, but not so close. A trail etiquette oblivious and fearful woman in the group quickly said something to me about keeping my distance, not realizing she'd stopped where the towpath was narrowed. I felt she should have stayed inside. In contrast, almost everyone else was smiling and cheerful to be out. One place where I did see some fear involved 2 couples. 3 in the group had stopped being a bit worried about a Canadian Goose who'd stopped on the side of the towpath. I told the 4th in the group that the goose could sense fear and he played that up to his fearful friends.

After the run, I tried to stretch a little--I was tight. I went grocery shopping and was limping a little while before it eased up. It was odd seeing some aisles in the Potomac Giant almost completely bare--the cleaning supplies and toilet paper aisles. Some other products were not to be found--I got the last bunch of bananas.

From Bradley Blvd. to Seven Locks Rd., and back. Peggy was going running just after I ended working from home, so we went together. It was about 79 F and humid. A nice breeze was blowing in a change in the weather. The trail had a few groups of hikers. It was not muddy like when we'd run here with the Winter Trails group. The hills were the same too.

From Cedar Ln., I took paved the Rock Creek Trail south to the Kensington Pkwy and back. I had somewhat dragged Samantha out of the house so she could ride with me. She hadn't ridden her bicycle in a long time and was afraid, but eventually I got her going. She rode slower than I was running. I kept looking back and sometimes slowing down. There were lots of other people out riding and running. It was in the upper 60s F and sunny--nice after the overnight rains.

From Northfield Rd Bethesda, MD., to Old Georgetown Rd. via Greenwich Park, to Johnson Ave. to Heamsteadt Ave. to McKinley Ave. to Garfield St. to Roosevelt. Ave. to Jefferson St. to Northfield Rd. It was in the 50s F. Lots of people were out and about.

From Northfield Rd. to Norfolk Ave., then back. Max and I rode into town to get lunch, then we rode back. The town was fairly empty for the middle of the day.

From Northfield Rd., to the Bethesda Metro Station.

From the Bethesda Metro Station.to Northfield Rd. I left work late and had a tailwind. The office was closed for the next 2 weeks. There was one confirmed case of COVID-19 from a person who was in the building.

Event: Cancelled - QOC Patapsco
 

From the Woodend Santuary mansion (on the Audubon Society’s property), Peggy and I started out together exploring the trails. I think I hadn't been on the property in decades. There was more to it than I remembered. I wanted to run about 2 miles and Peggy planned to stay on the property, but even that short distance was too long for me to do loops. I chose to avoid some hills. I got onto trails I hadn't run before by crossing Jones Mill Rd., and heading past the Rock Creek Trail, toward Rock Creek. The trails were pleasant. The usual springtime carpet mat of some kind of flowering ground plant was starting to give way to other shrubs. No trees had sprouted leaves yet. Despite overnight rains and a cool (about 49 F) cloudy day the trail was mostly dry (someone had even laid strips of tree bark over the trail in places--I hope from nearby deadfall). I cut north upon nearing the creek, then crossed on a bridge. Taking the southward heading trail along the creek, I got to the Rock Creek Trail bridge, where I could again cross and turn north. I turned left where I'd first joined the loop, and ran up the entrance road from Jones Bridge Rd., to the mansion. I did some stretching afterward. I took it easy a lot of the way on this run. I was probably over-dressed and got sweaty. I didn't feel strong but I finished without hurting myself and that was good. There were more trails to use on the east side of Rock Creek; perhaps more than when I'd run on some of them in the past.

From Northfield Rd Bethesda, MD., to Old Georgetown Rd. via Greenwich Park, to Oak Pl. to Daley Ln., to Oakmont Ave., to Heamsteadt Ave. to McKinley Ave. to Garfield St. to Roosevelt. Ave. to Jefferson St. to Northfield Rd. Since my orienteering and terrain runs in Wheaton and Prince William Forest last week went pretty well, I thought I'd try some regular running today. I was going to go to softer ground but didn't want to have to drive out for what could have been a very short run. I went slowly, especially starting out uphill. At one point after I'd picked up the pace, I started feeling some warning discomfort, so I backed off my pace, and turned homeward earlier than planned. I rarely go that way when running and took the opportunity to run across Daley Ln., a small pedestrian alley. I was happy to have finished-up the run without pulling my calf again.

It was in the mid 50s F. I ran in shorts and a t-short. Lots of people were outside. Some were no doubt avoiding crowded places in hopes of avoiding the Corona virus. Schools are closed next week, and there have been runs on some grocery items. Overall, people have reacted but aren't yet panicked.

C • Run 2

From Northfield Rd., to the Bethesda Metro Station.

From the Bethesda Metro Station to Northfield Rd. I'd worked late so I was tired starting out. Later, I picked up the pace.

From Northfield Rd., Bethesda, MD. to 13th & C St. SW, Washington, D.C. It was cloudy and in the low 40s F. At Bradley Blvd. where I was waiting for the traffic light, I got passed as soon as it changed. I caught up and drafted the guy for a short while, then we exchanged long pulls. I pulled more and we split after Georgetown. I was definitely slowing down afterward, since we'd come in at a good clip, and the change in direction and coming out of the trees meant I was hitting slight headwinds coming from the east. Had I known that I was this close to breaking 38 minutes, I'd have pushed it in harder. That's a pretty good time for me at this time of the year. I can still feel pain in my left calf when I bend in the right way.

From 13th & C St. SW, Washington, D.C. to Northfield Rd., Bethesda, MD. I had an even better start getting out of work and getting through Georgetown. There was a tailwind initially but after the sewage treatment plant, I had some headwinds.

From Northfield Rd., to the Bethesda Metro Station.

From the Bethesda Metro Station to Northfield Rd. I had intended to try to run again but I left work too late.

From Northfield Rd., Bethesda, MD. to 13th & C St. SW, Washington, D.C. I felt like I had rode quickly over the first 1/3 of the ride, and then slowed down. I'd passed people all the way until just before arriving in Georgetown, where I'd gotten passed. I just about caught up to the guy as we were leaving Georgetown but we split. The winds were basically calm though there might have been a little headwind on Ohio Dr. along the Potomac River. It was in the low 40s F but sunny. When I was taking my shoes off after the ride, I could feel some of the sharp pain in my left calf.

From 13th & C St. SW, Washington, D.C. to Northfield Rd., Bethesda, MD. I had a good start getting out of work and getting through Georgetown.

Prince William Forest, VA. From Warm Springs and Bowmans Folly Dr., I ran down to the newly mapped parts of Prince William Forest to review the mapping. Peggy and I were in the area nearly a year ago to do scouting. When I'd gotten a copy of the map, I was well able to recognize things I'd seen during the earlier scouting. It was much easier knowing where to go this time with an actual field checked map. I was asked to check out the mapping of the green and to be fair about it, I didn't want to get opinions of others who were more involved already. I plunged right in in a few places. Overall the area is going to be challenging for navigation because of the subtle terrain contours and distance between mappable features. I was able to get around and match things up with the map very well. I stopped sometimes to make notes and take phone calls. I have suggestions for some changes though I recognize that the mapping and drafting is incomplete.

It was a great day to be out--already in the 50s F when I started. I was thinking I'd have to do a lot of walking. I walked up most of the bigger hills, but I managed to run most of the time, and better than I had at Wheaton, MD the day before. I even ran up a long forested grade today that neither my knees or my strained left calf felt. That was encouraging. The softer ground and shorter strides probably had a lot with me being able to run. As I got nearer to the Oak Ridge campground I was starting to smell smoke. I wondered if there were a lot of campers having a big cookout or even a bonfire, but once in the campground, I could tell that the smoke was coming from beyond. I wondered about a long while. Even after leaving the park I could see the telltale haze in the air when driving around the Capital Beltway. I had to dig up a news report but eventually found that the Marine Corps was having a controlled burnoff from 10am to 1pm in TA9A. It was supposedly set from the air and intended to burn and disperse smoke quickly, but even back at home at 9pm I was still smelling the smoke in the air outside in Bethesda, MD!

Event: QOC Wheaton
 

QOC: Wheaton Regional Park, MD. Since I'm still recovering and from having updated the map of this park so much, my challenge today was to go out and finsish the Green course sans compass. It's a pretty easy park overall but there are opportunities to make mistakes

S-1 - I walked most of this leg to make sure I wasn't going to re-injure myself again. I used a route to the right and cut across the green in a 2 places. I could see the control before crossing the stream.

1-2 - I didn't stop long to really think about where this control was. I set out quickly along the lake. Ted Good passed me and knowing that I'd planned to walk, he told me I wasn't walking--I was jogging slowly, cheating on myself. From the lake corner, I went straight-in at it. Without a compass, this wasn't so easy. I did hit the dot knoll that I should have by going straight from the lake corner, but then I had it in my head that the control was further up the reentrant leading toward the dog park. I got to the first rootstock and realized I was going up the wrong reentrant. As minor as a mistake as this was, it was my biggest mistake of the day.

2-3 - Since I wasn't moving that well off trail, I figured it best to use the trails. Eventually, I cut across, but mostly because the trail that was available was under the unbroken leg line. I attacked from the lower bridge, passed a rootstock, and spiked this--I'd added the ditch feature to the map in the last outing to update it.

3-4 - I doubled back to the bridge, and used trails as much as I could before plunging in. I spiked it again which was good without a compass, only I wasn't sure it was mine as I was approaching it. I thought the control I was looking for might be further ahead. As I was checking it out, Joe Barrett came in behind me and had to wait a second or 2.

4-5 - I went straight, using a rootstock ahead to line-up, but Joe Barrett could also be seen and that helped.

5-6 - I went straight but had to cut left to get around an earth bank and cross the stream. Continuing straight, I hit the trail along the road at the bend, then went right back into the woods. I saw guy ahead and thought he might have been at the control but I couldn't see the control. The other guy left and when I got where he was I still couldn't see it. It was on the other side of the dot knoll.

6-7 - Straight , but I ended up too high.

7-8 - I basically went to the top of the hill, across on the rough open ground, then straight in. While in the linear rough open, I realized that the sun was lining up in the direction I needed after the road, so I used the sun to keep me straight when going over the ridge.

8-9 - I went along the park border. The thorny low vegetation was not so bad and only about 20m of it required walking. Once at the loop trail, I went straight across to the gully intersection. I went around the visible rough open with a ring of green around it. I passed Francis Hogel in the last 15m and told him that I'd added this feature to the map on what was nearly the last map update.

9-10 - Straight and I spiked it--I thought that was pretty good without a compass and not much to line-up with.

10-11 - To the school, then across the field to the backstop. For the last bit, I used the rough open and the earthwall to get to the very visible control.

11-12 - I stayed along the border of the park much of the way. After the fields, I cut left on the trail. I attacked from a low spot before the next bend and saw the control over 100m away.

12-13 - I initially thought I'd go low, but instead, I used the paved trail southeast of the control. I reentered the forest on the intermittent trail but that disappeared quickly. Using the gully and contour change, I was fairly efficient spiking the control.

13-14 - I took a left route across the forest initially. Crossing the trail tracks and the green that I'd crossed on the way to #1, I got to the playground and then the parking lot. Going straightish, I got to the fence corner and attacked, spiking it.

14-F - I contoured out going right of straight. I used the gravel road along the edge to get near to the park entrance. Once across the road, I could see the finish so I just went straight.

Overall, this wasn't bad for me. I was successfully able to jog. The soft ground helped strained left calf (I did feel some minor pain during the event. I also enjoyed running without a compass.

Green - Splits

From Northfield Rd., Bethesda, MD. to 13th & C St. SW, Washington, D.C. I was fickle about riding today but with the morning temperature in the mid 40s F, and wanting to do some kind of significant workout, I decided at the last minute to proceed. There was a lot of initial auto traffic, but then not so many riders on the trail. I started catching up to a bunch of riders later. I got passed going downhill and not wanting to push too hard, I let the guy go. Seeing him ahead so close but just out of drafting distance for a long while had me second guessing. The last parts past the Kennedy Center and along Ohio Dr., were with a tailwind. Since I'd reached Georgetown in about 25 minutes like my last ride, I guess that being faster overall amounted to the tailwind and better endurance.

From 13th & C St. SW, Washington, D.C. to Northfield Rd., Bethesda, MD. I was surprised that I had a tailwind most of the way going to Georgetown. I got there and past it quickly, using the waterfront route. As I hit the trail, I passed a bunch of riders. I think they'd been held up at the trailhead gate by a car blocking the way. There were crew races going on in the river. I passed the group and one of them tagged along. I pulled for him at least up to the trestle bridge, and either dropped him or he turned off. I had actually started to slow going up the hill by gearing down and trying to keep a steady effort. There were some headwinds after the water treatment plant. I also saw a guy power walking with a chain connected to a waist belt, that he used to drag a large rubber tire over the bluestone shoulder of the trail. I finished-up after sunset but with the barest of light still in the sky.

From Northfield Rd. to the Bethesda Metro Station.

Washington, D.C. From 12th and Independence Ave., SW, to 7th St., SW. I had been feeling pretty good lately walking around, and even returning to coming down the long metro station escalators fast on my commute. With the time at 2 weeks, I thought it to be a good time to try to run again. I didn't get far. All indications of the calf pull/strain were good at first, though I felt some odd pains in both knees at different times--probably from not being on my legs much lately (I have also been very busy at work and it's rained a lot). Just after crossing 7th St., and passing another runner going the other way, I went up on the curb ramp and 2 steps later I felt the same twing that I had felt about 2 weeks back. It didn't hurt a lot and I was tempted to try to keep running but I stopped knowing better.

Washington, D.C. From 7th St., SW to 12th and Independence Ave., SW. After re injuring myself, I walked back to the office. The walking didn't hurt much starting out but in the middle the discomfort increased, then it presided. I tried jogging a few steps and managed to do it but I didn't want to risk more delay due to injury.

From the Bethesda Metro Station to Northfield Rd.

From Northfield Rd. to the Bethesda Metro Station.

From the Bethesda Metro Station to Northfield Rd.

Smokey Glen Barbequers and Seneca Creek State Park, MD. I walked around taking pictures for the QOC Bumble held today. My calf strain is getting better but it's too early to try to race or even get through something like this much orienteering. It was fun seeing a lot of people, some of whom had come from states up north.