Training Log Archive: Nadim

From Northfield Rd., to 12th and C Street, SW, Washington, D.C. With the temperature expected to hit 70F I couldn't pass-up a ride all the way to work. It was 55F when starting. There was significant headwind most of the way. I felt tired but enjoyed it. I've also probably lost some conditioning; even my arms were tired. I rode my road bike and let Max take the bus to school.

From 12th & C St. SW, Washington, D.C. to Northfield Rd., Bethesda, MD. It was dark right from the start of my commute at 6pm. I was a little slow due to traffic when starting out but I enjoyed the tailwind most of the way home. The air was very comfortable. There was a steady stream of cyclist that I passed but it didn't seem like the trail was busy. I definately feel like I've lost some cycling conditioning since in mid September when I rode in the daytime with a laptop and less of a tailwind, I was only a minute slower.

Event: QOC Great Falls MD
 

Great Falls National Park, MD. From near the Tavern area, Max and I hiked to see the falls. We ran the path over the bridges to the big viewpoint. Though Max had been there before, he had lost much of the memory of it so it was a somewhat impressive and new experience for him. He called the water-gouged rounded pits in the bedrock Beyblade arenas and crawled in an out of them. Earlier, he had enjoyed hanging out in a hollowed-out Sycamore tree at the meet site.

Great Falls National Park, MD. It was in the mid 60s F and sunny again today. I picked up controls in the southern part of the park starting from the Angler's Inn and getting picked-up myself from Picaso Ln. I had been wanting to run all day while watching others run so it felt good to get going. The meet turned out to be fairly successful as far as attendance (~250 starters which is what we were limited to by the park service) and the general comments on the courses. I was worried they'd be too easy--this was probably the case for many but most were happy and there were few DNFs. I saw one "Jan Z....", an elderly guy who probably started late and was only half-way through the Advanced course when I was picking-up controls. Even for those who probably did have too easy a time with the courses, there were a few curves which deserve some apology. People seemed to survive the steep drop to the Widewater area of the canal--one of the few areas we can set a control close to the water. In my zeal for not making it too easy, I put the next control where they climbed back up too close behind a tree in a very tight reentrant. Many had come to the reentrant but not seen it until they climbed further and looked back--there wasn't a lot to tie the control to there but I suppose I could have done something. The park service scrutinized our day by sending staff at club expense to visit controls and make observations. No big issues were voiced that I know though there was some concern about having controls in pits since it was the ranger thought there was a chance for one particularly deep pit to have been a gold mine shaft entrance that people could fall through--The control was in the pit and there was no obvious indication of any deeper mine. The future for orienteering in the park is still in question and may be much more limited if we do get permits.

Great Falls National Park, MD. Starting from the main parking area, I looped through the park setting controls and dropping off water. It was another wonderful fall day with temperatures in the mid 60s F. While tying up one control at the end of a sharp spur, I heard some people below somehwhere probably on a trail yelling for their dog to come back. I heard the leaves being rustled behind me so I expected a dog to come running up to me. When I turned to look, 2 deer were flying by in great leaps going up the hill. They hadn't seen me as they came around the spur so one passed within 5-10ft. from me as it leaped by. One kept running, and the other stopped a short ways away. It was pretty neat to feel their power in the sound and feel of the air and not just see it. I finished with the water and controls just as it was getting really dark and left 2 controls on busy trails for the morning. It felt good to run.

Great Falls National Park, MD. Starting from the Angler's area, I looped through the park setting controls. I think more time was spent tying the bags and epunch boxes than actually moving. Since our permit to proceed was in question for so long, I hadn't seen all of the control sites and train between controls. Some parts were pretty steep and dangerously slippery with more fallen leaves than last week. Streams were flowing more than week ago. I have to go back to set out water and more controls tomorrow.

Max had a potluck dinner after school so I met him there. To end the party we played dodge ball with parents against kids (the balls used are very light. The parents were out numbered. I'd taken my work shoes off. One of the minor injuries sustained in this season in which I'm falling a lot is my right shoulder. I'm not sur when or where I hurt it but it was getting better after having restricted movement for a while. On my first throw, a fast but errant miss, I pulled quite badly. I almost quit then but I stayed back against the wall for a while with my right arm limp. Max was hunting me from the other side so I decided to go forward. I grabbed a ball with my left hand and threw badly. Instead of hurting my other arm, I hurt my pride when my slippery socks went out from under me and I landed on my butt. My right shoulder continued to hurt rather much. I took some Ibuuprofen.

From the Bethesda Metro Station, Edgemor Ln., to Hampden Ln., to Wilson Ln., to Aberdeen Ln., to Northfield Rd. Having a parent teacher conference this morning and getting a ride downtown with Peggy, I was set to run on my way back home. I carried a full backpack with jacket, shoes, and my work clothes. It was a great evening for a run and if I hadn't started so late and been carrying clothes, I would of wanted to go farther. My right hamstring and calf are still tight.

Washington, D.C. I did yet another variation of the loop I call the Memorial Tour. From 14th & Independence Ave., SW, to Lincoln Memorial Circle via the Reflecting Pool, across Memorial Bridge to the Mt. Vernon Trail, to the 14th St. Bridge,. to Main Ave. to D St., SW, to 13th St., SW, to C. St. SW. It was in the low 60s F; bright and sunny. I felt pretty good starting off. It was like I thought I should be running faster. After half a mile, I settled down and felt that I was running fast enough. My right hamstring was a little tight starting out; probably an aftereffect of running part of the Stumble without training enough. For a while, I had some runners ahead of me that provided added motivation along with the beautiful day so I kept the pace a little high. I felt my right calf only a little, while going uphill. After the run I stretched and not long after, I was surprised at how quickly I felt some soreness.