Training Log Archive: Nadim

45 situps. I worked late and that threw my schedule off. I should have run at lunchtime.

BOK: Birkhead Wilderness Classic, US Classic Championships (near Ashboro, NC). Warm-up jog to the start with Zac.

BOK: Birkhead Wilderness Classic, US Classic Championships (near Ashboro, NC). For Day 2, I started out running the physical leg fairly straight and hit the control right on. This set up continued success. I knew that I was running stronger than yesterday and leaving even more of the effects of my 50K run last weekend behind me. After passing Peggy and Jim Eagelton after #4, I made a big error. I navigated to probably within 20m of the control but I'd ducked under it. When correcting, I went further down and backward, then off the map. I couldn't make sense of the many ditches and gullies that I was seeing. I went to relocate, and then went to the same spot where I'd initially gone. I just hadn't realized the control was a little higher. In my mind, I was looking for a control near the bottom of a larger reentrant and went there. After wandering and relocating a second time, I found it. It was about an 11 minute error.

After that, I was feeling worn out. Kevin Teschendorf was closing in on me at #6. The flatter ground and a Gu helped me recover and I surprised myself by leaving him behind. I hit controls #7-11 fast and well, passing several people along the way. Of note, I fell on the way to #9 when a vine tripped me up. Catching myself with both hands like I've done hundreds of times before really hurt my right shoulder today--it's been injured for a while and is getting worse; I had to walk a short while after the fall and soon, I'll have to have a doctor check it out for whatever has been happening these last few months.

I was fast to #12 but ended-up low. Peggy was leaving it going past me to #13 as I ran up. On #13, I angled over, then cut back to cross the stream on rocks. Upon climbing the ridge, I was just close enough to look left and see a control next to some open ground. I doubted it was my control because I felt I'd taken a fairly good line toward #13, and the control I saw was well off of it. However, I went to check it out and lost about a minute. Instead of heading toward the trail as did a lot of others, I angled straight toward #14 and hit it well. I ran up the hill to the finish okay, like I still had some energy and that was a good feeling.

Though the result was poor, I can't feel too bad about today. I ran strong and with one break in concentration putting me off the map, an otherwise small error became much larger one. I feel like I'm getting better again. Back in January, I didn't know what to expect for today but overall, the additional training is benefiting me. I know that I didn't expect to be very physically strong in 2.5 months of better training but I'm making good progress toward what I could be later.

C • Birkhead 4

Green Day 2 - Splits

Event: Birkhead Wilderness Classic (US Classic Champs)
 

BOK: Birkhead Wilderness Classic, US Classic Championships (near Ashboro, NC). After my run Thursday night, I was rather worried about how much I'd be able to run. I was pretty worried that my right Achilles tendon would not hold-up. During my recovery week from the 50K last weekend, just a small rise was enough to set it off on Thursday. With a course full of steeper hills I knew I was risking further debilitating strain. However, a day of rest and good sleep really helped. I felt my right leg going up the first hill and subsequently walked a bunch of it. Once up, I felt okay and was able to run. As I passed Peggy (she started a minute or so ahead of me), I warmed-up more and turned more attention to the navigation. However, my run to #2 was not so good--I ended-up too low. I was a bit too high going to #3, then okay on #4 and #5. I was fine on the way to #6 but hitting one of the stream junctions, I didn't notice there being two of them. I ran on past the control when I should have followed the stream up. That was a 2:30 error. I made up for it on #7, #8, and #9, running smoothly and cleanly. Just like many people, I didn't climb high enough going to #10. I corrected that quickly. I started tiring going to #11 but hit it well. I was a bit high but corrected getting to #12 without any noteworthy loss of time. I was still tired getting around #13, #14, and #15, I ran the flatter ground into #16 on trails pretty well but didn't have much of a sprint finish. I think I was just feeling tired still from the 50K. I shouldn't have made the error that I did going to #6 but I was pretty happy after this race mainly due to being able to run without hurting my right Achilles tendon again. The softer ground and naturally slower speeds in running off trail probably offset the effect of the steepness and minimized the hurt. I did run with magnifying eyeglasses today; first time for me in an A-meet. They worked okay, as they had done at QOC's event in Pohick, VA, 2 weeks back.

Green Day 1 - Splits

From Northfield Rd. to Bethesda Metro Station. I felt strong though there was at least some tailwind. It was cooler too. Last night it was warm enough for shorts but very windy. There was at least a 30mph gust.

From Northfield Rd., Greenwich Park, to Old Georgetown Rd. to Beech Dr. to Johnson Ave./Hempstead Ave. to McKinley St. to Garfield St., to Roosevelt St., to the trail at Jefferson St. to Northfield Rd. I felt so much better starting out today. I was 7:55 at the first mile. I'd stretched before starting. My right calf was still tight. About halfway through in distance, I turned up Beech and tightened-up. I soon stopped but was stiff for a while after getting going again. After turning downhill a way later, I felt better but not a lot.

From Northfield Rd. I ran up to Custer Rd., to Wilson La., to Exeter Rd. to Glenbrook Rd. to the Bethesda Trolley Trail, to the NIH grounds, to Maple Ridge Rd. to Georgetown Pike, to Huntington Pkwy., to Custer Rd. to Northfield Rd. It was in the upper 50s F with a full moon. I missed running at and from work since I was busy. Getting home late always makes it less likely for me to run but catching up on some AP logs helped. I've also been feeling like it was time to get back on the horse and test out my aches and pains. I figured that moving some would also be better than not doing so. I was slowest in the first quarter mile up a small hill. My right calf turned out to still be pretty tight--pins and needles but at least I'm bending at the ankle the last 2 days. It loosened more as I went. After about a mile, my right thigh hurt more but that went away mostly too. My feet were kind of heavy and hitting hard. I felt like I could go a long way but for the pains.

It was kind of busy at work. I've been feeling better and like I ought to run. The tight calves from the race on Saturday are getting less tight. There are still some other aches and pains.