Training Log Archive: Nadim

From Carderock, the C&O Canal Towpath to Angler's Towpath (Berma Rd.), to the bridge at the start of the Billygoat Trail Section A, then back to Carderock on the C&O Towpath. I just wanted an easy run and remembered this scenic one that I did last November. I wasn't as fast and was a little sore in my quads from the run the previous evening. At the first bridge over the canal, I was 5:27--slower than last fall, and I knew it. I wasn't pushing. Rain from last night and this morning made a few damp and slightly muddy spots. My knees didn't bother me on the softer ground. I thought I was slowing-up the last few miles but I was actually speeding up. I wasn't going that fast which can be judged by the splits as much as the fact that the mud splash pattern only got up to my calves, but not my butt or hamstring area. The temperature was in the mid-40s F and I was overdressed. I sweat a lot.

From Northfield Rd., to Charlcotte Rd., to Moorland Ln., to Lambeth Rd., to Custer Rd. to Wilson Ln. to Glenbrook Rd. to Bradley Blvd. to Kennedy Dr. to Dorset Dr. to the Capital Crescent Trail to the Little Falls Trail, to Massachusetts Ave. to the Capital Crescent Trail to Bradley Blvd. to Glenbrook Rd. to Wilson Ln. to Custer Rd. to Huntington Pkwy., to Moorland Ln, to Charlcotte Rd., to Moorland Ln., to Custer Rd., to Northfield Rd. I practiced a new sort of eat, run, socializing. Immediately after dinner, Max and I ran over to a friend's house where Max stayed to work on a science project. I continued running from there. It was a gloomy night; in the mid to low 30s F with some mist and damp pavement. At least the rain had stopped. I felt the best I had while running for several days. my quads were still a little sore. After retuning for Max, we ran home. He wanted to beat me there just as he. Had tried in the way over. Max can run pretty quickly for a short while. I slowed when he ran out of breath but Max pushed on.

45 Situps. I felt stronger during the daytime just walking around--the sinus illness bothering me earlier in the week mus have abated. I was a bit tired after work at home. Since it was cold and rainy, and since my knee were aching, I decided that rest would be better than a planned run.

From 14th & Independence Ave., SW, Washington, D.C. Independence Ave. to the Reflecting Pool, to the Lincoln Memorial, to the Rock Creek Trail, through the tunnel near the zoo, to Tilden St., to Connecticutt Ave. to the Van Ness/UDC Metro Station. I had hopes of running back to Bethesda today but still feeling weak (rare sinus pain all morning today) and with difficult weather outside, I knew before starting that I'd need to do something else. My legs were tired and sore from the run on Sunday. However the wind was the bigger impediment. It was steadily blowing from the NW (a headwind) at 20mph with more intense blow up to 30mph. I fel like I was running up a steep hill. It was cold too--28 F by the time I was done. I'm glad I had my Goretex jacket but even that wasn't necessarily enough. My pace was slow right from the beginning. One guy went crusing ahead of me after starting together at the traffic light at 17th Street. He was wearing shorts and got to the Lincoln Memorial a full minute ahead of me (only about half a mile) I figured he was doing intervals because he stopped. I was still a minute slower than usual after the first mile. The next mile was perhaps worse with stronger winds and little protection along the Potomac River. People running the other direction seemed lightly dressed and were flying along with a tailwind. Commuting cyclists going my way put their heads down. After passing the Kennedy Center, one young woman going the other direction rather surprised me. Not only was she in shorts but had on just a tank top and shear nylon stockings. She was running well. Well enough to have blown past me after she turned around probably at the Kennedy Center--that was deflating but then again, she hadn't struggled going into the wind for the 2 miles that I had. As I got into the shelter of the Rock Creek stream valley, my pace improved and I kept a closer pace to the woman who I could see far ahead. The rest was mostly a slog; a struggle to keep moving and not slow too much. The car lights were distracting but I did see my moon shadow some more. I was somewhat cold by the time I made it up the steep hill to UDC. I did some stretching but I was getting too cold in the wind (renewed once out of the valley) to do it well or for very long.

A run would have been okay but I'm having a relapse of being sick and it cold/wet outside I was tired and cold all day. Instead, I did some spinning and watched a movie. I geared down a bit.

Starting from the DC/MD border on a flat portion of the Valley Trail, I turned off up the Pine Trail to the eastern top of the park, then looped back to the Valley Trail via the Holly Trail. I dislodged some phlem in the beginning and noted some sinus pressure when I had bent down before starting; indications of a little bit of sickness left with me. Continuing south, I crossed over to the western side of the valley at Military Rd. and kept going until the Rapids Bridge. Just past that, I began a climb ot of the valley on an unammed trail that I think Peggy had been recommending I take last January. It brought me under the arched bridge at Ross Dr., and kept climbing to the maintenance yard and horse center. It was getting dark and I was tired. Rather than continue down to the Western Ridge Trail there, I climbed a little more and took the road to the Nature Center. From there I followed the Western Ridge Trail back to the border where I had started. I could have used a bathroom the last couple of miles. I trudged on but fell into a more comfortable slower pace on climbs. My knees were aching so I tried not to run downhill too fast. In the twighlight and being tired I was worried about taking a fall. After crossing Wise Rd., there was still a smidgen of light but I could also see my moon shadow from the gibbous moon almost directly overhead--I was still under the trees. The weather was better than the last 2 days--clear skies, 39 F starting out and 34 F when finished.

Patuxent River Park, MD. NJROTC, MD. We had more help with vetting controls for Day 2 than for Day 1. Mark Mace, Dave Linthicum (course setter), Peggy and I covered all of the controls. It went smoothly, except for Mark hurting his back. It was about 25 F. The wind started picking up by the end. The woods were nice and the muddy spots were frozen.

Patuxent River Park, MD. NJROTC, MD. The pickup was much easier than yesterday. A big part of it was that the control stands used were the long aluminum poles. They were just lighter and easier than the modified electric fence poles used on Day 1, and this was somewhat a surprise. Dave Linthicum got the water controls and the radio equipment had been picked up earlier. I was able to run fairly easily with 4 stands and a backpack of controls but I stashed these when I crossed the road, for pickup later. The ground was more squishy in places than it had been when more solidly frozen earlier--I only got my toes wet compared to yesterday when both feet were immersed. The wind at the barn during the day had been unrelenting but it was better in the forest. Some of the time was for taking down streamers.