Training Log Archive: Nadim

Washington, D.C. From 12th & Independence Ave., SW, down Independence Ave., to 17th St., along the Reflecting Pool to the Lincoln Memorial circle, to Ohio Dr. to the Rock Creek Trail, to P St., NW., to 20th St., NW., to the Dupont Circle Metro Station at Q St., NW. I felt good starting out. With other runners nearby, I ended up pushing a bit. After 2 miles I slowed. I was also trying to catch a walker whom I'd seen far ahead, just before leaving the Rock Creek Trail but I didn't. Pushing there however, kept me from getting passed by a young woman since I was able to turn off ahead of her.

Event: QOC Jug Bay
 

QOC: The Beverage (a.k.a. Beer) Chase at Jug Bay. The end of the long season finally came. Peggy set the courses and they were fun. They felt a bit different from some of the earlier races. I'd started the season last fall in pretty good shape and slowly got worse into the winter. I'd been focusing more on mapping then and de-trained a lot. However, since then I felt like I've been on a slow ramp to getting better again. I'm still too heavy and so probably slower than last fall but I've been closing the gap. I set out the day to try to stay ahead of various competitors whom I anticipated running near. I wanted to do that by navigating well and I did end up having the least error as AP computes it, than any other Long course runner had. It certainly helped me stay ahead. Of course with this being a mass start I got a lot of help. This is an fairly flat area with some climbs at steep, but not really deep, stream valleys. One can generally go straight through the flat forests. I ran 5.371 miles for the 7.7K course. It was in the 80s and perhaps 90s F.

S-1 - I got off to a mediocre start; gulping down my first beer since the race the previous year. I followed Ted Good and Dann Quinn on the right side of the fenced area since it was shorter than the road route was going left. Michael Wood, Michael Dickey, and Eugene T. were ahead of Dan and I, with Tom Nolan right behind me.

1-2 - Eugene T. was nearest in front of me and a little left of me. When we hit the reentrant, we had to cut right. I think I got ahead of Eugene briefly and ended up behind Vido.

2-3 - I was already feeling my stomach expand from my first drink, so I was slowing down lumbering back across the larger reentrant at #2. Vido was following the edge of the drop off. He led me down a gentle slope to the control with others behind and to the right a little.

3-4 - We climbed up to the edge of the drop off and hit the trail. Rather than staying high, the group went low on the trail. Others turned up to the control correctly but I got a little past the control before climbing. I may have lost 5 seconds.

4-5 - Ted led a group across the flats to the trail junction. I was behind Vido.

5-6 - Still on Vido's tail, we eventually got onto the trail and off again when we could see the barn. I took time to read ahead for the start of the second loop. As we got to the control, Ted Good was not far ahead, after taking a less than optimal route to #3.

6-7 - The first loop was short--less than 2K. That meant having to drink more without getting to run much of it off. After leaving the barn Jon Torrance and Turner Leigh were already in the narrow gate-like gap and heading the other way on their second loop. In the open ground I got ahead of Vido.

7-8 - My beer split was once again mediocre.

8-9 - I got off to a good start knowing from reading ahead earlier, that I had to go back toward the barn. I could see Ted take the intermittent trail from the barn, with Eugene not far behind. Ted seemed to go off to the right too much. Eugene was more on target but still seemed to me to be to the right. As we got closer to the reentrant I saw Ted and Eugene cutting left. Others were punching from another course and leaving the control.

9-10 - I had to force myself to be a little left with the small rise after the initial exit from the stream valley. I still was a little to the right and felt like I'd lost Eugene and Ted. I came down the broad spur where it was less steep. I think I saw Eugene go near the side reentrant leading toward the control but in any case, that's where I went. I pulled out just right at the vegetation and spiked the dot knoll

10-11 - I stayed high, going around the first side reentrant. Victor Lin was nearby and I think I passed him just barely. I did drop into the next reentrant, since the vegetation pushed me closer to the main reentrant. It was a little down and up but it felt efficient.

11-12 - I crossed the stream and recall Eugene on my right. I could hear someone behind me nearing the next reentrant (VIctor or Vido?). I was just left enough to go up the spur SW of the control.

12-13 - Eugene had gotten to #12 before I had but he mistook it for #13. I got started going the other way almost 180 degrees off. He must have been across the creek when I yelled to him that he was going the wrong way. I'd gotten ahead of Vido, Victor and it seemed that someone else was nearby too. I was on target but when I got to the reentrant, I misread it for one to the left and earlier. Vido says I went right past the control by 2m. As everyone else punched I realized I was just too close to open ground and a house before turning back.

13-14 - I fell in step a little behind Victor who was on my left on the flat ground. Vido was leading Eugene off to the right of me, and using the reentrant as a loose handrail--a slightly longer but safer route. As Victor got to a reentrant, there was some hesitation. I soon realized it was just SE of the control but Victor got there ahead of me and the others.

14-15 - I lost track of Victor as he went more left and straight. I started leading Vido around to the right of the green, and onto the road, but Vido got ahead of me. We attacked from the trail intersection but ended up left of straight at the stream. We both knew to go right after crossing and I think Vido stayed ahead. Victor apparently made a slight error and got behind.

15-16 - Vido lead me around the right side to the trail. He left the trail after the bend. I thought to stay high but upon inspection, the lower route looked more open. I followed Vido across and we climbed up the other side right at the control.

16-17 - Vido and I went straight. On the gentle down slope, I got ahead and kept going. I recognized the marsh at the road and went right/left briefly. Continuing straight I was concerned about missing. I came in a little to the north. Unseen for a while, Eugene had gotten well ahead but he was wandering back. We crossed paths. I realized the reentrant was too shallow so I cut south. Eugene had decided to do so too and got there just ahead of me. Vido had dropped off but wasn't far behind.

17-18 - I ran a straight route, checking my bearing regularly. Eugene was ahead but seemed to be off bearing (left or right?). I hit the open field along the fence a little further north than desired. I didn't want to run too hard on the grass; I didn't want to be out of breath too much before drinking the next beer. Eugene came in a little while later.

18-19 - My beer split was again mediocre. I couldn't down it in one breath.

19-20 - I was confused looking at the loop. The typical Beer Chase final loop has more often than not been around the large field. I went to control #27 first--this was actually the Go control (excluding the beer splits). I straightened myself out and got on the road. I could hear steps behind me. Going into the forest I cut in where Sid Sachs and others were exiting. It was just green enough that I couldn't go straight and I hadn't left from a good attack point. I got very slightly to the left. Eugene had a straighter route and got there ahead of me.

20-21 - I chased Eugene. He seemed stronger. Rather than go straight through the green we went around the edge of the medium green. We hit the ditch east of the control and went in.

21-22 - Still behind Eugene, we ran fairly straight. Eugene ran to the end of the reentrant and I made up a little time coming more directly to the lower part of it.

22-23 - As we left 22, Eugene ran a bit to the right. He was going faster. I had to try to make up for it by running straighter so I was on his left. Vegetation pushed me to the right a bit, back closer to Eugene. He got to the road first but ran straight across. I recalled seeing the control as I'd driven into the park and thought it might have been a Yellow control. The road bends told me to go left. I got ahead of Eugene on the road while he wandered through the greener bits. He popped out behind me onto the road but I got to the control first.

23-24 - With a sliver of hope of finishing ahead of Eugene, I pushed on. It was like two fast sloths at this point but it was a race. I kept a good bearing. I thought I'd hit the reentrant north of the ditch but fortunately I looked right too and saw it before passing it.

24-25 - I ran straight and into the dry marsh. At the control, a couple was debating where to go.

25-26 - Expecting Eugene to catch me, I hit the road and ran past the barn. Into the deep grass I went. Half-way across I got into an elephant track. I hit the root stock from there easily but almost too hard. Dashing to keep ahead of Eugene, I jumped ahead of Virginia Debons and Rae Ann Hicks. In the process, I stumbled on thorny vines and yelled just before catching myself and punching. I felt bad about disturbing them but it wasn't a yell at the woman.

27-27 - I angled out of the forest onto the grass. The control was visible far off but I'd been there earlier anyway.

27-28 - This part of the map was very cluttered and I wasn't sure if I could go around Peggy Bronsan's and Dave Linthicum's house by going through their driveway, but I did anyway.

28-29 - I had to pause to breath on this attempt to gulp my last beer.

29-F - After the beer, I thought I was done. Someone (Dave?) told me to run down the chute. I'd already stopped my watch so I started it again and finished. Eugene was coming in from control #27 and got there ahead of me. I told him he needed to drink again so he went along the chute to the drinking.

I was happy to hold up in the running and be able to navigate when tired. I'll need to try to stay calm at the US Champs as that will be very different from this mass start stuff. The whole family seemed to have a good day. People seemed to like Peggy's courses. Max won the Yellow course, and even Samantha got to go out on White with Peggy. Max even commented afterward on what a good (fun) day it had been--winning and playing in the river may have had some to do with that.

Long - Splits

From Northfield Dr. to the Bethesda Metro Station. Once again I kept encountering traffic, but it was a nice morning. Summer is coming--this was just warm enough that I started to feel the small of my back getting heated-up. So that it could cool and dry, I needed to sit without leaning back on the train.

From the Bethesda Metro Station to Northfield Dr. There was a good headwind returning home.

From Northfield Dr. to Willow Ln. After I'd gotten home, I towed Samantha and rode along with Peggy and Max on a leisurely ride to get dinner. We meandered our way back on a very nice evening.

From Northfield Rd., Bethesda, MD, to 13th & C St. SW, Washington, D.C. There was a fair amount of traffic early on. I got passed near Dalecarlia so I drafted the guy up to Georgetown. There I passed him and finished up mostly alone. The winds were negligible or at least not much of a factor.

From 13th & C St. SW, Washington, D.C., to Northfield Rd. I'd narrowly escaped work on-time. The guard had already closed the gate despite a rider 30 seconds ahead of me asking her to wait. She was locking-up early and grumbled about having to open it just as I'd gotten there and the gates clanked. There was some bus traffic early but I got a draft off of it too. After that I had headwinds getting to Georgetown. I'd caught up to a young woman rider but couldn't get around for a while due to oncoming traffic. Taking separate ways to Water St., I did get ahead. The auto traffic was moderate in Georgetown but I caught up to a guy in green just as we were exiting to the Capital Crescent Trail. I wisely stayed in his draft. The young woman stayed close behind me--with everyone having some skill drafting closely, we were moving well through more bicycle traffic. We picked up another rider as we continued into the wind at a good pace. I was okay until we hit the climb. My legs were still tired from running so I had to put in more effort going up, just to keep up. At the overpass at the sewage treatment plant, an older rodie passed me but we still stayed a 4-5 person group that was moving well. Just before the River Rd. overpass the older cyclist got around the guy in green and both took off. I lost contact, but still pulled for the woman behind me. We split-up at Falls Rd. and I just tried somewhat unsuccessfully, to hold it all together getting home.

From Northfield Dr. to the Bethesda Metro Station.

From 12th & Independence Ave., SW, Washington, D.C. Down The Mall to the Reflecting Pool, to the Lincoln Memorial, to the Rock Creek Trail, around the tunnel near the zoo, to Tilden St., to Connecticut Ave. to the Van Ness/UDC Metro Station. As I started, a thunderstorm was just ending. That meant it was cooler for a while but it got warmer and started to feel more muggy. I kept trying to keep a steady pace and thought I was. My GPS may have had an anomaly when it recorded me suddenly 30 seconds faster for one mile. I intended to run up Olmstead Way through the zoo, but the gate was closed. That meant I had to run further--I was holding up okay so that wasn't bad. Part of the trail was being repaved and Beach Dr. had been in the process of being narrowed to one lane. I was routed onto that road for a while. I was surprised that I was able to run all the way up out of the Rock Creek valley on Tilden St., and not feel that it was really difficult or hurt a lot. I guess some training is paying off though I'm still not watching what I eat as closely as I should.

From the Bethesda Metro Station, Wisconsin Ave., to Battery Ln. I took a break there for an appointment and later went on to Northfield Rd. via Keystone Ave., N. Brook Ln., Old Georgetown Rd., Huntington Pkwy., and Custer Rd. I had intended to go back to the Bethesda Metro Station but I realized that my keys were in the running pouch I"d given Peggy to carry home. Later, after getting some groceries, I drove downtown to retrieve my bicycle.

From Northfield Rd., to Norfolk Ave. for lunch, then back. I looked around a little at some other lunch options. Though some stay around for a long while, other restaurants come and go in Bethesda a lot. I had toyed with the idea of runniing after this but rainy weather and the idea of a rest day quashed that.