Training Log Archive: Nadim

QOC Summer Short Series Training at Pohick Regional Park, VA. David and Heidi Onkst setup beginner courses and added on the last of the summer training event. We'd gotten there late but got out just before they were closing up. Samantha had been asking about going out on a course on her own in Wyoming (something she's never done previously), and since she'd put up such a fuss about coming at all, making us late to this event, we let her try. David's training loop was a route choice exercise in which we were to do the loop twice, but with different routes. Peggy got started well ahead of me.

I started shortly before Gavin who, though out of shape too, is younger and usually faster than me. I took the low route to #1 and ran all but the steepest parts. I was to find the control, all of them set to White level, in the second of 2 rides which were close together. When I crossed the creek, I didn't notice a ride like I should have--trees had grown up over it and it was shown in yellow on the map. When I got to the second, I went on and stopped just before a trail. I realized where I was and turned back to spike it from there but by the time I'd gotten to the control, Gavin was right behind me.

I went up the ride to the road/trail to #2. Gavin tried coming a shorter route from the ride through the woods and seemed to hit it well, but he was a little further behind me.

Going to #3, I took the left side of the long reentrant. I lost a little time making sure I was getting into the right reentrant. When I crossed to the right side of the reentrant and climbed toward the visible spur, I thought I was close, but had to climb up the spur a little further than expected.

Going 3 #4 and still just starting out, I saw Gavin coming down the trail that I was going up. He'd come through the reentrant to #3 also, but attacked earlier than I had; he'd ended up climbing more. Taking trails toward #4, I moved better. I cut through to get into the campground with Gavin further behind but still within hearing distance. I soon saw Samantha and she was looking a bit panicked. She was less concerned about being lost than needing to pee. I told her to use the woods and waved Gavin off as he passed by.

Samantha had done pretty well and it sounded like she'd gotten the first 4 White course controls. Though set well. the terrain in Pohick can be steep and sometimes confusing. There are a lot of trails in various shapes. The pullouts for the campground loop were not mapped, and they might have confused Samantha more. I got her back on track, focusing on getting her more able to orient the map to north. She struggled with that, twisting Peggy's thumb compass instead of the map but after several times, she seemed to improve. We went on but since we were late, we went to #6, #9, #10, #11, #12, #13, and #14 on her course. Samantha didn't complain much as she'd been prone to doing. I even got her to run a few times. The approaching and sometime sprinkling rain helped with her motivation. Samantha had seen Peggy and I do map reviews with Max when we were in Wyoming, and she was eagar to do that with us. Initially, she seemed to be able to describe valid routes including an error. Peggy had seen Samantha and helped her a little on Samantha's way to White #4. Some of the rest of Samantha's descriptions of what happened were "creative" as Peggy described them. It was hard to tell what really happened and we had been too late to get a finish time with splits to confirm Samantha reaching #2, #3, or #4. It was still good that Samantha had been motivated to try this on her own.

From Norflolk Ave., to Northfield Rd. via Maple Ridge Rd., and Custer Ln. My orthopedist said that the pains I've been feeling in my heel the last week is planters facetious. It's been that I've been going from one ailment to another virtually all year.

From Northfield Rd., to Norfolk Ave. for lunch.

From Northfield Rd., to the Bethesda Metro Station.

From the Bethesda Metro Station to Northfield Rd.

From Northfield Rd., to Pyle Middle School. Peggy and I rode to the school for Parent Teacher night. There's limited parking and this was the fastest way.

From Pyle Middle School to Northfield Rd. After listening to presentations from most of Max's teachers, we rode home in the dark.

From Northfield Rd., to the Bethesda Metro Station.

From the Bethesda Metro Station, Edgemoor Ln to Old Georgetown Rd., to Woodmont Ave., to Battery Rd., to Keystone Ln./N. Brook Ln., Old Georgetown Rd., to Maple Ridge Rd., to Park Ln. to Custer Ln., to Northfield Rd.

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. This was my first opportunity to get used to the summer weather in DC. I felt rather uneven, heave, awkward and uncoordinated. My legs were definitely tired. Unlike previous trips, I didn't feel a bump from being at altitude last week. Though I wasn't thinking of it at the time, it's was my 43rd anniversary of when I started running.

From Northfield Rd., to the Bethesda Metro Station. It was the first day of school for the kids and a very warm and humid morning. I had my laptop. All of this led me to not bicycle in all the way to work this morning. I felt guilty about it but it, but even with bicycling only to the metro station, I got a little sweaty, and later in the afternoon there were storms with lots of lightning.

From the Bethesda Metro Station to Northfield Rd.

Bethesda,MD. We left Denver on 9/2 and got home after midnight on the 9/3. I cleaned-up some things around the house and got some pictures downloaded. My left heel was really hurting during the night and for a while in the morning. It was hard to walk. It got better and later on 9/3, I felt about like I had on 9/2--odd.

Western States Day 2 Green - Splits