Training Log Archive: Nadim

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. I was tempted to not run since I'm not really in shape for the volume I've done over the last week, but I got out anyway and took it easy. I needed a bathroom about half way through.

Event: QOC Fountainhead West
 

QOC: Fountainhead Regional Park (West). We had a bus ride to and from the start at Wolf Run Shoals Rd. today. It was very pleasant outside--perhaps near or above 50 F, and sunny. I was starting at around 1:17pm, so I knew I'd have to not lose much time if I was to finish before the course was closed. I moved out shortly after getting off the bus.

S-1 As the terrain dictates, I got over the initial ridge and across the bridge quickly. I didn't feel much hurting from my longer than average for recent times, run on Saturday. Still, I was slow walking up the steep hills. At first, it was making me misinterpret the distances as I closed-in on #1. I didn't see the control until I got right into the gully, so I was glad that I had spiked it.

1-2 - I climbed out of the gully and just went straight. The first reentrant didn't confuse me much and I kept going. The map shows a lot of detail. I'm not sure if it's all accurate or just noise in the LiDAR but saw the control from 50m away, and ran to it.

2-3 - I went straight and ended up at #13. #13 was directly on the way to #3, though going around the reentrant that it was in would have been better. I actually punched and realized the code was not correct. After punching, I went straight. This was a little tricky, so I was fairly careful. I went by 2 cairns on the ridge so I was confident of where I was. When I saw the additional cairns in the reentrant, but not the control, I got concerned (I'd make an error being careless coming off the same ridge in a previous event, but a few steps more revealed the control behind a tree right where it was shown on the map. With my detour to #13, I probably lost close to 30 seconds..

3-4 - I ran straight down the hillside looking for thicker woods. I did see the control from a ways off. It was a little to the right and a little further down than expected. I guess I was just moving slowly.

4-5 - I slowed down on this leg, both being tired, and needing to keep careful track of my progress on the less hilly terrain. I didn't see some apparent cairns along the way, but did sort of skirt the edge of some deadfall that appeared to be mapped. At the creek crossing, I wasn't sure about being where I needed to be. I though I could go upstream and then turn up the next reentrant on the left. Instead, I went straight. I saw some ditches confirming me to be a bit left of straight, and then a reentrant on my left too. I took a bearing and saw that people were ahead in that area. I moved on to spike it, happy to have not made a mistake.

5-6 - I went straight but got confused at one point. One early reentrant seemed to not show-up much on the map. I started to think I was further ahead. However, seeing the bigger reentrant still ahead, and then coming across a cairn, let me know I was right on target. I spiked it.

6-7 - I ran straight, using the reentrants to the left to stay true. After cresting, the control seemed to come up sooner than expected. It also appeared to be on a dot knoll rather than a cairn. Could it have been misplaced on the dot knoll on the edge of the circle?

7-8 - I was getting tired even more but I did run when not stopped by the vegetation. I kept careful track of the reentrants on my right, but did see one to the left that I didn't expect to see. I made an adjustment at that point and went on to spike it.

8-9 - I went straight through the green. From the leaves on the ground, I could tell someone else had done the same. I contoured right of the reentrant on my left, and dropped over the ridge to the control. A guy who'd gotten there ahead of me coming from another direction whistled out for his partner.

9-10 - I debated going up the longer way to the trail, but opted to keep a straight route instead. The climb wasn't that bad but did take more out of me. After climbing over the saddle and trail out of the longest reentrant, I looked for the spur on the left. Others were converging and I fell right in front of the control.

10-11 - I walked up and out of #11 while others were ahead and more to the right. I didn't get confused by the first reentrant. I could have hugged the ridge more instead of sticking to my bearing and going through a little deadfall, but I did spike it.

11-12 - I knew this leg would be tricky so I was cautious about keeping my bearing. I did move to the left and right a bit to get around deadfall, but spiked it. Seeing the remnant of a car on my right helped confirm I was on the right track.

12-13 - I went straight, and back to the control that I'd been to on the way to #3. I could see it 70m away.

13-14 - I went as straight as possible. This meant ignoring the trails, except for the bridge crossing. Someone came up from behind after I'd crossed the bridge. I cut the corner on the trail to stay ahead of him. I also left the trail quickly to keep straighter, and climb up along the reentrant. The reentrant seemed more defined in the terrain, than the map showed, and I'd gotten to the control just ahead of the guy I'd seen at the bridge.

14-15 - I took off quickly going straight. I had a vague notion to contour a bit to the right after crossing the creek, but I didn't. I used the mowed grass nearer the house at the end and managed to stay ahead of the guy I'd seen at the bridge.

15 - F - I picked-up the pace to ensure staying ahead of the guy I'd seen at the bridge. I closed the gap on the guy ahead of me, but couldn't catch him.

It was a fun day with few errors for me. My slow pace and the open woods probably account for that.

Red - Splits

MCRCC Winter Trails: From the Little Bennett Regional Park golf course parking lot, the Winter Trails group ran the entrance road to the Pine Grove Trail, to the Western Piedmont Trail, to Purdum Trail, to the Browning Run Trail, to the Western Piedmont Trail, to the Pine Grove Trail, to the golf course parking lot. This was my first run with the Winter Trails group since 2014. That was prior to having Samantha join our family, and either Peggy or I needing to be home with her. Peggy would have run with the group today too. She's been running with them earlier this year and last year, but she's sick at the moment. I ran most of the way with a guy who was probably around my age. He was definitely in better shape, but that's not saying much. He helped me run comfortably but climbed better. The trails were a little sloppy but not bad for me. I wore my Ice Bugs with the short nubby spikes. The lollipop route was to be run twice by most people. One circuit was good for me. It was probably the second longest run for me in over a year. Not that it was a race, but I finished it in 7th position with most of those in front of me going back for a second loop. It was a bit foggy with some light drizzle, but it did not rain as had been predicted. At the start, it was 39 F, but when finishing, it was 45 F; I got a little warm with my rain gear top.

From Northfield Rd., to Georgetown Pike via Greenwich Park, to Beech Ave., to Anniston Rd., to Lindale Dr., to Sonoma Rd., to Heampstead Rd., to McKinley St., to Garfield St., to Roosevelt St., to Jefferson St., to Northfield Rd. Before going out, I was already feeling tired. I dragged myself through. It was a nice evening for running and I enjoyed the lights. I happened to take a wrong turn, and got confused when on streets I don't usually run on. I was able to relocate and didn't add on too much more than planned.

From Northfield Rd., up Custer Rd., to Wilson La., to Exeter Rd. to Glenbrook Rd. to Rugby Ave., to Woodmont Ave., to Rockville Pike., 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. Battery Park was still walled-off for some type of construction work. I felt much slower and heavier on this run. My back had been hurting less today and I wasn't so busy, so that helped me get myself out.