Training Log Archive: Nadim

Event: QOC Wheaton
 

QOC: Wheaton Regional Park, MD. Since I'm still recovering and from having updated the map of this park so much, my challenge today was to go out and finsish the Green course sans compass. It's a pretty easy park overall but there are opportunities to make mistakes

S-1 - I walked most of this leg to make sure I wasn't going to re-injure myself again. I used a route to the right and cut across the green in a 2 places. I could see the control before crossing the stream.

1-2 - I didn't stop long to really think about where this control was. I set out quickly along the lake. Ted Good passed me and knowing that I'd planned to walk, he told me I wasn't walking--I was jogging slowly, cheating on myself. From the lake corner, I went straight-in at it. Without a compass, this wasn't so easy. I did hit the dot knoll that I should have by going straight from the lake corner, but then I had it in my head that the control was further up the reentrant leading toward the dog park. I got to the first rootstock and realized I was going up the wrong reentrant. As minor as a mistake as this was, it was my biggest mistake of the day.

2-3 - Since I wasn't moving that well off trail, I figured it best to use the trails. Eventually, I cut across, but mostly because the trail that was available was under the unbroken leg line. I attacked from the lower bridge, passed a rootstock, and spiked this--I'd added the ditch feature to the map in the last outing to update it.

3-4 - I doubled back to the bridge, and used trails as much as I could before plunging in. I spiked it again which was good without a compass, only I wasn't sure it was mine as I was approaching it. I thought the control I was looking for might be further ahead. As I was checking it out, Joe Barrett came in behind me and had to wait a second or 2.

4-5 - I went straight, using a rootstock ahead to line-up, but Joe Barrett could also be seen and that helped.

5-6 - I went straight but had to cut left to get around an earth bank and cross the stream. Continuing straight, I hit the trail along the road at the bend, then went right back into the woods. I saw guy ahead and thought he might have been at the control but I couldn't see the control. The other guy left and when I got where he was I still couldn't see it. It was on the other side of the dot knoll.

6-7 - Straight , but I ended up too high.

7-8 - I basically went to the top of the hill, across on the rough open ground, then straight in. While in the linear rough open, I realized that the sun was lining up in the direction I needed after the road, so I used the sun to keep me straight when going over the ridge.

8-9 - I went along the park border. The thorny low vegetation was not so bad and only about 20m of it required walking. Once at the loop trail, I went straight across to the gully intersection. I went around the visible rough open with a ring of green around it. I passed Francis Hogel in the last 15m and told him that I'd added this feature to the map on what was nearly the last map update.

9-10 - Straight and I spiked it--I thought that was pretty good without a compass and not much to line-up with.

10-11 - To the school, then across the field to the backstop. For the last bit, I used the rough open and the earthwall to get to the very visible control.

11-12 - I stayed along the border of the park much of the way. After the fields, I cut left on the trail. I attacked from a low spot before the next bend and saw the control over 100m away.

12-13 - I initially thought I'd go low, but instead, I used the paved trail southeast of the control. I reentered the forest on the intermittent trail but that disappeared quickly. Using the gully and contour change, I was fairly efficient spiking the control.

13-14 - I took a left route across the forest initially. Crossing the trail tracks and the green that I'd crossed on the way to #1, I got to the playground and then the parking lot. Going straightish, I got to the fence corner and attacked, spiking it.

14-F - I contoured out going right of straight. I used the gravel road along the edge to get near to the park entrance. Once across the road, I could see the finish so I just went straight.

Overall, this wasn't bad for me. I was successfully able to jog. The soft ground helped strained left calf (I did feel some minor pain during the event. I also enjoyed running without a compass.

Green - Splits

From Northfield Rd., Bethesda, MD. to 13th & C St. SW, Washington, D.C. I was fickle about riding today but with the morning temperature in the mid 40s F, and wanting to do some kind of significant workout, I decided at the last minute to proceed. There was a lot of initial auto traffic, but then not so many riders on the trail. I started catching up to a bunch of riders later. I got passed going downhill and not wanting to push too hard, I let the guy go. Seeing him ahead so close but just out of drafting distance for a long while had me second guessing. The last parts past the Kennedy Center and along Ohio Dr., were with a tailwind. Since I'd reached Georgetown in about 25 minutes like my last ride, I guess that being faster overall amounted to the tailwind and better endurance.

From 13th & C St. SW, Washington, D.C. to Northfield Rd., Bethesda, MD. I was surprised that I had a tailwind most of the way going to Georgetown. I got there and past it quickly, using the waterfront route. As I hit the trail, I passed a bunch of riders. I think they'd been held up at the trailhead gate by a car blocking the way. There were crew races going on in the river. I passed the group and one of them tagged along. I pulled for him at least up to the trestle bridge, and either dropped him or he turned off. I had actually started to slow going up the hill by gearing down and trying to keep a steady effort. There were some headwinds after the water treatment plant. I also saw a guy power walking with a chain connected to a waist belt, that he used to drag a large rubber tire over the bluestone shoulder of the trail. I finished-up after sunset but with the barest of light still in the sky.

From Northfield Rd. to the Bethesda Metro Station.

Washington, D.C. From 12th and Independence Ave., SW, to 7th St., SW. I had been feeling pretty good lately walking around, and even returning to coming down the long metro station escalators fast on my commute. With the time at 2 weeks, I thought it to be a good time to try to run again. I didn't get far. All indications of the calf pull/strain were good at first, though I felt some odd pains in both knees at different times--probably from not being on my legs much lately (I have also been very busy at work and it's rained a lot). Just after crossing 7th St., and passing another runner going the other way, I went up on the curb ramp and 2 steps later I felt the same twing that I had felt about 2 weeks back. It didn't hurt a lot and I was tempted to try to keep running but I stopped knowing better.

Washington, D.C. From 7th St., SW to 12th and Independence Ave., SW. After re injuring myself, I walked back to the office. The walking didn't hurt much starting out but in the middle the discomfort increased, then it presided. I tried jogging a few steps and managed to do it but I didn't want to risk more delay due to injury.

From the Bethesda Metro Station to Northfield Rd.

From Northfield Rd. to the Bethesda Metro Station.

From the Bethesda Metro Station to Northfield Rd.

Smokey Glen Barbequers and Seneca Creek State Park, MD. I walked around taking pictures for the QOC Bumble held today. My calf strain is getting better but it's too early to try to race or even get through something like this much orienteering. It was fun seeing a lot of people, some of whom had come from states up north.