Training Log Archive: Nadim

MCRRC Winter Trails. Since it had been rainy, the county park trails were closed. The group reset to run in the mud in Seneca Creek State Park instead. We started at Diamond ES, which is above and near the the main stream dammed to create Clopper Lake. The mud wasn't bad and it was slippery in only a few places. The full route was to go counterclockwise around the lake, onto the Greenway Trail, onto the Seneca Ridge Trail, down to MD Rte. 118 and back mostly the same way except continuing counter-clockwise around the lake; a total of 18 miles. I had no plans to do that much. Like last year, I got to the second set of power lines, after Riffleford Rd. (5 miles out). I went on until I hit the Power Line Trail intersection. I took the Power Line Trail into the power lines, then got back on the Seneca Ridge Trail. At Riffeford Rd., I detoured off route again on trails taking me past Smokey Glen BBQ. This got be back to the Greenway Trail for a shot while, but I used the Mink Hollow Trail to get to the lake. I felt good initially--it was about 50 F and foggy so I was running in only my shirt and shorts. Later I felt okay. I started with the leaders of the 2nd group, but they were moving too slowly. After +1 miles, I left them and almost caught up with the last of the "fast" group. When I'd finished, I thought my run was a mile farther but that's because I wasn't seeing so well.

Serpentine Barrens Conservation Park, MD. After a little rest and nourishment, I went out to do more fieldchecking. As I was driving the last quarter mile before parking, I saw some light rain drops on the windshield. I waited out the shower and was lucky that there was any good weather at all. My paper got wet a few times in other light showers. I fixed one crossing of the Greenbriar Branch where the stream bends I had were incorrect and I'd mismapped some features earlier. I did a little more along the stream, going over and adjusting some earlier fieldchecking but mostly I focused on the nicer terrain further north. I mostly hopped boulder to boulder. I was glad that at one point all my triangulation proved correct as I looped back correctly to a boulder that was previously mapped. I found one boulder on a hilltop which looked like a grave marker. The rains came again. For a while I was able to use pencil and make notes without ripping the wet paper. I checked the radar and could see there was no hoping that the rain would stop so I finished-up. I weighed out at 193 lbs.