Training Log Archive: Nadim

Event: QOC Seneca Creek
 

From Northfield Rd. to the Bethesda Metro Station.

From the Bethesda Metro Station to Northfield Rd.

From Northfield Rd. to the Bethesda Metro Station.

From the Bethesda Metro Station to Northfield Rd.

From Northfield Rd., Bethesda, MD. to 13th & C St. SW, Washington, D.C. This was my first ride all of the way into work this year. It looks like I may not have ridden all of the way since early October. That's mostly because I'd been concentrating on running. While my calf is injured, it's good for me to be able to get back to cycling and to take advantage of the predicted 60 F day today. I paced myself. It was about 40 F starting out and there was not much wind. I slowed after Georgetown. Overall, I think this is a pretty good ride for me for this time of the year. My tailbone was hurting a little the last +1 mile. Despite being dressed pretty well with removable leggings below the shorts, and a light jacket, my hands were uncomfortable from slipping toward the front in my thick gloves. I passed several riders. and only got passed slowly by an electric bicycle.

From 13th & C St. SW, Washington, D.C. to Northfield Rd., Bethesda, MD. It was cloudy and so even starting out, the light was not so good. It was 55 F and I rode in a long sleeve t-shirt and shorts. Most of the way I seemed to have a slight tailwind, but not enough that I didn't still have to break the air in front of me. I got a pretty good start getting to and out of Georgetown since traffic was light. I used the waterfront in Georgetown which was almost empty. As I was about to join Water St., I let a guy with the right of way go past, and I got behind him. He was going close to my speed so I was comfortable hanging back. This being the first ride home in a long while on a bicycle, I felt like I was pushing too hard so I eased back enough for a separation. After getting 50-100m ahead the other guy slowed to about my pace. I spent a few miles catching back up while going up the long grade and passing others. Finally, by Dalecarlia, I was on his tail again. He pulled off before MacArthur Blvd. so I kept going alone. I didn't push quite as hard afterward as it went dark. I thought that this was a pretty good outing for me and my legs were probably relatively rested going into this ride.

No working out for this day. I woke up kind of late and didn't have long before going to a family gathering at my cousin's house--an aunt and another cousin from Great Britain were visiting and that brought several other cousins in too.

Serpentine Barrens Conservation Park. I finally finished covering the mapable terrain in the park (with the possible exception of some particularly green blocks). The last bits of the NW corner were difficult with subtle watercourses, a dense scattering of boulders and less distinct green vegetation. In the process, I found a good amount of new features, even in some places that I'd already mapped. Going to the NW corner, I did a second pass at areas already mapped. I added smaller areas of green and adjusted a lot of boulders. The later took a lot of time. As the sun set, it was getting cold fast. Temperatures most of the time were in the 40s F.

I missed the Winter Trails run with Peggy and MCRRC earlier this morning. My left calf is still not much better. I think the walking while field checking was good for it, but the last 30m before reaching the car, I felt a small twang again.

From Northfield Rd., to the Bethesda Metro Station. On my way in, I was riding fast to make the traffic light across Arlington Rd. I made it but the construction on the other side has made variations in the road sometimes on a daily basis, as they adjust barriers, dig, cut and pave. I came up fast on a pothole that I couldn't avoid. Usually, when I have cleats on I'd hop such a hole, springing up and pulling up with my feet. I did that but had my work clothing on--dress shoes. I didn't have time to make adjustments and I just reacted going up. I made it over and rode on but I had came down on my seat hard when both of my feet slipped off my pedals on the landing. I think it jarred my back doing that. I didn't feel much right afterward but walked more slowly into the metro station. During the day I my back hurt and sometimes when walking around I felt sharper pangs through the back of my left knee (like hyper-extension) and in my ankle. That all seems like an uptick in my ongoing back problems which are probably the cause of my current calf injury too.

From the Bethesda Metro Station to Northfield Rd.

From Northfield Rd., to the Bethesda Metro Station.

From the Bethesda Metro Station to Northfield Rd. There was a headwind but I had been riding better, not being tired from running as much.

From Northfield Rd., to the Bethesda Metro Station. I was uncomfortable walking around.

From the Bethesda Metro Station to Northfield Rd.

It was supposed to rain this day and since I was injured anyway, I drove.

Glen Echo, MD. From the Lock 7 parking lot, to the C&O Canal Towpath, then south to the Potomac River Belvedere Viewpoint trail. I moved okay; a little tired but not so sore from my Saturday run. From the Belvedere Viewpoint trail, I used the side trails to head back north. The side trails come back to the towpath a few times on the route back, where streams and other obstacles exist. The sinewing and gently rolling, soft side trails were fun--nice with a warming sun. I got a good view of the rapids below the dam. On the second return to the towpath, 3.55 miles into the run, where the ground is hard packed gravel, after a few steps I felt a strain in my left outer calf. I slowed immediately--this kind of thing has happened many times previously. Unfortunately each has been at least a slight setback. I'd been stretching after runs to help prevent it. I kept jogging slowly, using the dirt trails where possible. I moved more slowly. On a slight rise at about 4.8 miles into the run, I felt a small snap and that was about it. I needed to walk after that. I tried to restart a couple of times but realize it would just make my recovery longer so I returned to walking. On the last return to the towpath, I skipped the side trail since it crossed a stream that I wasn't sure would be crossable again before Lock 7.

Serpentine Barrens Conservation Park, MD. I set out thinking I could finish-up field checking this park, I made my way to the far side where I hadn't checked, by stopping along the way to check and adjust alignment of previously matched features. I killed over an hour doing that. As I got into unchecked terrain, I found it to be somewhat intense in the number of point features and even for other stuff. It sometimes took me a few minutes time checking the alignment of a few items against previously mapped features. There were a few items qualifying as linear marshes--not deep or defined well enough to be a ditch, but definitely where the water flows.
Since I was near the edge of the forests, I encountered several places with yard debris and tree trimmings. There were more areas to map green too--some distinct, some not. In one place I found what I mapped to be a stone wall. It was probably some kind of attempt at making a minor dam, but it was curved to shed water rather than hold it. I looped about and just got to areas mapped previously in a way that lined-up well. It was 5:20pm when I peeked at my watch because it had suddenly grown darker. It turned out to be a cloud covering a very low sun. I jogged back pretty well and as the clouds broke, I caught the last sunshine rays from the power line road at the top of the hill.

MCRRC: Winter Trails. Today the group started at Riley's Lock and it was around 17 F. With a brief stint on the C&O Towpath, the route was up and back on the Seneca Greenway Trail. I ran alone pretty much. I was in sight of the lead runners for 2.5 miles and a smaller slower group was behind me a little. I ran much better today than I have with MCRRC in a long while. I turned around at the parking lot on Rte. 28. Looking at my splits, I slowed on hills as expected but had 3 separate miles right at 9:53 pace. I didn’t expect to run better today. My stomach wasn’t so good the last few days. I had some milk and cookies that Peggy gave me on Valentines Day and I drank more water before the run. I also had a vitamin in the morning but haven’t been taking them much. I ran with some confidence through over 12 miles and slowed a little at the end.

From Northfield Rd., to the Bethesda Metro Station. I worked late yesterday and today was Valentine's Day today so there wasn't any time for a workout.

From the Bethesda Metro Station to Northfield Rd. I was carrying a backpack and my laptop, and some dinner into a cold wind.

From Northfield Rd., to the Bethesda Metro Station. It was cooler this morning and there was some traffic near the end of the ride.

Washington, D.C. l ran my old Memorial Tour route. From 12th & Independence Ave., to SW, 15th St., SW to Ohio Dr. SW, past the Jefferson Memorial to the 14th St. Bridge,. to the Mt. Vernon Trail, across Memorial Bridge, to Independence Ave. SW., via the Lincoln Memorial Circle and the Reflecting Pool, to 12th St., SW. Within a quarter mile, it was raining moderately. There were not many runners but there were still some cycling commuters who probably hadn't seen the change in the forecast. This was the third day in a row of rain. I moved okay and felt better than the day before, for most of the run.

From the Bethesda Metro Station to Northfield Rd. It was raining lightly and had been raining more heavily earlier. I had a lot to carry and was tired. I also didn't want to spin up a lot of water on my back so I took it easy.

From 12th & Independence Ave., SW, to 17th St., down the south side of the Reflecting Pool to Lincoln Circle, to 23rd St., SW, to Ohio Dr., SW. to East Basin Dr., SW, to Main Ave., to 12 St., SW, to Independence Ave., SW. It was 55 F and a little breezy. I ran in shorts. My shoes, Nike Structure Triax felt heavy compared to the Ice Bugs I run dirt trails with. I figured I was going slower that I did. At 17th St., a woman caught up w/me at a red traffic light. She cut in front of me to go along Independence. Ave., SW. We crossed paths again at 23rd. and Lincoln Circle and this time she apologized for cutting me off a second time. I was perhaps running the same speed or a little slower but I was fine with her going first. Having to stop at some traffic lights was helpful in letting me catch my breath.

It was a rainy day and I took a break.

Rock Creek Park, Washington, D.C. I dropped Samantha off at a birthday party in Chevy Chase and by the time I was at the park and ready to run, I had a little over an hour to run, get back, and pick her up. From the Visitor Center parking lot, I went on the Woodlands Trail. That had a trailhead sign indicating it was half a mile to Beach Dr. I thought this was a trail that I'd come up on a ridge from the bottom on. As I got going it went steeply down, then steeply up a reentrant almost back to the parking lot. I followed on with it going even more steeply down to cross the same reentrant. From there, the trail started to curve back up to the Visitor Center--I was having none of that again, so I turned around climbing back up the ridge. I had to cross on a short intermittent trail to get to the road along the horse stables. I could have followed the ridge trail that I was looking for earlier, to the bottom, but instead, I took the nice trail that Peggy and I ran on together 13 months back. The loose rounded rocks were still underneath leaves but they were easier to avoid due to there being more leafless ground. At Ross Dr. I turned south, and crossed a large reentrant on the bridge and then turned east to go all the way down to Rock Creek. From there I followed Peggy's and my route from the previous year; I went on the trail along the creek that goes steeply up and down all the way to Broad Branch Rd. I passed some other runners along the way, going the other direction. One guy runner was looking strong climbing a steep grade. Two women behind him were less so. As I climbed the Western Ridge Trail back to the visitor center. The two women merged in behind me. I'd just come up a steep climb and was weak but I pushed on to stay ahead. I didn't make a lot of ground getting ahead except where the trail dipped. There were some metal spikes in the ground that used to hold railroad ties in place. The ones I saw had little bits of flagging tape on them. A lot of hikers were out--it was sunny and 50 F. Some wouldn't share the trail well as I shouted ahead to warn them. I had to move to the edge of the trail for one who was in his own world. He distracted my attention to the footing on the ground and I fell. The two women almost caught me after that as I climbed on. It was a nice once again but I felt tired and not so capable on the hills. It's been that way since my back surgeries but I'm glad to run.

MCRRC Winter Trails. From Watkins Mill HS, to the I-270 underpass, then back. Rd. and back on the Greenway Trail. The group was going to do 20 miles today. Peggy and I only had 80 minutes before we had to head home to get Max, and head back out to his basketball game. The run was okay. I felt unsure of myself for not running much all week. I started behind the lead pack and slowly let them get ahead. One guy had hung back behind me but after 2.25 miles, I felt like I was slowing and he passed. The initial part of the run going out was rolling and somewhat hilly. It was around 29 F so the trail wasn't muddy. On the way back with less than 2 miles to go, I caught Peggy. We ran together for a short while, then I moved ahead. The announcement for the run this week went out with another dire warning about water bottles being required even if one is planning on running short. Peggy and I carried ours empty.

It was still raining hard in the morning. I just rested and watched a movie with Samantha.

Bad weather followed me home. It rained all day and night, and I worked late. I stayed in.

I worked more than half a day, then caught a flight home, arriving at around 11:30pm.

Overland Park, KS. The weather outside was not good. Though I'd brought some outdoor running clothes I didn't feel prepared enough and decided to workout in my hotel. Two other guys were in the fitness room already with one on the stair stepper and the other on the treadmill. I took the stationary cycle, starting easily. I kept increasing the resistance. The system promised to show a variety of readout--calories, distance, watts and more. I didn't really trust the distance and didn't know enough to say weather or not the wattage meter was accurate. I seemed to average around 120 watts. I stopped cycling after reaching 6 miles.

Overland Park, KS. The treadmill opened-up so I jumped on it for a little while.

Serpentine Barrens Conservation Park, MD. After getting my haircut and a late lunch, I went out to field check. I was still full from lunch so jogging over to the area I needed to map was slow. I found new rock and straightened out some point features that I'd mapped before. I forgot to wear my eyeglasses and didn't notice until I'd left the car where I have a spare. I saw okay most of the time, but got concerned that I might not be doing a good job. When a circuit of mapping point features triangulated well, I felt better. I ran out of sunlight soon after; not starting back until the sun had dropped under the horizon. My legs were a little tired and my left knee was achy.

MCRRC: Winter Trails. Today the group started at Riley's Lock and it was around 29 F. With brief stints on the C&O Towpath, the Seneca Greenway Trail (Tschiffely Mill Rd.), and Old River Rd., most of the out and back run was on the Seneca Bluffs Trail. The group was set to go up to Black Rock Mill Rd. and back, but I turned around at the parking lot on Rte. 28. This was a little further than the run I did on 1/26/2019 with MCRRC. Before the run started, one of the leaders, a nice guy, noticed that "several" people weren't carrying water (I was the only one I noticed doing that). He added that it was a "stupid" thing to do. I wasn't worried nor was I pressured into doing it. I'd left the bottle in the car that I'd brought along. I've been doing this for almost 45 years so I felt I had a good handle on what worked for me.

Crossing Dry Seneca Creek at 3.7 miles out was easier--the water was down and stepping stones had been put into place. I stayed dry. I ran most of the run with Oleg from Russia. He'd emigrated in 1998. I thought he was older than me but I'm 2 years older than him. Oleg, a Patent Office employee) was running better than me too. He'd only started running a little over a year ago and had lost 50 lbs. His daughter being an engineer (at NASA) like he was helped locate the defect that caused Toyota cars to suddenly accelerate (lead in the potentiometer in the new electronic gas pedal that model year caused microfibers that would break and give a sudden voltage change). Oleg felt that sticking with me gave him a steady pace. Otherwise he tends to accelerate and crash. He aimed for a 180 cadence which from his Internet research was optimal; he also noticed I have a 150 cadence which I attributed to my longer legs. When asked, Oleg reminded me that the Russian word for "to run" is бегать (pronounced begats). It's cool what one can learn from people on a run. I was going to turn around where I did last year but Oleg encouraged me to go on another 1/3 of a mile to the parking lot where he had hidden some Gatorade. He filled his bottle and gave me the rest. Oleg decided to turn around there too, which meant I wasn't going to slack off. Finally when there was only one mile left, Oleg said he'd sprint it in.

I slowed more, getting over the body fuel cut-over at that time, but moved better on the gravel road. That road was again painful on my feet since the gravel protrudes into shoes. I held up pretty well over the run, keeping a good pace but slowing on some of the hills. My left foot went numb for a long while. My left knee was hurting 2 miles out from finishing on downhills. I had some right side lower back issues too.

I couldn't find a good breakfast/brunch place in Potomac so I landed in Potomac Pizza where Chase was having a birthday party. I got to see his Reptile Show for free!