Training Log Archive: Nadim

Event: Susquehanna Stumble XVII
 

From Northfield Rd., Custer Rd., to Park Rd., to Battery Ln., to Exeter Rd., to Edgemoor Ln., to Hampden Ln. to Moorland Rd. to Wilson Rd. to Aberdeen Rd., to Aberdeen Ct. to Northfield Rd. It was in the 60s F and the ground was damp from drizzle that fell earlier. I felt okay starting out but weak at the tops of the hills on this run. I think I was around 7:41 at the first mile.

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 worked from home today. The weather was so nice (63 F) and though I finished late, I was home earlier than usual so I got out for a short run. I didn't feel sore from the Turkey Chase yesterday at first, but along Old Georgetown Rd., my heel/arch started to hurt sharply. That went away and afterward, my legs started feeling sore.

From Shields Dr., Old Georgetown Rd., to Spruce Tree Ave. to Beech Ave. I was late for getting to the start of the annual Turkey Chase race. I jogged over to get my number from Heidi Onkst, a was just in-time to put it on, then walk over to the start line.

33rd Annual Bethesda Turkey Chase. Ted Good, David Onkst, and I started with the 8:30+ mile pace crowd. This must have been the 4th or 5th wave to go. The others (Peggy, Samantha, Max, Heidi Onkst, Darcy Good, Ken Walker Jr., Samantha Walker, Amber Tomas, Sara Lemanski) all went for the 2 mile run/walk).

As we started, Ted moved out gradually faster. David was tired and sore from running the JFK 50 Miler less than a week earlier so he stayed back with me. I felt fine for not having much rest the last several days (I'd been cleaning the house and working pretty hard lately). Ted disappeared after the turn off of W, Cedar Ave. David and I were about 8:06 at the first mile and feeling pretty comfortable with that.

We weren't running so easy that we could talk a lot but we did chat a bit as we point ways to weave through the crowd. We were about 8:23 at the next mile.

Mile 3 was mostly uphill and we missed seeing the marker. On the way to Mile 4 we passed Kathleen and Nicole Lennon; we were 33:42. My shoe lace had also come undone but I didn't stop to tie it. I still felt fine at that point and I wasn't running fast enough for the untied shoe to bother me too much. However, it worried people around me.

I missed seeing the 5 Mile Marker. On Old Georgetown Rd., the running space had narrowed to just one car lane so it was harder to get around people. I ended up doing some pick-ups to get around. David commented that I was taking one stride to every 2 of his and how tall people have it easier. I didn't want to lose more breath debating it.

By the time we got to 6th Mile Marker, I was focused on the finish and picking up the pace. Suddenly with about 200m to go, I noticed that Ted Good was in sight. We picked-up the pace more planning to catch him and then finish with him. Ted had been running his pace throughout, not trying to race. As we caught him our momentum got us a step ahead but we finished in the same second. After running (and going to the bathroom) I rushed home to cook a turkey and finish cleaning the house. It was a pretty fun day all around.

From Northfield Rd. to the Bethesda Metro Station.

From the Bethesda Metro Station, to Northfield Rd.

Event: QOC Cabin John
 

Cabin John Regional Park, MD. In order to get ready to run, I went back and forth between the QOC event center, the bathrooms and the parking lot. I had been doing beginner instruction so I'd been mostly standing around for +2 hours before getting ready.

QOC: Cabin John Regional Park, MD. I rushed out to do this so that I could get Max to a birthday party in Gaithersburg, MD at 2pm. I thought the course was pretty fun, given all of the many limitations of the park. It's hard to set longer legs here since there are so many trails. I did feel slow whenever there was some open trail or woods to run. I used a fair bunch of trails, often cutting from one to another. More later...

Green - Splits

From Northfield Rd., to the Bethesda Metro Station.

From the Bethesda Metro Station to Northfield Rd. I carried back my laptop and running clothes that I didn't use the previous day.

From Northfield Rd., Bethesda, MD, to 13th & C St. SW, Washington, D.C. Right from the first hill, I felt kind tired on this ride. There was a headwind and I was probably overdressed with my jacket and tights but more than that, I just felt worn out from the last few days. With decent weather for today, bad weather and kid duties coming up later in the week, I again wanted to make sure about taking advantage of it. I had one guy I'd passed drafting off of me most of the way into Georgetown, and from the trestle bridge to the Jefferson Memorial, I was very slowly reeling-in another guy, making up only 100m or so on him over that 5 mile distance.

From 13th & C St. SW, Washington, D.C., to Northfield Rd., Bethesda, MD. I started off easier, anticipating that I'd be tired like I was in the morning. There were mixed winds. Getting to Georgetown was relatively easy but I had headwinds getting to Fletcher's Boathouse and Falls Rd., intermittently broken up by calm or tailwinds. It all felt little slow. I was carrying my laptop and my jacket so I was heavier than usual.

From Northfield Rd., Bethesda, MD, to 13th & C St. SW, Washington, D.C. I had carried 2 boxes of controls (a SportIdent training kit) to hand it off to Mark Mace for a class he's doing at Gallaudet University. The extra load, which barely fit, along with being a little tired from racing yesterday, kept me slow. It is supposed to be the nicest day this week for riding so I didn't want to miss it. I wore full length tights and a cycling jacket. It was in the low 40s F starting out but around +50 F by the time I got to work. I had worked-up a sweat. There were a lot of other cyclist and I kept passing them steadily.

From 13th & C St. SW, Washington, D.C., to Northfield Rd., Bethesda, MD. Leaving just before 6pm, it was already dark. I had a very similar experience to 11/4 when I last rode all the way into the office. I kept passing people steadily until somewhere around the trestle bridge, when it tailed-off. The winds were calm. I was in my tights but I had bundled my jacket in my pack. It was supposedly around 63 F starting out but it felt cooler.

Rosaryville State Park, MD. I jogged over to the start of QOC's Mid-Atlantic Championships. I was short on time with about 80 minutes before the relay was to start.

QOC: Mid-Atlantic Championships. Returning to the park where Peggy and I got married (2002), I enjoyed the nice, nice weather and had a pretty good run. There was room for improvement for sure but my running is surprisingly continuing to improve without much training on my part. I guess the nerves are continuing to reconnect after my back problems. I still feel some back warnings like after this run and when I do some things around the house, but overall my back issues seems to be getting better.

S-1 Kathleen Lennon had started right before me and with the start out in the open, I saw her head off to the SW, knowing she was on the same Green course that I had chosen (I chose Green since I had a fair chance of scoring for QOC and I didn't feel I was strong enough to run well on both a Blue course and do the relay). When I looked at the leg, it seemed obvious to me to go SE and round the barn so I did confidently. I cut down from there and crossed the gullied stream at a distinct bend on a fairly straight route. I didn't seen the option that Adras showed me later to use the trail through the green, but it was probably best that I hadn't taken that route.

1-2 I went just left of straight to get around the fallen tree, and didn't use the trail initially. I got on the trail at the second crossing but only until I could see the reentrant on the other side. From there it was just getting across the creek and up, and I had to cut left out of the way a little to keep from slipping on a steep slope.

2-3 I climbed and got on trails to get through the green. I cut across at bends when the trails veered in the wrong directions. I had briefly lost contact with the map. In the power lines, I was loath to drop down to the nicer woods. Instead, I got hung up in the green till I got to the white woods. Once I saw the big reentrant on the other side, I crossed and spiked it in the next reentrant.

3-4 - I angled down to cross the creek, then up. I was lazy about running all the way up too the long straight trail, and instead ran on the lower one south of the large knoll. I continued straight through the light green and went left around the deadfall at the end. In retrospect, using the long straight trail and coming in from the right was better.

4-5 - I angled pretty much on the straight line until crossing the road and stream near the lake. I contoured a little getting around the broad spur south of the control. I was glad the control was visible but expected to see it on a rootstock instead of the stream.

5-6 - Straight for the most part. I passed an older guy who was walking on the climb.

6-7 - I was rushing too much and didn't plan routes through most of this race--something I need to work on more. I ran straight across, checking my progress at the forked trail intersection and adjusting when I crossed just below the fork. I spiked it in the end but I probably would have been faster if I'd used the trail.

7-8 - I had gotten to #7 just before Kefin Culberg had, coming from another direction. I led most of the way but slowed when I stumbled on some roots under the leaves. We'd gotten a little high and to the right. Kevin had just passed the control when I saw it and cut left. Kevin realized it quickly and still got there ahead of me.

8-9 - I really was rushing too much. I didn't visualize the contours correctly for the part after the road. I realized I had up and down incorrect but it took me time to adjust. I hugged the hillside and came in north of the line. Unfortunate for me, I hit a parallel ditch that I just couldn't read on the map while running. It was partly obscured by the 9-10 leg line. I almost hit the trail, and saw the rootstock SE of #9 before slowly coming back and finding the control back down the hill. I figured the second ditch hadn't been mapped when I got to the control.

9-10 I ran straight to the trail intersection. I didn't try to push too hard and was a little worried about the footing with leaves obscuring sticks and ruts. I spiked it but at one point, I thought I was on the parallel ride just to the south of the control.

10-11 - I followed the open ground NE, then cut down to the parallel path. I cut through the supposed fight easily. However, once through, I climbed on a bad bearing and found myself far north of the control. I thought I should have contoured around to the south but it seemed so far away that I got confused and kept climbing. On top, the terrain was mostly open except for a wall of green to the south. The map didn't show this change in vegetation but I plunged through it and dropped into the reentrant. The control was sitting in a small patch of white forest.

11-12 - I was not wanting to take risks after my effort getting to #11 so I climbed rather than try to punch through what was supposed to be fight on the straighter route. I crossed the trail and slowed getting across the reentrant to the next trail--it was the same trail and I would have saved time running around. I angled up (NE) and found a fairly easy way through the green--of course, sticking on the trail would have been fine too. I just thought it was going to drop too much which was an incorrect assessment. I went to the power line pylons and got on a small trail in the white woods. I cut across the rough open---they'd mowed a path which made it fairly easy. I punched through a small bit of green and was in a reentrant. I should have cut across it more instead of following it straight down. At least when I got to the gully, I knew which way to turn. I was going to cross it but once in the gully, I felt like I could run it to the control. It sort of worked but the walls were slippery and V-shaped like the symbol. I had a hard time staying out of the water and slipped and fell at one point. I almost gave up staying in the gully but then I could see the control or the gully bend ahead. It was slow going through this gully but I got there. My bigger error was not punching my way through the green at the beginning of this leg to the long trail.

12-13 - I was tired from climbing, running through green and running through the gully. I closed-in on a guy ahead by angling up to the ride more than him. I almost caught him at the control.

13-F - I was still feeling tired and the straighter way looked slower than the road. I cut NE to the road and ran on it well, increasing speed along the way. I was cautious not to run so hard that I risked pulling something, and I didn't want to wear myself out for the relay with a sprint. Had I run like Tori, or gone on the straighter route, I might have won the course. I did pickup control #13 and walked the straighter way to the finish. Still uncertain, there did seem enough with the steeper hill, weaving through the vegetation, and a missing formline or regular reentrant, that my chosen route might have been best for me.

Overall, I was happy about this race. It was the first time I'd broken 9 minutes per kilometer in a long while, and I didn't make many errors. Better route planning is still needed.

QOC: Mid-Atlantic Championships. I was on a 3 point relay team with Amber Tomas leading off (I think we were actually 5 points). Amber did pretty well I think. I caught 2-3 other teams on my portion. Jon Torrance was anchor and caught 2-3 more again. We finished just 2 seconds or so after the 2nd place team, the Campbell family. The 6 and 9 point teams had handicaps. The Riley family team, representing DVOA, won by several minutes. My course was like a Yellow course and I was happy about that.

S-1 I intended to go straight but couldn't see a good way through the edge of the forest. I cut around the right, but stayed off the trails.

1-2 I dog-legged back but was going too fast. I didn't read the trail that #2 was sitting on. Once to the open, I cut right into the woods again instead of taking the trail a very small distance around.

2-3 I left #2 but went back to double-check the control. After that, I passed a woman who was hesitating about taking the trail around. I went straight across both trail crossings. I had to cut left to the control a bit but was glad that I saw it.

3-4 - back up the way I'd come, I did use the trail for a short distance. I had already seen people at the spectator control earlier, so I went right to it.

4-5 - As I started-off, I could see several people ahead. I closed-in on them (I think 2 were Petya Aleksiev, and Keg Good) but there were more. I wanted to go straighter and punch through the green but as I looked at it, it looked like that'd be too slow. I hedged and ultimately cut through about 10m from the end. I angled down to spike it.

5-6 - I was still anticipating a longer race, not having looked ahead enough. I ran the hill but paced myself. I passed Petya and Keg along the way and hit the break in the trees well. I was hesitant with a line of trees inside the break that didn't appear to be mapped (it was actually there but mapped much thinner than reality now dictates). I also ran down the hill in an injury preventive kind of way and could see other guys leaving to my right.

6-7 - I came up the hill feeling slow. I angled over toward the power line pylon. I gained ground on those ahead and saw that some were going the longer way around through a break in the trees too early. I didn't catch them.

7-8 - I was surprised by how much sprint the other guys had. I ran well and perhaps gained more on them, but I didn't catch the 2 guys ahead.

QOC: Rosaryville State Park, MD. I picked-up 6 controls. 3 of them had control stands, and one was a water stop. I lugged back a full gallon for less than the last half and walked all of that. My heel/arch was hurting.

Green - Splits

Relay Leg 2 - Splits

From Westbard Ave. to Ridgefield Rd., to Brookside Dr., to Woodlawn Ave., to Kennedy Dr., to Bradley Blvd., to Wilson Ln., to Aberdeen Rd., to Aberdeen Pl./Garfield St., to Northfield Rd. After breakfast with MCRRC, we went over to pickup Samantha's cake and I ran back. It was only around 50 F but the headwinds were strong. That and the generally uphill route kept me cool and feeling slow for most of the run.

From Northfield Rd., to Arlington Rd. in downtown Bethesda, near Elm St. Max and I rode to go buy him some new basketball shoes. It was dark and somewhat cool. We took our time going about it and walked to a second store.

From Northfield Rd., to the Bethesda Metro Station.

From the Bethesda Metro Station to Northfield Rd. I had planned on running but it didn't work into the schedule.

From Northfield Rd., to the Bethesda Metro Station.

From the Bethesda Metro Station to Northfield Rd.

From Carderock Park, C&O Canal Towpath north toward Great Falls to Mile Marker 13, then back. It was around 63 F, sunny and breezy. It felt good. I could feel the headwind going out along the Widewater just before the turnaround. I kept focusing on my stride coming back--it's not so strong due to lack of training but I kept up a good pace. I took mile splits but the markers along here are so far off that they aren't worth reporting.

From Northfield Rd., to the Bethesda Metro Station.

From the Bethesda Metro Station to Northfield Rd. I had left my laptop at home so I went back to work from there.

From Northfield Rd. to Norfolk Ave., and Del Ray Ave. for lunch, then back.

QOC: Hemlock Overlook, Clifton, VA. I was hoping for a less hilly course but that's always difficult to achieve in this park. The course was rated at only 260m but I'd bet it was much more than that.

S-1 - I took the safe route on trails around the lake, rather than test the vegetation right off. Once across and into the fields, I cut right then attacked from the road bend. I got a little bit to the left but stopped and looked right soon enough to still call this a spike. I was glad that the forest where the control was, was pretty open rather than the green that it was mapped to be.

1-2 - I dog-legged back to the field and cut right; something that I'd do again a lot on this course. I had wanted to avoid the thicker forest on the straighter path along the edge of the field. I passed the trail to the lake, then took the next one from the field corner. I took the lower one to the big reentrant, then down to the creek, crossing it quickly. I followed the bottom of the hill around. It was out of the way and there was a ride/intermittent trail along the bottom but it was rocky and often too thick to run much. I figured in my shape, I needed to reduce the hill climbing so this route was probably best for me.

2-3 - I dog legged back along the bottom of the hillside, and crossed the stream to spike it.

3-4 - I went fairly straight, using the clearing at the top of the first hill, going across the east side of the big reentrants but still dropping through them, then climbing almost to the top of the hill above the control. It was a long way down, longer than expected.

4-5 - I dog legged back up the hill, then cut across to near the start of the course. I took the road past where we often start events, then cut in at the road intersection. I must have been running on a poor bearing because things didn't match up for a short while. Once to the ride, I was okay again but I started reading the wrong leg line, just like last week. I started heading toward #10 but caught my error before crossing the creek. I came up over the hill from the stream intersection north of the control, and hit the reentrant well. Time lost - 30 seconds.

5-6 - Once again, I started reading the wrong leg and began running toward #14. I might otherwise have done more contouring around. I realized my error on the next hill top but had gotten far enough east that when I crossed the next stream, I entered a reentrant on the other side that was east of the control. Of course at the top of that I didn't see the control so I ran west to it. Time Lost - 90 seconds.

6-7 - I ran a little south of the leg line, crossed the creek and got onto the trail. I cut off one broad corner and had trouble finding the trail again in the fallen leaves but I kept running and attacked from the reentrant bottom, south of the control. Like other races, my heel/arch problem started hurting on this leg.

7-8 - I had just about caught someone at #7. He was probably on another course and was mostly walking. I tried to keep running but I think my bearing was off to the left. At the top, I cut right and could see the big broad reentrant on my right but somehow I ended up one or 2 reentrants over to the left. I paused a while and cut right more, along the steeper parts of the hillside, passing some cliffs on the way to the control and I also saw the guy who'd been walking come-in a little behind me. Time Lost 1:15.

8-9 - I felt that I wasn't navigating very well so far so I needed to take more trails. The trail had less climb but was longer. The fallen leaves were making parts of the main trail hard to read so at one point, I missed a bend. It was okay since I missed it right where the ride started (even though the mapping didn't show this intersection). I followed the ride to south of the control, and attacked from the hillside of the broad reentrant to spike it.

9-10 - I ran straight, using the right side of the big reentrant until the stream intersection NW of the control. I crossed the intersection and noted that I'd stepped in some smelly marshy water. I'd been closing in on a woman who I'd seen headed this way before I'd attacked #9 but on the attack up the hill toward #10, she zipped ahead, not wanting me to pass her.

10-11 - The woman whom I'd caught dropped early. I went south and followed the spur to the next stream intersection. I stayed low until I could follow reentrants up and attack from the top of one. My bearing was perfect and I spiked the control.

11-12 - I went straight at it, and confirmed my position by seeing the big spur to the west. Though I spiked it, I was hesitant nearing the control.

12-13 - Going straight, it seemed like a really big hill after crossing the creek. I checked my progress at a ditch on the climb and spiked it.

13-14 - I went north of the line a little to reduce climb but in retrospect going south of the line would have been better. I spiked it coming through the green, and trusting my bearing rather than following the first long ditch I came across.

14-15 - I went through the green to the ride, then used it a short way before going in again. I wanted to pass under #3 but I ended up passing north of it. I also passed north of #10. I knew I was off by then but not exactly where until I neared a stream intersection and smelled marshy water--I knew from the smell (first time ever) that I was just north of #10, since I'd been there earlier. I'd seen Tom Nolan approaching #14 just as I was leaving it and at one point I looked over and saw him nearby again--he was headed to a different control but I still presume I lost a good bit of time. I ran hillsides from there and spiked the control. I did see Victoria Campbell coming from an unexpected direction and probably going to #9, though at the time, I figured she was going to #15 too. Time Lost 90 seconds.

15-16 - Leaving #15 I automatically headed up the hill. I had thought I was in a different part of the park, north of #15. Realizing this, I turned back. It seemed better to drop back to the trail though in retrospect, I would have been fine going straight. Time Lost 30 seconds.

#16-F - I went a bit left of the line. I had expected needing to cut through here before starting and had been looking for easy ways through. Unfortunately I didn't see the best one till after the race.

Overall, this felt like a better run than last week. I continued to get stronger and my errors lost me less time, despite making more of them. I enjoyed the course except for the early northern part where it's so green and hilly.

Blue - Splits

Event: QOC Hemlock Overlook Night-o
 

I got too busy with kid and household activities to make it to the Night-O. :(

From Northfield Rd., Bethesda, MD, to 13th & C St. SW, Washington, D.C. It was around 50 F this morning. I felt a tired early into the ride. I got passed at around the MacArthur Blvd. tunnel and eventually fell into line behind the guy. We caught another guy and the two other riders traded leads while picking up the pace into Georgetown. I rode slower after that but still was surprised at my finish time. I thought I'd be much slower.

From 13th & C St. SW, Washington, D.C., to Northfield Rd., Bethesda, MD. Leaving just before 6pm, it was for all practical purposes already dark. I got a fairly good start and at 15th St. I found myself surrounded by other cyclists. That was a bit disorienting moving at high speeds amid traffic close together with our headlamps. Passing the Jefferson Memorial, I was alone again and got to and through Georgetown quickly. There were relatively few runners and cars along the way. On the CCT, I always seemed to have another cyclist's rear light not far ahead. The lights would disappear briefly behind a small bend, then reappear close ahead. I felt like I was gaining on 2 riders but I was never sure if I passed them. I kept passing people steadily. I did not have any encounters with the owl that has been attacking people as they approach Bethesda. I though I might have been going slower but was pleasantly surprised seeing my finish time at home.

From Northfield Rd., to the Bethesda Metro Station.

From the Friendship Heights Metro Station at the DC/MD border (Western Ave. & Wisconsin Ave.), Friendship Rd. to Willard Ave. to the Little Falls Trail, to River Rd. to the Capital Crescent Trail, to Bethesda Ave. to Woodmont Ave. to the Bethesda Metro Station. It was dark so once I got to the Little Falls Trail, I couldn't see. I ran off the paved trail in the woods 3 times. I slowed a lot to get through it and hit the first mile at about 8:59. I could feel the lack of training with heavy quads. I was probably also feeling the long day at Great Falls on Sunday too.

From the Bethesda Metro Station to Northfield Rd. in the dark. There was some traffic. Though I was sweating from the run and riding hard, I was getting cooled-off.

From Northfield Rd., to Hartsdale Ave. and back. I towed Samantha, met up with Max, and rode back with him.

From Northfield Rd., to the Bethesda Metro Station. My right heel/arch was really hurting this morning. It follows the pattern of my last several runs. It had just gotten better leading up to the QOC Great Falls event. I had contemplated bicycling all the way to work but thought better of that plan mostly due to the heel/arch, but my legs were fairly tired too.

From the Medical Center Station to the Bethesda Metro Station. When going home at the Friendship Heights Station, the train conductor announced that the train wouldn't be stopping at the Bethesda Metro Station, per direction of Central Control. Most of the Bethesdan's like myself got out and waited for the next train since they didn't announce anything more. The next train also didn't stop at Bethesda so I ended up at the Medical Center Station. They did say there'd be a shuttle bus to take people back to downtown Bethesda but it didn't come. One bus driver said it'd pickup people on Rockville Pike so I followed the crowd again. After a couple of more minutes I decided to walk. I was moving pretty well and I used to walk part of this route regularly.

From the Bethesda Metro Station to Northfield Rd. in the dark. At least this time I had my helmet mounted headlamp. I was surprised at how much better my foot/arch problem was feeling better by the evening. After the Highlander, it had hurt all week. It still hurts but much, much less.

Great Falls, MD. I did a very light warm-up. I didn't want to wear out my heel/arch early since after every run lately it hurts a lot.

QOC: Great Falls, MD. I enjoyed running Peggy's course and enjoyed it so much that I did some of it more than once. I guess I'm getting sloppier again as I'm regaining some of my speed.

From the start, I ran up the trail to a spur just past the old railroad loop, then more or less contoured over, with a little hood to the left at the end; spiking #1.

I was a bit overconfident for #2. I got into the right area and attacked from the little formline knoll to the NW. At about this time, I notice Tori Campbell on my left and that I'd been passing her. I thought she was headed to the same control so I must not have read the reentrants correctly. I got drawn to the left, then looped back to the small formline knoll. Even from there, I still didn't see the control right away. I was expecting it one spur to the west.

For the short leg to #3 I had gone around the green to the right a bit. I had mapped one of the 2 boulders at the bottom and knew there were 2 but I didn't see the second on the map. It was under the circle, a circle that I had probably established a few years ago when I was course setter (Great Falls Mgt. only allows us to use an established set of controls). When I saw one boulder, I wasn't sure which way to look for the other. After a good start, this was turning out to be going badly for me.

I ran straight toward #4, making some corrections along the way, and spiking it. I could see the ruin a bit so that helped as I approached.

For #5, I ran along the ridge and spiked it.

For #6, I contoured over at first but once across the big reentrant, I climbed over to spike the control. I had mapped that rootstock, and also had passed it on the way to #4.

For #7, I contoured over a bit to the left to keep the climb from getting too steep. After the trail, I pushed through some saplings to spike it.

For #8, I was feeling tired. I climbed past the left side of the fence and had it in my mind that the control was in the reentrant just to the SW of where it was. Once I got there, I corrected.

For #9, I ran straight across but had contemplated using the trail. I spiked it.

For #10, I stuck to the trail, attacking shortly after the trail intersection to the NE of the control. I came in a little low, hesitated, then found it.

For #11, I ran up the reentrant at a angle. At the trail, I cut left briefly and saw a ditch on the west side. This should have been the trail intersection but for some reason, I didn't notice the intersection. I attacked and seemed to be going over a spur but I wasn't where I thought I was. I cut right after going too low and eventually realized that I was in the out of bounds area. I hooked into the control eventually from the west. I should have just stuck to the trail for a little longer.

For #12, I ran past some intermediate runners along the trail, then cut in. Things didn't seem right but I found the bit of fence on the route and felt more confident again. I ran the spur to the control, pushing through the saplings. I had gotten there just before Frantisek, who was coming from below the control.

For #13, I got on the trail, crossed the creek and ran up the next hill. I briefly lost contact with the map and thought I was mistaking something for a reentrant but I was actually right. Once in the cliffs, I felt better about where I was and I proceeded to the control, just ahead of someone else.

For #14, I must have been going into oxygen debt. I mistook the line from #19 to #18 to the line I was supposed to run. I focused on the route choices and didn't notice the larger error of going to the wrong control. I started out going straight toward #18 even though if I needed to go there, I should have dropped down immediately. Once to the first trail crossing, I changed my route and did drop down. I climbed back up on the next trail and made my way past a bunch of young kids being led by some adults. I spiked #18 coming up from the trail, and confirmed the code. I next proceeded to #17 perfectly. Once there, I noticed that the numbers were getting lower and cursed. The route to #14 from there was uphill but I did get to use trails part of the way. I had a good attack from a trail bend and spiked it from there. I'd tried to run hard to make up time but my heel was hurting by this time and I was tired.

For #15, I ran back along my route to #14. I spiked the control but I was just too tired.

For #16, I ran the flattish areas around the little greens and spiked the control.

For #17, I dipped south to keep from losing too much elevation. At the end, I hooked to the left to spike it, however again I was tired.

For #18, I retraced my earlier route, from when I was making my mistake going to #14. The attack was more difficult this time but I spiked it.

For #19, I got a bit confused as I left #18. I had run a straighter route than planned so I was crossing some greener areas when I was expecting clearer forest. I recovered composure as I neared #2. Once across the last trail, I kept the large knoll on my left and went on bearing. The one fallen tree blocking the straight approach was unexpected but I went around it and spiked the control.

For #20, I just ran straight with a slight correction after crossing the trail.

For #21, I used the trail to the west for a way. At a bend, I cut the corner and went over a spur. I got off bearing doing this but realized it soon enough to emerge on the trail just SE of the control.

For #22, I used the trail that I'd taken toward #15, then ran the hillside to the long spur. I noticed someone coming in from my left who was going for the same control. He got there just before I had.

For #23, I left #22 just after the other guy. He took a straighter, hillier route. Our paths crossed and when I crested the last ridge, I found out that I had made the right choice and attack.

For #24, I went straightish. I was worried about getting into the wrong reentrant to climb ahead while moving faster going downhill. I was trying to stay ahead of the guy whom I'd just passed. He might have been feeling better than I had because as I made a slight correction at the big depression on the ridge, he was pretty close behind. I descended fast and spiked the control.

To finish, I left the control quickly, going straight down the reentrant. Before hitting the bottom, where it got steeper, I cut left. There was almost an elephant trail contouring along there but it wasn't so visible unless one was looking left. I got to the control well enough and caught my breath. As I started walking back, I saw the other guy searching for the control.

I was happy to have been able to run as well and as fast as I had given the lack of training. I need to watch the errors as I regain my speed.

Adv - Long - Splits