Training Log Archive: Nadim

From the Bethesda Metro Station, Wisconsin Ave., to Norwood Park, to the Little Falls Trail, to Falls Rd., to Glenbrook Rd., to Edgemoor Ln. into to the Bethesda Metro Station. It was cold out again (mid-20s F) but not very windy. My hamstrings felt sore in the first mile and overall, I felt tired. Mark Mace and I were able to have lunch again, and that was nice!

From 12th & Independence Ave, SW, to D. St. SW, to 6th St. SW, to Independence Ave., SW., to Maryland Ave., SW, around the Capitol Reflecting Pool, to Constitution Ave., NW, to 12th St., NW, to Independence Ave., SW. It was pretty cold out but I was pretty well dressed. I started out going with the wind tonight, so that I could warm-up. I didn't want to stop long at traffic lights so I made turns accordingly. I felt slower than my pace would indicate for the first mile, and then tired for the second. Many tourists were moving about hurriedly trying to get to their destinations. Seeing the little ones and their parents worry about them, even in the dark, was touching.

From Northfield Rd., to the Bethesda Metro Station.

Washington, D.C. From 12th & Independence Ave., SW, down The Mall along Independence Ave. and the Reflecting Pool to the Lincoln Memorial, to Ohio Dr. to the Rock Creek Trail, to Calvert St., past the Woodley Park/Zoo Metro Station. to Connecticut Ave., to the Cleveland Park Metro Station. I had planned to run at lunchtime but got a little lazy. I also had it in my mind to go 5 miles and thought of doing something from the Grosvenor Station where the wind would be at my back. Getting outside I thought if the wind wasn't bad, that I'd save time and just run from work. It didn't seem bad but felt stronger getting to Rock Creek. It was in the upper 20s F starting out so I felt cold. Tourists, who were out in good numbers, were getting a little desperate--some asked me the way to the closest metro station, and other asked me the way to bathrooms. They were all cold and their younger or older ones were probably suffering. After answering, I plodded on going slowly and feeling heavy. My hands got cold but I did sweat. As usual, the nicest part was in the Rock Creek Valley--only a cyclist and a runner passed by there. My climb out of the valley was deliberate and slow. I wasn't feeling too bad so I went further uphill to the Cleveland Park Station near the Uptown theater that I was just at last Friday.

From the Bethesda Metro Station, to Northfield Rd. I had left my coat at the office and only had my Goretex running sweats. My head was sweaty under my running cap. I had to take that cap off to get on my cycling helmet so when I hit the cold and the headwinds, I got pretty cold too. It took a while to warm-up at home.

Washington, D.C. From 12th and Independence Ave., SW, I crossed The and ran down along Madison Dr.. Cutting over along 14th St., I ran along Constitution Ave., NW to 17th. A construction detour had me go through Constitution Gardens but I was back along Constitution Ave., to 23rd St. I took trails to get to and across Rock Creek and Potomac Pkwy in the area north of the Lincoln Memorial where the roads are crazy. I'd crossed one set of lanes to an island then waited for traffic to clear. As I stepped off, I didn't look the other way and cars were coming. I jumped back rather lucky about the timing, then crossed safely. I finished up getting to Independence Ave. and back to 12th St. There were lots of tourists and families walking about just about everywhere on this run.

Time with family--breakfast, opening presents, seeing the new Coco movie and then getting a touch of religion by watching Life of Brian, filled the day and evening.

New York City, NY. From 31st. St., west of 6th Avenue we walked over to the Empire State Building and took the kids to the 102 floor. The lines were long and slow. The view from the 86th floor was just as good and would have sufficed because the lines getting up to 102 took a long time. We rushed after that, huffing down hot dogs on the street as we walked up 5th Avenue. The streets were vibrant with crowds just about everywhere. It was worse at the interesting department store holiday displays, Rockefeller Plaza and St. Marks Cathedral again. We didn't stop much. I hadn't realized that the Trump Tower was right across the street, next to St. Marks--that was quite a contrast, with happy holiday shoppers passing the white stone, and a few protesters across the street from the dark Trump Tower. Our rushed walk got us to Central Park where we immediately caught a horse and carriage ride. Peggy had missed this when she'd visited the city with her parents decades back. We walked more in the park with a small climb on some bedrock. We came back to 31st Street going all the way down 6th Avenue. However we did stop along the way at the LOVE sculpture, a deli to grab some dinners to go, and a McDonalds for a drink for Peggy, which turned out to be awful.

It was a nice quick trip. We were on the bus and moving at 5:31pm heading home. We reached Bethesda before 9pm and were home shortly afterward. It was a fairly stress-free way to see the city that we will probably try doing again. Peggy's brother Paul arrived half an hour after we got home to top off a Christmas Eve.

New York City, NY. Taking an excursion, our family woke up at 5:30am, took a bus and were walking inside NYC by 11:30am. It was raining for the first couple of hours and cold. Samantha was distracted by the weather, all of the noise and movement and walking fast. After a brief stop to drop most of our bags at our hotel, we hiked up 31st St. to 6th Ave., up to Times Square, down 49th St. to Rockefeller Plaza and in sight of St. Marks Cathedral, then down 5th Avenue to 31st St. again. The hustle and bustle of the city was invigorating. Times Square was as alive as ever. Samantha's pilgrimage to the M&M store got her some souvenirs. Max was not so interested in that store or souvenirs. He did want to stop at sports stores. We all enjoyed the Rockefeller Plaza.

After a brief rest at our hotel, we went out again to see an off-Broadway production of Elf. It was playing in Madison Square Garden. A Flyer's hockey game was going on at the same time (in the big arena, which is separate from the theater which was still quite large). Peggy had arranged all of the trip and we just had fun.

Busy day of near final shopping, meeting my sister for lunch, then meeting more friends to see The Last Jedi: Star Wars movie at the Uptown in DC. My slowness getting out of the house starting the day, kept me from doing a planned run.

From Northfield Rd., to the Bethesda Metro Station.

From 12th & Independence Ave. SW, I ran down Independence Ave., to the Martin Luther King memorial, rounded the Tidal Basin, via the Roosevelt Memorial and along the water past the Jefferson Memorial. Taking Main Ave., I finished up along 12th St.

From the Bethesda Metro Station, to Northfield Rd.

From Northfield Rd., to the Bethesda Metro Station.

From the Bethesda Metro Station, up Wisconsin Ave., to Batter Ln. to the Bethesda Trolley Trail, to Maple Ridge Rd., to Glenbrook Rd., to Edgemoor Ln. to the Bethesda Metro Station. This was at a very leisurely pace, with a stop for an appointment.

From the Bethesda Metro Station, to Northfield Rd.

From Northfield Rd., Bethesda, MD, then to 13th & C St. SW, Washington, DC. Though I wasn't cold during this ride, I didn't feel so well. I felt out of shape. There was a bit of a headwind too.

From 13th & C St. SW, Washington, D.C. to Northfield Rd., Bethesda, MD. It was pretty dark going home. I thought I was riding slower than I did.

From Northfield Rd., to the Bethesda Metro Station.

From the Bethesda Metro Station, to Northfield Rd.

From Cedar Ln., the Rock Creek Trail, to the 11 Mile Mark, and back. I got a late start on the day, getting a project going with Max and having lunch. I also watched a movie with Samantha before she went out with Peggy to see the Nutcracker. It was getting dark during the run and oddly, I thought myself to be going faster as it got darker. Part of it was the general downslope on the return (along Rock Creek). I was a little tired from running more this week. It was probably my longest training run since October.

Event: QOC Cabin John
 

Cabin John Regional Park. From the playground area off Tuckerman Ln., I jogged around the parking and picnic areas with a winter coat on.

QOC: Cabin John Regional Park, MD. Michael Dickey did the heavy lifting taking on his first attempt at course setting. I had helped by consulting and making various map updates, so I was very familiar with things before going out. The first thing I'd noticed when I started doing map updates (Michael identified most of these), was how much greener the park had become. Especially in the lowlands, a plague of thorny/woody vines had sprouted, along with low bushes and deadfall. The rest of the race, I didn't feel like I was navigating so much as just running from place to place--this was due to having too much map memory and it wasn't a good feeling. I did also have to stop about 8 times to try to tie my shoes with my gloves on. I'd forgotten to tape them as I usually do and the laces were just too long for the thorny/bush terrain that kept pulling them apart.

S-1 - Gavin Wies was nearby getting ready to go out so he probably saw me fumbling with getting oriented. I knew the location of #1 in my head so From consulting, I'd already known what direction I'd need to go in. However, it took me about 20 seconds of fumbling to get the map oriented. I went left around the fence and into the field where the White course control was. I took trails to get near but wasn't sure how I should cross the creek. I went off trail toward it, kind of on line but it didn't look good--it was both green on the land in the area, and deep in the water. I backed out went further south and crossed near the tree trunk that spanned it. A woman was on the tree crossing so I ran across splashing a foot in the water, getting my toes a little wet. The cliff seemed high to me and there were two--I'd only mapped one. I got there a little before the woman even though I'd walked most of the way up the steep slope.

1-2 - Leaving #1, I climbed but was closer to the contour than straight. I came down on a deer trail more directly. A way in the stream bed looked open but to cross the stream dry, I had to skirt some green that I hadn't planned on. I had updated this point feature boulder after Michael had informed me it was mapped wrong previously--basically, I knew where to go from having been out there not long ago.

2-3 - I had debated staying low or going over the hill. I hadn't been along either when out earlier, except for the part under the power lines. I knew that was nastily overgrown (mapped updated for it), so I climbed. Fortunately, the green on the high route, near the fence for the private property off the power lines, was easily passable. I attacked from there.

3-4 - I stayed high by going left and coming down the ridge. I got to the bottom and could see the control, but it looked too slow to go through some deadfall. I went around only to get stuck in thorns a few feet from the control.

4-5 - I exited #4 by climbing through the deadfall--better than the thorns. I ran along the maintenance shed to the road.

5-6 - Road crossing; off the clock, but I didn't wait any more than needed.

6-7 - Around this point, I realized that I'd forgotten to tape my shoes. Sure enough, somewhere on this leg they came undone. I went up the road but thought about backing around south over the bridge to the road (too long). I got across without much trouble. I wasn't navigating that carefully (a bad habit) so I went toward an unmapped rootstock on the way, forgetting that the control was on a ditch.

7-8 - I stayed high on the west side of the stream mostly. It was greener on the east side than mapped and I went around it. I crossed the creek dry, but it took me a while to get to a spot due west of the control, where I could. The control was a little hidden between the deadfall but I still saw it from below.

8-9 - I dropped immediately and ran the valley trail until due east of the control. I hit the bed perfectly but didn't see it. I ran upstream a way then returned to see it tucked down. Michael told me after the race that he'd not had anything else in the right place to hang it on.

9-10 - I ran south and crossed on stones. Going up the reentrant along the ditch, I saw Francis H. and another person. The control was low and not very visible again but I knew about where it be based off of the bamboo that was a little past the depression.

10-11- I ran high, planning to stay out of the development grounds--technically not out of bounds from the way the map was portrayed but I thought it better to do. I did angle for the trail that comes out of those grounds so I had a few steps on the grass before getting on the trail. I dropped down as the terrain opened a little. I did get across dry but it felt slow hopping stones. I stayed on the road as long as possible and followed the edge of the marsh east to the control.

11-12, I went on the right of the hilltop, on trails. From the pavilion, I had it in my mind that I knew where the control was but not seeing it, I realized I was in the reentrant north of the control, not the ditch on the hillside. The funny thing is that I suggested to Michael Dickey that this leg might be too easy. I only lost a few seconds. Michael Stasiowski was coming to it from another direction.

12-13 - I got out and ahead of Michael S. while running down the hill to the trail. I was only on the trail until it seemed to start rising again. I ran the flat ground from there and hit the control well.

13-14 - I stopped at #13 to tie my show again--about 6-7 times by this point. Michael S. passed me but when he hit the hillside and started climbing I stayed left and low to get ahead.

14-15 I should have tied my show here, off the clock. It took me a while to realize which control I was going to after #15, even though I'd seen the course before.

15-16 - I ran the trail well left of the line, up to the White course control that I'd passed at the edge of the power lines earlier on the way to #1. Once across the power lines I ran across the white hillside to between the 2 trail intersections. From there I ran in.

16-17 - I mostly took trails for a way, passing Craig Sheldon when I was off trail and dropping to the creek. I got across the creek on new erosion control rock that'd been put in just above 2 reentrants. I stayed on the trail until just east of the control.

17-18 - I walked up the leaving #17, and cut a bit to the right to get above the green. There were several people going to and leaving the control but I was pretty much on track the whole way. A few people thought the ruin the control was on might be mis-mapped, but I don't think so. Michael Dickey had picked-up the control after the event and confirmed that the feature appeared to be in the correct location. The stream below does sometimes seem to have different bends, but I think that's just a perspective problem where things nearer look more pronounced than those farther away. The stream was mapped from aerial photos so at worst, the sands could have shifted around.

18-19 - I went to the required creek crossing and lost a little time to Lydia who'd started down before me and went a more direct route, still staying dry. I had been temped to go straighter but wasn't sure about it being dry. I hadn't read the notes before going out so it wasn't registering to me that the way I went was a required crossing either. Once across, I got on the trail, passed Lydia, and left the trail at the bend after the intersection. I hesitated a little on the attack.

19-20 - I started out but once on the trail, I stopped yet again to tie my shoes again. This time I took extra time and looped the right laces around the looped parts. It stayed a little better that way. I passed Lydia after getting across the parking lot and past the garden. I attacked from the top.

20-21 - I don't know if I was the most efficient on my route. With the trail on a index contour, I couldn't read it. I did however, get to the bridge and take the trail down, rather than go through the green on a direct route. In retrospect, going up to the apartment parking lot to the right would have been most efficient. I had to walk the climb to the saddle at the end of my route.

21-22 - I angled down on a deer trail and stayed low along the creek to the next major reentrant. I was able to keep a slow jog to just about the top of the next hill, running on a trail, and closing in on another person. After passing her, I saw a guy running off across the white woods. I didn't see where he'd left from but attacked without being very careful. I went right to it.

22-23 - I closed in on the other guy I'd seen near #22, but once across the trail I got a little confused. Without reading the map because I was bashing through vegetation, I was thinking I'd need to run between the 2 ballfields. I cut left toward the space between them. In the field where I could read the map, I realized I need to go around on the right side. of the eastern field and did. Because of this snafu, I was chasing the other guy again. I closed in after crossing the road, by taking a straighter line to the trail. In the powerlines, I stayed on the trail, to avoid getting too close and into the out-of-bounds area. The other guy left the trail and did what I chose not to. My choice was on memory, not from what was on the map. Going the way the other guy did was fine. He got ahead since I ran longer and made it to the control a little ahead of me.

23-F - I chose to go right, rather than straight or left along the train tracks. My way was longer but seemingly more open. As I got off the tracks and passed the train station, the other guy popped out just ahead. I didn't have much kick left so I stayed about the same distance behind him to finish.

We had a nice lunch at Corner Bakery, where Peggy had some coupons. The Hession's and a new first-time family whom I'd met when updating the map a few weeks back, had joined us. I was a bit scratched-up in my forearms and that stung for a while until I got washed-up.

Blue - Splits

From Northfield Rd., to the Bethesda Metro Station.

From the Bethesda Metro Station, to Northfield Rd. in light rain.

From Northfield Rd., to the Bethesda Metro Station.

Washington, D.C. From 12th & Independence Ave., SW, down Independence Ave., to 17th St., along the Reflecting Pool to the Lincoln Memorial circle, to Ohio Dr. to the Rock Creek Trail, to P St., NW., to 20th St., NW., to the Dupont Circle Metro Station at Q St., NW. It was about freezing and dark when I got going. It was breezy but with a good amount of clothes on, I was not cold. I paced myself and was intending to go to Woodley Park, but I was running out of time--I had to get home in time to take Max to his basketball practice.

From the Bethesda Metro Station to Northfield Rd. I only had on my running sweatsuit and gloves. I had to take my hat off to get my helmet on and my head was sweaty. I wasn't very cold riding but if I had been going further I would have been.

From Northfield Rd., to the Bethesda Metro Station.

From the Bethesda Metro Station, Wisconsin Ave., to Maple Ave. to Maryland Ave., to Jones Bridge Rd., to Connecticut Ave. to East-West Hwy. to the Bethesda Metro Station. It was around freezing starting out into strong headwinds, but I felt better than the last 2 runs. I didn't feel real cold but I did feel like the wind was slowing me down. I was distracted by the wind and darkness so I almost passed my old house on Rosedale Ave., without noticing--nice Christmas lights there and in the old neighborhood. I was intending to return on the Georgetown Branch Trail, but forgot again that the trail had been closed for the Purple Line light rail construction :(. I got a wind assist going up Connecticut Ave. but was slow on hills elsewhere. Mostly, I was keeping a steady pace.

From the Bethesda Metro Station to Northfield Rd. At first, I was a bit hot again after running, with my winter coat on over my sweats. This time however, I zipped-up. It was a weird feeling being hot on my torso and cold on my sweaty head. Riding into the stiff cold winds, as I neared home, I was getting cold all over.

From Northfield Rd., to the Bethesda Metro Station.

From the Bethesda Metro Station, Wisconsin Ave., to Norwood Park, to the Little Falls Trail, to Falls Rd., to Glenbrook Rd., to Edgemoor Ln. into to the Bethesda Metro Station. I ran down part of Wisconsin Road, on the road since the sidewalk was closed. I felt I was running easy and slowish, but this was slightly faster than I thought it'd be.

From the Bethesda Metro Station to Northfield Rd. I was a bit hot after running, with my winter coat on over my sweats but open.

Event: QOC Manassas
 

In Rock Creek Park at the Washington, D.C./Maryland border, I did the Boundary Lines loop. The trail was snowy but with only about 1-2 inches, it was easily run. I did run easy too. I was heavy and felt it. I just shuffled around in my dry feet in my spiked Ice Bugs and enjoyed the beauty. It was good to get out, and it was basically dark when I finished.

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. via Woodmont Ave. and Battery Ln.

From Northfield Rd., to the Bethesda Metro Station.

From the Bethesda Metro Station, to Northfield Rd.

From Northfield Rd., to the Bethesda Metro Station. I had intended to run from work, but after this ride and walking around in the metro system I realized that I had a slight groin pull and that it'd be better to rest.

From the Bethesda Metro Station, to Northfield Rd.

Event: DVOA Fair Hill (1:15,000)
 

Warmup for the Mid Atlantic Championships at Fair Hill State Park, MD. I looped both sides of the creek from bridge to bridge; one was a covered bridge.

DVOA: Mid Atlantic Championships at Fair Hill State Park, MD. This was a poor outing for me and I wasn't to into it going into the week before it. I hadn't been able to workout much leading up to this so I just planned on keeping a steady pace without errors. I got moving okay, chasing Istvan Naggy and Andras Revesz about 3-4 minutes after Andras took off.

S-1 I ran across the down-sloping field quickly and then just before going into the forest, I had sudden doubts about whether I'd been following the right bearing. I stopped and after a while went on, entering the forest to the left, realizing that where I was about right after all, then going to the control. I lost about 45 seconds.

1-2 - I ran more or less straight but paced myself. I was a bit too careful reading things along the way, partly shaken by my mess at #1.

2-3 - I angled left to the trail and ran along that until the 2nd stream bend. From there it was easy with little green terrain in the way.

3-4 - I intended to go along the right side of the stream for a short way until I could cross. When I dropped, it was too thick so I went on, hesitating on the flat where it took me a while to be sure of the partly open ground. I got on a trail and didn't find an intersection that would have let me go straight. I improvised staying low and got really hung up in the green. I finally got to a trail and didn't recognize it (not reading my bearing that well) until I got to a real dirt road--that was way far to the left of the line. I ran across fields and made good time doing that but the damage was done. I think I lost 6 minutes or so.

4-5 - I popped across the field and back in (from the trail bend), basically spiking it, but I was slowing down in the clumpy grasses. Another guy running faster (Len Policelli?) caught me.

5-6 - The other guy drank water; I ran on getting out of the woods awkwardly to the left. Going across the field, I felt silly running parallel to the road, however it also didn't seem worth going out of the way. I put the band of trees on my right and spiked the control. The other guy was right on my tail despite him drinking at #5.

6-7 - The other guy went for the field. I ran left to the road and trail, and spiked the somewhat too easy control.

7-8 - I started aim for the trail but it looked hopeless. I dropped to the road instead and took the other trail there. I could hear the other guy who'd caught me at #4, not far behind.

8-9 - I climbed straightish--it was higher than I thought it'd be. Going across the field the other guy was right behind me. I might have been caught on the downhill, but with a horse coming across my route from the right, I stopped. The other guy didn't. After a few seconds, I went on behind him.

9-10 - We got out pretty close to the same time. I went right across the field to a trail and the other guy went left to a different trail--one that I hadn't seen. He came out ahead of me. I closed-in but still got to #10 after him.

10-F - I ran fairly hard trying to catch the other guy who'd been nearby since #4. Maybe too hard give the lack of training.

It was a disappointing race but not too much.

DVOA: Mid Atlantic Championships Relay at Fair Hill State Park, MD. I ran on a team with Laura, and Greg Lennon. We finished in the middle. My course was easy with only one control being a point feature. The others were somewhat White/Yellow in technical skill. My lack of running showed but I did move fairly well considering how hilly it was. I got passed by Greg Balter and Vido Aleksiev when going wide left through a field, but with Greg taking a risky route choice and getting stuck in the green and a fence, I got ahead again. I was able to keep up with Vido on the downhill and pass him in the sprint finish (he did make-up a minute on me as he caught me).

Green - Splits