Training Log Archive: Nadim

From Query Mill Rd. on a spur trail near the intersection with Esworthy Rd., I ran up the Muddy Branch Trail (NE) to Turkey Foot Rd., then back to Esworthy Rd., and up to where I'd parked. It was about 70 F and sunny. The last 2 days had been far cooler than normal so the cicadas were roaring. I still didn't see any more than one might see a bumble bee. The trail conditions were good. With heavy rains Friday and Saturday, I thought it'd still be wet and for a particular section, muddy like the trail name. There were hardly 2 puddles that were easily passed. A few hikers were out. I didn't feel that strong, and my legs were sore for a while. My left knee held-up okay though I did feel it sometimes.

Afterwards, I dugout to expand one garden and re-did the edging on another. I could feel this in my back but hopefully it'll be okay tomorrow. I wasn't hungry much today. Waking up late, I didn't eat breakfast, but I also didn't each lunch. We had Cava for dinner. Normally I'd expect a drop in weight from missing 2 meals but I'm not sure that I will.

Glen Echo, MD. From the Lock 7 parking lot, to the C&O Canal Towpath, then south to Lock 6/Lock 6 Lockhouse, then river trails where I could back to the Lock 7 parking lot. As I was going down the towpath, I kept thinking someone was catching-up to me and would pass me. This occurred as I would move to the left to get around hikers, and I'd look back to make sure I didn't bump into a bike passing me. I also thought I hear footsteps at one point but they could have been my own. When returning, I'd gotten on one false trail just north of the pedestrian bridge, so I had to back out of that. With water high, I was worried I'd hit a dead end at the ditch near Lock 7. The trail was such a green tunnel, that I didn't realize I crossed it. When I got to a trail split further up, I took it and it took me unexpectedly, right to Lock 7. It was in the low 50s starting out. I'm surprised that I'm gaining weight, though there should be some correlation with not working out much last week.

From Northfield Rd., Custer Rd., to Huntington Pkwy., to Old Georgetown Rd., to Maple Ridge Rd., to the NIH grounds, on the grass and dirt to Woodmont Ave., and on the grass more to the Bethesda Trolley Trail, parallel to the Bethesda Trolley Trail to McKinley St., to Grant St., to Northfield Rd. I ran on the grasses and dirt again as much as possible from home, so that I kept it easy on my left knee. Just as I finished stretching afterward, it started to rain. I didn't feel smooth on the run at all and needed a bathroom toward the end. I felt much better afterward.

C • Edit 2

I had my 2nd COVID-19 vaccine shot today--Moderna. I wasn't feeling so good, but it was more my gut, and probably unrelated to getting the vaccine.

Seneca Creek State Park, MD. From the park offices and historic area parking lot, I took the Great Seneca Trail to the Greenway Trail, headed north, and turned around at a small creek crossing where there's a bridge for Game Preserve Rd., just before the I-270 underpass. I came back the way I ran out. It was about 87 F when I started. Though rested, I paced myself, not being used to the heat and feeling on the heavy side. I saw 4 other people. More may have been hanging out at the Itzak Walton League grounds, not far away. Vegetation was starting to grow into the trail in places. I pulled at stuff to help keep it clear. I could hear the spaceship whir sound that the many cicadas make, but I don't think I saw any flying. In other places, I could see some dead ones hear and there.

Camp Seneca Park, MD. I finally got over to this park, that's adjacent to Hoyles Mill Conservation Park and further upstream along the Little Seneca Creek. From the main parking area, I started by exploring the open areas, and then followed the creek downstream. There were some trails along the creek and there's probably just enough to satisfy what's needed for beginner courses. The parking area is not large (just 63 parking spaces) but it is used for weddings. The forest was encouraging. It's basically got full summer growth now. There were tall grasses in the flatlands but these look like they'd be open and pretty fast at other times of the year. The flat lands have networks of mappable linear marshes, ditches and streams. It hasn't rained in a long time so they looked dry for now. I had been a little more interested in seeing the big north-south ridge. It's about a kilometer long in the parkland. As I'd anticipated it was very open. There was some minor deadfall that's easily passed through, and a good number of 1 meter tall dot knolls. There was very little rock--just some at the southern end. It was a nice day. I was getting tired. I drank after my run and brought along water which helped. Even after finishing it was 85 F. All of this will be a rather good addition to the existing orienteering map! The flat flood plain may pose some challenge to navigate but it and the big bland ridge contrast a lot with areas used for the USA Orienteering Team Trials.

C • exciting to think that a new map is coming in a few years 2

From the main parking lot at Great Falls Park, MD, I ran behind the Tavern, crossing to the C&O Towpath at Lock 19, then crossing back again at the bridge where the Billygoat Trail A starts, then down the Berma Rd. to the Angler's Inn parking lot, to the C&O Towpath, up to Lock 20, then to the main parking lot. Peggy and Samantha came along for a walk and I saw them as I was finishing-up. I started running slowly myself. I was feeling the run from the day before. However I unexpectedly sped-up. Each mile was faster than the next and I hadn't expected that. I thought I was slowing down. It was 80 F starting out. Relatively few people have been in the parks, now that pandemic restrictions have been loosened. Afterwards we got some dinner and took it home.

Cabin John Regional Park, MD. From the Tennis Center parking lot, I took mostly the Cabin John Trail along the creek and power lines northward to the parking areas past the dog park, train, and playground, then down to the Cabin John Trail near Tuckerman Rd., back to the power lines to complete the loop, then back the way I'd come. It turned out to be a nice evening. I felt better starting out running and darting as the trail twisted or had rocks in the way. At the end, a group of runners was at the parking lot too. This was the Muddy Runner offshoot of MCRRC and Rob Field of QOC was amongst them. They meet at the tennis court parking lot at 6pm every Thursday. I may try to join them sometime. They just run to River Rd. and back.

In Rock Creek Park, at the Washington, D.C./Maryland border. I ran the Boundary Lines loop (Valley Trail to Beech Dr. and up to the Western Ridge Trail to get back). There were fewer people using the parking lot. It seems like post pandemic behavior. I get my second shot on Monday.

From Bradley Blvd., I ran southward on the Cabin John Trail, and turned around at River Rd. To get more mileage, I ran up to 2 telephone poles and back, at the end. It was pleasant outside. The mountain laurel have started to bloom and should reach peak by the weekend. There are a lot of them on parts of this run. The difference in overall visibility from winter to now is stark.

From Northfield Rd., to Custer Rd., to the Huntington Pkwy., to Maple Ridge Rd., to Goddard Rd./York Ln., to Overhill Rd., to Lambeth Rd., to Moorland Ln., to Custer Rd., to Northfield. Rd. I took Samantha for a walk. It was twighlight as we were getting going. She walked reluctantly and eventually got pretty scared just a short way from home. She also has no sense of direction.

From Northfield Rd to Norfolk Ave to pick-up lunch, then back.

Samantha and I walked after dinner from Northfield Rd. to Old Georgetown Rd., to Suburban Hospital, then around the back side gardens to Grant St., to Northfield Rd., Along the way we saw more Cicadas (still only crawling), and a nice playful and sociable kitty who would run from bush to bush and hide like he was hunting us. We played with the kitty a short while.

Patapsco State Park, MD; Avalon area. Walking from the loop road on the north side of the Patapsco River, Peggy, Samantha, Max, and I walked around to the south side of the river. to the picnic area where QOC's event center was. Samantha was walking very slowly, so she and Peggy fell behind Max and I.

QOC: Avalon Area in Patapsco State Park, MD. I ran Green and it was a pretty nice course. It did seem to have more climb and green than it was rated or mapped at but I enjoyed it. I lost some time for route inefficiency.

S-1 - I went fairly straight, reading along the way. I skirted the right side of the first hill, and the left side of the next, and spiked it.

1-2 - I again went fairly straight, going through the spur area mapped as light green. I kept going but got turned back and to the right in the verge before the field. In the field, I ran mostly on the elephant path. At one point, I paused and almost second guessed myself about the small island of vegetation 3/4 of the way across the field. Ultimately, I spiked it and kept going.

2-3 - Straight to the field corner, then straight again towards the control. I felt I was benefiting a little bit from those who'd gone before me and had trampled down an elephant path through the verge. At the end, I hooked right and then left for better running terrain. I spiked the control.

3-4 - I ran across the reentrants rather than climb or drop to flatter ground. I used a trail briefly, but kept not far from the leg line. I was having my doubts early on if this route would be efficient. I spiked it while another guy was hunting on the spur before the one with the control. Seeing the rocks ahead on my left, above the control, clued me in.

4-5 - Straight, but I had to be conscious about keeping higher than the out-of-bounds area. Seeing the rock ahead kept me from dropping down too far.

5-6 - I kept pretty close to the leg line; side of the reentrant, then in it and on the ground mapped as open ground. At the end, I was lower, and wonder if the control should have been lower too. I didn't lose any time since I could see it wasn't below, and I'd gone up.

6-7 - I cut across forest to link together trail segments. The longest was through the field edge. Like everyone else, I found it to be greener when approaching the control. It seemed like there was a reentrant prior to the the mapped ones, and that it slopped toward the field. I hit the reentrant before the one with the control, and set a bearing that took me NE of the control. I came to the control without much problem and even could see it from 50m out.

7-8 - Being tired from all of the climb, I was starting to look to the course being just about over, but did realize there still was a good bit of orienteering left. I ran straight, the cut right a little near the saddle. The control circle seemed to be centered on the SE side of the knoll. I headed there initially and not seeing it, I went to the S end of the top to find it.

8-9 - Once across the first reentrant, I climbed to the trails. After rounding the hillside to where the vegetation opened up some, I left the trail and ran across another reentrant to spike the control.

9-10 - I climbed to the trail and hit the trail. I stayed on it until west of the control, and spiked it.

10-11 - I didn't think this one through and got burned for it. I went down the spur toward trail, then cut hard right to cross the big steep reentrants. I didn't climb too far on the first reentrant and had trouble getting out due to sliding back down. I eventually crossed the 2nd reentrant SW of the control. The rest was a slow slog up.

11-F - I came out a bit left of straight, and then had to side-hill.

Green - Splits

Cabin John Regional Park, MD. From the Tennis Center parking lot, I took mostly the Cabin John Trail along the creek and power lines northward to the trailhead near the dog park and train parking lot; then I came back. It was in the mid 60s F and the trail was dry. It looks so different from when I last ran here since the greenery blocked most of the views. Lots of people were out an most were without masks.

From Northfield Rd., Custer Rd., to Huntington Pkwy., to Old Georgetown Rd., to Maple Ridge Rd., to the NIH grounds, on the grass and dirt to Woodmont Ave., and on the grass more to the Bethesda Trolley Trail, parallel to the Bethesda Trolley Trail to McKinley St., to Grant St., to Northfield Rd. I ran on the grasses and dirt again as much as possible from home, so that I kept it easy on my left knee. The knee was fine. It was marginally harder running on the grass. I saw Ken Walker, Jr. on his run just as I was finishing.

It was a nice day in the upper 60s F when I ran. After stretching and finishing-up watering plants, I saw my first live cicada of the season. It was just out the ground apparently (after 17 years). It crawled and hadn't molted to show wings yet. There will be millions of them soon.

C • Cicadas 1

From Northfield Rd., to the trail at Jefferson St. to Roosevelt St., to Garfield St., to McKinley St., to Heampstead Ave. to Bradley Park, twice around Bradley Hills ES on the grass, then to Heampstead Ave. to McKinley St. to Garfield St., to Roosevelt St., to the trail at Jefferson St. to Northfield Rd. I had an unexpectedly big lunch as Max and I tried ordering from BIBIBOP. It was in the 60s F again.

From Northfield Rd., to the trail at Jefferson St. to Roosevelt St., to Garfield St., to McKinley St., to Heampstead Ave. to Bradley Park, twice around Bradley Hills ES on the grass, then to Heampstead Ave. to McKinley St. to Garfield St., to Roosevelt St., to the trail at Jefferson St. to Northfield Rd. After having a rest day, I wanted to try more running again. To avoid more left knee complications, I tried to keep on the grass as much as possible. My knee seemed to do well with this. I was feeling bloated before going out and the run made me feel better. The temperatures were in the mid-60s F.

Bull Run Marina, VA - Here for the QOC orienteering event in Fountainhead Regional Park, I hiked to the start while talking with Dave Pruden. Max and Maggie were walking just ahead.

QOC: Fountainhead Regional Park (West). Vido Alexsiev set some fun courses today. They were steeper than anticipated from the listed climb but he later explained that he generally picks the middle between routes going straight, and those going around reentrants. I made a few baubles but nothing big. Unfortunately I was just starting to make one when I ran into my very lost son Max and I incorrectly told him where we were (just further up a reentrant than I pointed to on the map). It was his first full course since getting a concussion in high school football practice and he finished 2 hours for a Brown course.

S-1 - I took the trail, then cut across to shorten the distance. At the trail and in sight of the place it crossed the stream, I paused a while trying to figure out where the reentrant I needed was. I crossed the creek off trail, climbed up and landed in it.

1-2 - I went straight, hitting the trail above where it crosses a stream the second time. I got in the reentrant but was low. Fortunately, I looked right, perhaps being drawn to Francis Hogel at the control and punching.

2-3 - Straight, and I spiked it. I did pause before crossing the stream.

3-4 - I tried going straight but came across to the left. Realizing it, I contoured over to the right.

4-5 - I largely went straight, but paused above the detailed reentrant system. Going left and right a little, I could see the control or the reentrant needed. I crossed and realized it was further up in the next smaller reentrant system.

5-6 - I went straight initially, going down the right side of the large reentrant after the trails. I crossed over after the side reentrant on the left, then contoured in.

6-7 - I started to go around on the left, but decided it was too long for someone moving as slowly as I was. I cut right going up the reentrant, getting almost to the top of the reentrant before heading at the control. I paused looking across the next big reentrant to make sure I knew which ditch to follow. I hit it well, and saw David Onkst and John Baker leaving the control.

7-8 - Straight, with a little contouring at the end.

8-9 - Glad to have a longer leg, I went fairly straight initially. I decided that getting on the ridge would be better to get around the deadfall ahead so I went up, hit the cairn 120m from the control, and attacked successfully. The control was visible more than 50m away.

9 10 - Straight, while keeping track of the reentrants I crossed. Getting into the lst one, I had to correct my mental map from the control being on the right side to it being on the left. No real time was lost but I paused about a second.

10-11 - I went a bit right of straight but deadfall pushed me back to the left. Hitting the trail, I turned right, took it to the bend, then ran down. I hit bottom one side reentrant higher than I thought I had. It felt wrong because it was so quick to get there. It was just after this that Max stopped me and I told him incorrectly where we were. I climbed after this and realized my error pretty quickly. I got back on track following reentrants down and contouring at the end. I lost at least a minute.

11-12 - Straight, and hitting it well.

12-13 - I cut right initially but when I realized there was a small reentrant before getting to the water edge, I cut left. I worked my way up to #13 going somewhat straight from the bend of the cove but it was slow. All the going straight up steep hills earlier was catching-up with me.

13-14 - I should have read this leg longer but fatigue was weighing on me and I wasn't thinking that well. I was drawn to the route on the trail to the right, but I took the left one since it seemed more direct. I'd taken the right trail on similar legs in the past. Once I got back to the trail, I left it after crossing the stream and rejoined it later. I eventually attacked the control from the trail bend SW of the control. The circle was hiding on reentrant.

14-15 - I went straight initially. Going more to the right might have been better. I eventually attacked from the trail and saw a guy I'd passed earlier cutting in ahead of me. I'm not sure if he was on the same course as I.

15-16 - I ran most of this off trail, but eventually was forced higher.

16-F - I figured I should take the trail as past races have been better that way. However I tried to go straight after crossing the stream on the trail. I ran into more deadfall than was mapped, then climbed higher than needed to compensate. This apparently lost me 2 minutes.

Overall, not bad. Better training could have me keeping up the pace longer.

Green - Splits

Hoyles Mill Conservation Park, MD. I ran the Blue course of the USA Team Trials. I'd mapped the park and had been involved in the revisions made from Dave Linthicum's original course designs. Though the course had been vet by David Onkst and Peggy, I also had been to all of the control locations and most of the legs between the controls. All of this gave me a lot of leg-up on getting through the course.

It was unfortunate for so many good orienteers to experience the park in the overgrown conditions that are just normal spring to summer growth. It is normally difficult to navigate in the park during the winter, but today it was much harder to see mapped stone that is key to refining a bearing. I was amazed at how fast the top men and women runners finished. They were just above target times, and given the conditions, that was remarkable.

I ran pretty cleanly, being able to recognize places and even what particular mapped rock looked like. It still took me paying attention to what I was doing. Physically, I kept a steady pace, not pushing hard. My back and left knee have been hurting so I've been taking time off. Like many, the control I had the hardest time with was #1. I attacked from a known stony ground but had a bad bearing putting me left of where I needed to be. I lost about 30 seconds. I paused in a few other places and perhaps lost time that way. I was leaving #2 when I realized that I didn't start my GPS track correctly. I started it just a short way after #2.

Middle Blue - Splits

South Germantown Recreational Park and Maryland Soccerplex. I helped pickup controls for the USA Orienteering Team Trials sprint course. As I did this, I noted a few features for the map. The map was originally just a part of the larger 1:10,000 map of the Soccerplex and Hoyles Mill Conservation Park. 3 weeks before the race, I worked on converting the Soccerplex part of it because our other planned venues fell through--they wouldn't let us use other places due to COVID-19 pandemic related issues. It took a lot of work to get the Soccerplex into the shape that it was in on race day, but still, I know it wasn't perfect. We did vetting and had various course planning discussions remotely. We could have used more time.

Hoyles Mill Conservation Park. This walk was in warm and humid conditions. Light rain fell sometimes. My back had been hurting but this seemed to help.

QOC: Patapsco, MD. The woods were pretty good overall but the hills felt steep. I made a slight error on the way to #2 when turning left instead of right on a trail :(. My route on the road to #5 may not have been the best. Going to #11, I hit more green than expected. I got a little confused going over the hill to the Go control but overall, I did okay. I was just slow. Not running due to my back and knee was having an effect as has spending a lot of late nights doing map work.

Green - Splits

Field Checking in the Soccerplex.

Hoyles Mill Conservation Park. Starting at the SoccerPlex Fieldhouse I went over various locations and made updates. The wind storm the previous day was bad but mostly knocked down small branches and lots of twigs.