Training Log Archive: Nadim

Blockhouse Conservation Park, MD. It took me a while to get on-track with this. I guess my head was still a bit foggy. I didn't start in an organized way and didn't pace count at the right time prompting me to walk sections again. I covered the flat area in the SE and part of the ridge facing the canal. I did make a few corrections to some root stocks placed a bit too carelessly.

Much recovered from the recurring flu. Still weak with a slight loss of balance. Stayed in all day and missed my trip to Minnesota w/Peggy and Max.

Relapse of the flu with fever, chills and sweat.

From Rosedale Ave., Bethesda, MD, to Montgomery Ave. via the Georgetown Branch Trail, to C. St. SW., Washington, D.C. via the Capital Crescent Trail. It was about 50F with the forecast in the 70's F; I couldn't let the day go to waste. I wore a long sleeve jersey w/no jacket so it was a bit cold at first. I rode Max in his closed trailer to the day care school, dropped off the trailer with him, then rode in. I felt weak. As I was about to slow down on the flats at Fletcher Boathouse, I got passed and drafted the next +3 miles through Georgetown. There were some headwinds along W. Potomac Park. My lungs felt rather nice after this like I was breathing better afterward.

From C. St., SW, Washington, D.C. to Montgomery Ave. in Bethesda, MD, to Rosedale Ave. I left work at 5:19pm with it already getting darkish. A nice tailwind got me to Georgetown fast. There was Halloween induced gridlock for the cars in the streets there but with the nice weather and me sailing by the cars, it was one of those times when I really appreciated being on a bicycle. Once on the Capital Crescent Trail, passing between warm and cold air pockets, I started picking off the cyclists ahead of me one by one. I could see their rear flashers and slowly reeled them all in. I had my rear flasher on but didn't bring my headlight. I got through the darkest parts of the trail before it got truely dark but what I needed to be afraid of were pedestrians and other bicycles without lights. I slowed down with the dark but wasn't going to go much faster anyway. I picked-up Max's trailer and rode the Georgetown Branch Trail to Kentbury Rd. past Maple Ave. surprised to see the Trick-or-Treaters already out in force. Once home Max could be heard crying from outside. He had already gotten the gist of the evening from others stopping by dressed-up and wanted to go out too. Already changed from my shirt and tie costume into my cycling gear, I was all ready to go; a bicyclists and his banana (Max in his improved costume). It was a fun evening for all. Only one person thought Max was a squash instead of a banana though his drab silently confused others while charming them. He even was understood saying "Paka" at his first stop.

My legs are feeling tired from the weekend wars. I'm officially 45 now.

C • Happy Birthday!! 7

UMD, College Park, MD. Warm-up from Cole Field House to/from the Student Union.

QOC at UMD College Park, MD campus. Dave Onkst (course setter for the A-meet sprint to be held in conjunction with the 2007 U.S. Champs) applied new ideas to the College Park map which has been in-use for a few years. His Sprint A made use of uncrossable barriers such as fences and walls to give route choice and keep one thinking most of the way. I unfortunately did not think it out well enough. An unmapped structure in a fenced construction area threw me off for control #2. I made a 180 leaving #3 for another minute or so loss. I calmed down after that but was tired. I felt weaker from running long at Patuxent River Park. See the Split List and Route Gadget (on QOC's web site).

QOC at UMD College Park Campus, MD. Dave Onkst's Sprint B was not quite as tricky as the first but I made some poor route choices, then a bad parallel error when I lost my place on the map while trying to focus on passing some people. I was headed toward #6 when I suddenly thought I was heading toward #7 from #8. The route was parallel. As I passed the other runners, I passed the control too. This threw me off at the next where trying to make up for it led me to not checking the clues. I went to the wrong side of a wall. I think fatigue made errors on the next two controls. Next, I got passed. I think it was by Peter Forester who eventually won. Had I just been in the shape I was a year ago, I probably could have kept up. As it was, I trailed behind him the next few controls. I lost site of him by the last two controls and wasn't focusing much. I mispunched the last control by going to the first control from Sprint A which was around the corner and closer than where I should have gone. Had I checked the code, I would have realized it and had about the same finish time but I didn't. See the Split List.

Sprint A - Splits

Sprint B - Splits