Training Log Archive: Nadim

Most of this day was spent traveling from Bethesda, MD, to Minneapolis, MN. After arriving, we had just a short time before it was time to attend a party for Peggy's niece. Her niece is to graduate from high school in a few days. Once the party was over I felt like running but it was time to rest so that I could run better the next day. I also thought it safer to slow my ramp up to higher mileage.

Bethesda, MD. After flying home, I felt like I needed to run today since there's a good chance I won't get to tommorow. I did the same route that I did after my last flight back from Kansas City but got started much earlier; only a little while after Max's bedtime. A thunderstorm had passed through so things were damp and the air was humid. However, some cool air was descending. From Northfield Rd., I ran up to Custer Rd., to Wilson La., to Exeter Rd. to Glenbrook Rd. to the Bethesda Trolley Trail, to the NIH grounds, to Maple Ridge Rd. to Georgetown Pike, to Huntington Pkwy., to Custer Rd. to Northfield Rd. I kept the pace comfortable.

Overland Park, KS. From W 119th St. to the Indian Creek Trail, toward Olathe to mile marker 14 and back. I hadn't run this section of the paved Indian Creek Trail for a long time. I enjoyed the tree cover and relative flatness (even though it gradually climbs going toward Olathe with a few rolls). I didn't feel like I wanted to run a whole lot starting out but with the cool of the evening approaching and the first sunshine to be felt in a few days I moved along well. A father and his two sons riding bicycles pulled onto the trail a bit ahead of me after the first half mile. The younger boy was riding about my running speed however with them in front of me, my splits show that I accelerated to just over a 7 minute mile pace as I caught and passed them over the next mile or so. When running it just felt like the younger boy was just moving slower than I was. Once moving faster, I was already primed to keep it up. I traded leads with another older hispanic man on bicycle too as he would have to stop sometimes. Some of the little hills going out slowed me up some but I kept a good pace until the turnaround. I was getting a little tired so I conciously took it easier after turning back. I felt somewhat better the further I got. Some of it was due to a perception of being lighter from having sweat a bunch and some of it was due to the gradual downhill return. Over the last two miles, I could better guage my strength and I accelerated to the finish. I took splits at what were marked half miles but the markers were poorly placed. Rather than list the distance and split for the irregular distances, the pace and distances between each recorded split is as follows: 7:25 (0.24), 7:07 (1.27), 7:04 (0.58), 7:16 (0.44), 7:17 (0.61), 7:37 (0.40), 7:36 (0.55), 7:34 (0.96), 7:38 (0.60), 7:18 (0.44), 7:25 (0.57), 7:29 (1.25), 6:48 (0.24).

Overland Park, KS. From Woodson Ave. to College Blvd. to El Monte St. to W. 109th St. to Roe Ave. to 110th St. to Woodson Ave. After work, I had just wanted to do a short run. I started well and didn't realize that besides a general downhill trend, I had a good breeze behind me. I was 7:30 at the first mile but thought I was going a bit faster. I found shortcut to the Indian Creek Trail on El Monte St. I probably would have gone a bit longer but I needed a bathroom.

Weston Bend State Park, KS. After my delayed plane flight out, I felt that I'd better run as soon as possible or risk missing it all together. The rains had stopped so I had that in my favor. I found my way to the park and picked-up a poor but good enough trail guide. Starting from the Vault parking area near the park entrance, I got onto the paved bike trail and went clockwise. I hit the unpaved Harpst Trail and climbed up the river bluff. I recalled passing through the same area during a Possum Trot several years ago. The river views this time were mostly obscured by the thick Spring growth but I branched out to the Overlook area, doing the tiny circle on the wooden platform where I got a good view. I ran on roads next, making my way to the North Ridge Trail. I moved much better on the road and most of it was downhill. Turning up the North Ridge Trail, I was glad that it was a gradual climb. The trail was a bit more sloppy wet from recent rains than the Harpst Trail was. I turned around at the top at a gas pipeline ride and got back to the road. I felt the humidity on the climb but the temperature was cool enough that it was't bad. I turned toward the Overlook again but turned left on a trail that took me back to the paved bicycle path to finish. This was a nice run. My stomach had been feeling gooey before running. With the sweating, I felt healthy and good afterward.

From Northfield Rd., Peggy, Max and I rode into downtown Bethesda for lunch, then finished by making it a loop around town. We went on the usual bike route to Max's day care school. While riding on a trail-a-bike, he was happy to point this out to Peggy on her still new hybrid. The Georgetown Branch Trail was bumpy from the recent construction. We saw several new homes in E. Bethesda, our old neighborhood. It made me feel a bit sad at not being able to change our old house like others had. Of finish route took us on the Bethesda Trolley Trail along side of NIH. My legs didn't feel tired from the run yesterday but that's because we were taking this pretty easy.