Training Log Archive: Nadim

From Bradley Rd., the Cabin John Trail to River Rd., and back. I felt awful starting out but loosened-up as I went. I was glad it was flat and relatively soft on the dirt. My right calf was tight; like warning signs I've felt before for achilles troubles. I wanted to go longer but with plans to meet my sisters in Virginia for a movie, I had just enough time to stretch 2 minutes after the run, get back home, get ready and go.

45 situps. I worked from home all day and hardly stepped outside at all.

Event: Bethesda Turkey Chase
 

Max and I jogged part of the way from Sheilds Dr. to the YMCA in Bethesda. This was my warm-up for the annual Turkey Chase. I had thought the race was about to start but I was able to meet up with other QOC runners, drop my clothes, then jog over to the start wtih David Onkst.

30 Annual Bethesda Turkey Chase. This was the 7th time participating in the event in either the 10K or the 2 mile fun run. Some years I ran with Max and other years with other friends. I really only raced it a 3-4 times, as opposed to jogging it. It's a great way to start Thanksgiving day; it shaves down the gluttony guilt from the traditional meal. Like last year, I had a lull in my November training. I'd had training gaps in parts of October and for much of September too. My expectations were low with my thought being that if I beat my time from the previous year, I'd be doing pretty good. Had I focused on this race rather than work or orienteering, I'm sure I could have done much better but that kind of work takes a few months of consistency that I haven't proritized.

David Onkst and I started off. We'd both been anticipating this race most of the year. Early in the year, I felt my prospects were good for staying ahead of him but I seriously expected David to have the edge on me this year as he'd achieved it the year before. There were a lot of other QOC people in the race but I only saw J. Astrom and during the race, I didn't realize it was him. We all look different when out of the forest and in road race attire. David and I started in the first wave a little behind the 6:30/mile bracket. Dave got ahead a little at first. I just planned to run my race and told David right before going that I'd just go out on feel rather than a target mile pace. I started making up ground on Dave before the first turn and was just ahead going down the long first hill. I'd forgotten to wear my GPS watch and again like last year there were no split clocks. I asked around and found that at the 1 mile mark, I was 6:18. That's about +20 seconds slower than a previous split I'd remembered so I figured I was pacing myselft alright. We went over a short steep hill and some lessor ones but generally trended down to the second mile. Again, I had to ask for the split. Before getting to it, I'd already started getting passed by the crowd so the 6:30 pace that someone shouted back was probably around 6:33 or so. I kept making the most of the downhill trying to keep my stride open and efficient. Later David made the point that having long legs helps--I believe that's true going downhill but not so much for going uphill.

The long 3rd mile has the 2 biggest hills on it. I relaxed letting the crowd pass by but keeping up an effort I felt I could manage w/o burning-out. I expected David to pass me by and not to catch him again. A women let me know that her 3rd mile split was 6:55 so mine was probably over 7:00. The 4th mile continued uphill but was less steep. Fewer people were passing me there and I passed some others. I kept cruising on the 5th mile, and conserving energy. I probably stayed almost even with the crowd around me. I alternated pushing and easing up slightly on uphills and downhills--these were essentially flat with very slight grades. Passing W. Cedar Ln. to complete the long loop portion of the race, I figured I might hold off David and gave it a more serious push to finish. One teenager went by me but only going slightly faster. I finished about 30 seconds faster than the year before which is better than I'd expected. However, it was almost 2 minutes slower than in 2009.

Not long after finishing (almost a minute) I heard Tom Nolan's name being called as he ran the home stretch. David had finished ahead of Tom, with Ted Good following David before Tom got in. I hadn't left much out on the road and was just happy to be done. After getting to catch-up with the other QOC runners a bit, I had to head off for my real focus of the day, hosting Thanksgiving for my sisters and another family that we've been friends with for a long time. I'd found out what probably kept David from being up to beating me was a 19 mile run he'd done 2 days earlier. The race was fun but it also took some out of me--I weight-out at 174. Later when almost done making the big meal I finally got to sit briefly and my knees really hurt. I just am not used to doing much running lately.

From Northfield Rd. to Arlington Rd. with Max, then to the Bethesda Metro Station.

From the Bethesda Metro Station to Arlington Rd., then to Northfield Rd. with Max.

From Northfield Rd. to Arlington Rd. with Max, then to the Bethesda Metro Station.

From the Bethesda Metro Station to Arlington Rd., then to Northfield Rd. with Max's bicycle.

From Northfield Rd. to Arlington Rd. with Max, then to the Bethesda Metro Station.

From the Bethesda Metro Station to Arlington Rd., then to Northfield Rd. with Max's bicycle.

Event: QOC Great Falls MD
 

Great Falls, MD. Jogging to the start area of QOC's meet, to the bathroom, and back and forth to get things I forgot before starting. My pre-race routine was not so good. I ultimately forgot to wear eyeglasses but finally remembered everything else.

QOC: Great Falls, MD. Fast and furious. Sam Listwak set a nice course with some butterfly loops in the most open and technical areas. I had course set here the last 3 years and had updated the map in each of those years. Due to park restrictions, Sam was also pretty much limited to using control locations that I had used over the last 3 years. Needless to say, I had the home court advantage! I still had to run fast and despite low training volume, I moved pretty well. I also made few errors--probably under a minute total. Short course legs probably helped that (for long vs. short human legs discussion, see David Onkst) but I also took good routes where there was a choice. It makes a difference knowing just where to go; the confidence lets me run faster. It was a pretty nice day. I had fun!

Great Falls, MD. After running, I picked up control. I started out with Brian Mayer, Scott Pleban, and Dan Quinn. Dan and I split off to pickup a loop with his dogs. It was a good warmdown.

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