Training Log Archive: Nadim

Event: QOC Little Bennett
 

QOC at Little Bennett Regional Park, MD. Sam Listwak setup a 2 hour score-O today. He'd updated quite a bit of the map for it. It was pretty fun. It was mostly sunny and around 50 F. I felt pretty good having been pretty rested (lazy the last 2 days). I also ran with accuracy. Little Bennett park is not very technical but there are enough hills and green areas that increase the risk and also keep one's brain working. The map today was 1:15,000. It did seem to take longer to get to places but this fact never really dawned on me. I just read my way along spotting features. The one place where it did make a difference was where I pulled-up too soon going up a long and narrow 7 contour reentrant. I got pulled-up a side reentrant too early, not seeing the detail of some much smaller side reentrants before the larger one with a control.

Sam had set the controls with two more obvious strategies: going clockwise or counter-clockwise. I went clockwise, not having analyzed the full map before taking off (it was allowed to look at it before starting). I was a little rushed since I needed to be back in time to help with epunch duties. Controls had different points for getting them. The counter-clockwise route seemed to be the way most people went. There was 8 or 9 contour narrow reentrant with high point totals early for those taking the counter-clockwise route. About 1/4 of the way through, I made two changes of plan and went back to my original decision on both of the--this cost me time but I hit the controls accurately. Part of what was fun about today was the accuracy, and being able to run up most of the hills. I recovered after cresting pretty well such that I was able to get some faster leg turnover on the other side. Over an hour into the course, I took a risk going for two controls that were close together; they were 80 points and 100 points of which there were relatively few on the course. After that I was concerned about making it back on time. I hadn't read the course notes but I figured the penalty for going over time would be high (it was 40 points per minute late). I hit the one control that was in the middle and not part of the more obvious loop, then decided that I still had time to go get more than were on my direct route back. I crossed Clarksburg Rd. for 2 controls, then headed in. If I hadn't gone for the middle control, I could have picked up an extra control or two. As it was, I made it to the finish with about 2:38 left on the clock. I figured that was pretty good efficiency though had I skipped one control near the finish earlier, I would have been able to pick it up at the end. I got 1,360 points for the 21 controls I went to. That got me second place behind John Torrance who was around 1,540.

Event: Bike Hour
 

From Northfield Rd., to Arlington Rd. with Max on his bike, then to the Bethesda Metro Station. It was finally around 40 F and sunny.

From the Bethesda Metro Station, to Arlington Rd. It was Science Fair night. Max had worked with a friend and had tested whether heavier cars go downhill faster than lighter ones. After hanging around and some rough playing outside w/friends, it was time to go. Max tried to unlock the bikes but something happened. I think he got the lock open just enough for his fingers to slip in a crevase, push some parts, and reset the combination before it was completely unlocked. Peggy had to bring a hacksaw from home. After cutting the lock, we rode back. However, Max was unhappy because his friend and friend's father were getting a ride from Peggy and I made Max ride home w/me. Max used his new light.

From 14th & Independence Ave., SW, Washington, D.C. Independence Ave. to the Reflecting Pool, to the Lincoln Memorial, to the Rock Creek Trail, through the tunnel near the zoo, to Tilden St., to Connecticutt Ave. to the Van Ness/UDC Metro Station. It was in the upper 50s F starting out but got down to the lower 50s by the time I was done. Another really strong headwind posed an obstacle until I got to the Potomac River. Though I'd taken my sweat jacket off and that helped me cut through it, the wind almost stopped me a few times near the Reflecting Pool. There were small whitecaps in the pool. However, I was moving pretty well in the first mile; my GPS was off mark starting out but I knew from previous splits. At the river, I no longer headed due west so it wasn't as bad for me. I couldn't say the same for the crew team I saw below. One of the 8 sculls was swamped by waves generated by the same winds. They were passing back inflatable life jackets as a coaches boat was near to provide assistance. The team was calmly sitting in the skull while submerged to the waist. That looked cold but not as cold as it would have been if they jumped all the way in and became more wet. On the trail I continued to hit miles in the 7:30-7:40 range until just before Woodley Park. I decided to extend and go through the zoo but when I got to it, I found that the zoo was closed, still on winter hours. I had new shoes on and this felt better on my feet until the last mile. I climbed Tilden St. hill well but it looked a lot steeper in the daylight. I'd run this route a month ago and was over 6 minutes slower.

Spinning and watching a movie. I started out somewhat slowly and needed to. Staying with a higher cadence, I was able to keep some good intensity and cover just a little less distance than when under higher torque last time.

Event: QOC Manassas
 

Michaux State Forest, PA. Wanting to get in the woods before the leaves come out, I went scouting terrain for QOC's 2014 bid to host the Long and Middle Championships. I printed some early map drafts myself but after consulting with Francis Hogle for a while, and getting a copy of his field work taped together at 1:5,000, I was set. It was 31F starting out and it never got very warm; 36 F when done. Throughout the time out, I ran, jogged, and walked. I stopped a lot of times to take pictures and too often to tie my shoes--I'll tape them next time. Stopping to take pictures was slow since I had to pull off my skin tight gloves, open-up my small fanny pack, and then put these things back. I covered higher terrain early, going to some control locations that I had put together as part of some mock courses I did to see how full lenght course would fit. I bumped into Francis when transitioning to lower ground after being out a couple of hours already--he was continuing his field checking. I tested a lot of things lower, making things up as I went. There are a lot of technical areas and some good variety. I hadn't seen so many depressions since the US Championships in Wisconsin. In think the area must have a lot of limestone caves that collapsed underground. I was going slow enough and on a small enough scale map, that I was hitting things pretty good--I guess that's training for when I get older. I got a good feel for the area as far as what seemed fun, and what is better to be avoided. Fortunately, there was plenty of the former.

Michaux State Forest, PA. After driving to an area that I had run near earlier, I mostly walked to get some higher resolution pictures. Unfortunately, it was very overcast and some of the more picturesque areas were further away than I had time to get to. I think it'll be hard to see the contours in what I photographed.