Training Log Archive: Nadim

In Greenbelt Park, MD. From the Sweetgum Parking Lot, the Perimeter Trail. Appointments brought me to the county. When living nearby, a regular Saturday run was doing the Perimeter Trail in Greenbelt Park. Like other trails I've been running this week, the conditions were very dry. It also appeared that many wooded areas were looking very runnable. The big deadfall was still there but other parts seemed to have cleared up. The temperature was about 78-79 F with low humidity. I felt pretty good initially, like on Wednesday. I have measured this trail with a wheel before; I went by that measure rather than what my GPS was showing. Some new mile markers support this.

I was busy all day and up until very late. I didn't have time to do a planned run. Though I'd brought stuff to work to run, I had forgotten to bring running socks anyway.

From Northfield Rd., to Arlington Rd., with Max riding his bicycle, then to the Bethesda Metro Station. I would have liked to ride all the way into work but I haven't fixed the slow leak in my rear tire yet. Max is getting more competent on his bike.

From Arlington Rd. to Northfield Rd. I had anticipated having a flat tire since I knew that I had a slow leak. I walked my bicycle over to Max's and then rode it home while holding/towing mine. I usually would have towed Max's bicycle and rode my own. Even though he'd only recently gotten this taller bicycle, it was way small for me. My knees were going above my belly button. It was a struggle to go uphill. I was also carrying 2 backpacks (from earlier running and planning to run) while dressed in a work shirt, pants, and a tie. Though it was dark I drew stares from others who were out and felt the need to explain. My neighbor got a kick out of it.

I got home late and gave into eating dinner so I ended up not running.

From Northfield Rd., Bethesda, MD, to Madison St. with Max on his bicycle, then back to Northfield Rd. towing Max's bicycle. It was a cool morning. I would have liked to have ridden into D.C. to go to work but it won't work with my schedule today, and I hadn't fixed the slow leak that I'd discovered on Friday.

From Rte. 29, the Northwest Branch Trail northward to a log crossing, then the Rachael Carlson Trail back to Rte. 29. I just had a little while after a doctor appointment so I put in a couple of miles. The trail was bone dry; mostly good for running except on part where there was scattered gravel on side hilll slopes. I felt pretty good; better than the day before. Though the temperature was 82 F, the humidity was low. The slower speed reflects the rocky and hillier parts of the trails. I met Peggy and Max for dinner in Bethesda afterward since Max had soccer practice.

From Northfield Rd., Bethesda, MD, to Madison St. with Max on his bicycle, then back to Northfield Rd. towing Max's bicycle. I knew that this would be a pretty busy day so I set out to at least get some time exercising.

Ellanor C Lawrence Park, Fairfax, VA. Starting from the Walney Visitor Center parking lot, I headed north but took the first opportunity to cut left and head south. I wandered down to the pond area at Walney Rd., then across the road. Eventually I got onto the Big Rock Run Trail and took it up to just short of Singlefellow Rd. (road construction blocked the way). It had been a long time since I'd gotten on either the east or west side of the park. Ellanor C Lawrence Park has short-course possibilities for orienteering but much of it is thickish. It being cut in half by Walney Rd. reduces the possibilities even more. The Big Rocky Run Trail was nice. I had remembered it being nice while also not remembering much detail from the last time I ran it years ago. I basically reversed the route going back but I did use some other trails on the west side of Walney Rd. My right foot callus was painful and today, the bottom of the ball of my right foot hurt (from the pool play yesterday).

Running here today was my stress relief. After getting Max to school, I had to stop by my doctors office without an appointment to get some paperwork done, then get a blood test. I had to get my driver's license renewed in Montgomery County, MD--that took 4.5 hours! It was probably longer than most because I needed an eye test. After that I had an appointment in Fairfax, VA that I was late to. Basically I hit 3 of the 4 major counties surrounding Washington, D.C. in a single day. It was being in Fairfax, that gave me the notion to run at Ellanor C Lawrence Park. After the run, I visited family.

With it being Labor Day, I suggested to Max that he and I go to the pool. We took along his friend Miles. After they had fun diving for a while, I let them chase me all over the place. I could keep away from them but had to work at it. Sometimes I would dive under them to give them a chance. They would hang on when they caught me, upon which I would tow them around until I could shake, twist, and flip them off without using my hands. It was a good workout as I did a lot of running through the water. My feet took a beating. I ripped skin off the ball of my right foot and got a hot spot on the ball of my left foot. Just a minute before it was time to get out, Max got a bloody nose; he's prone to them and I don't think he got bumped. It was a nice cool way to spend the hot afternoon and we cooled off with lunch in Bethesda later.

Lake Needwood, MD. Peggy had indicated that there were some trail changes on the Lake Needwood map so I went out to run them, capturing a GPS track to use to make updates to the map. It was hot when I got there and already becoming dark under the forest canopy. The areas that needed to be covered were not under the more dense trees so I was able to move along okay as the sun was going down. I did take it somewhat easy in places where it was steep or where I wanted to get a better look around. Though I carried a map, I never opened it.

From Northfield Rd., Greenwich Park, to Old Georgetown Rd. to Beech Dr. N. Bethesda Middle School to Bradmore Dr. to McKinley St. to Garfield St., to Roosevelt St., to the trail at Jefferson St. to Northfield Rd. After eating a larger than planned sushi dinner w/Max, and watching a movie with him, I needed to digest. I thus got out running quite late and was tired. It was humid and warm. A breeze kept it from being stifling. As luck would have it, rain started sprinkling during the last mile.