Training Log Archive: Nadim

From Northfield Rd., Bethesda, MD, to Madison St. on my old commuting bicycle with Max on his bicycle, then back to Northfield Rd., then to 12th and C St. SW, Washington, D.C. The time is estimated. i need a new cyclocomputer battery. It was in the 50's F--not bad but cooler than I'm used to. I wore removable sleeves and that kept me comfortable. There was probably a tailwind from the N or NE but I couldn't feel it much.

From C Street, SW, to 12th Street, to Jefferson St., to the Capitol Reflecting Pool, to Maryland Ave, to 7th Street NE. It was a nice time of day to be riding.

From 7th St. NE, Washington, D.C. Constitution Ave to Lincoln Circle, to Georgetown on the Rock Creek to Northfield Rd., Bethesda, MD. I was expecting to ride home via the Metropolitan Trail but it was too late for going up an unfamiliar trail in the dark that's known to have some robberies. I was ready for a long ride and didn't want to go to the metro station. It had been a long time since I rode back at night without a headlamp. I did at least have a flashing taillight. Getting to Georgetown was easy and I saw one other rider there going my way. On the CCT, I had to slow down and speed up again wherever it got really dark with tree cover. I managed not to roll off the trail once :). Nearer to Bethesda there were 2 other riders with blinding headlamps that were headed to Washington. I had been carrying a heavier than usual pack.

Event: Hudson Highlander XVII
 

Event: QOC Lake Accotink
 

Lake Accotink, VA. Needing to be close to home I forwent the always fun Hudson Highlander. However, I was hardly in shape for it. I probably would have struggled a lot with the distance though the nice weather here and there would have helped. At Accotink, I ran from under the railroad underpass up to some trails past the marina area. This area had been mapped but is rarely used for courses; probably because it is small, isolated, and the woods aren't that open. However, there are a lot of little reentrants and a lot of trails that look like they could be fun. I found a parking lot that I didn't know existed and a bathroom that I was looking for.

QOC Lake Accotink, VA. I felt fairly well after warming up and getting a better night of sleep. I was a little shaky early but I settled down. This park has a lot of trails and the woods aren't that nice so I was predisposed to taking trail routes. This paid off most of the time and it seemed like Victor Lin's fun course, like Peggy's last week, favored trail routes. This was a good thing because I forgot to wear my glasses. I ran Red since Blue wasn't offered. There were a few times when I guessed at the best route and in retrospect I was glad I went the ways I did. My legs weren't so slow and stiff like they felt yesterday running with a pack. Initially, the callus on my foot was hurting, even though I cut out some of it the night before. The longer I went, the better I felt. I pushed the run-in since someone from behind was trying to catch me. It reminded me of the times Tim Good and I used to try to get the fastest split on the run-in. Tim was on my mind. He and I had a lot of close races at Accotink and elsewhere as I was getting more into orienteering. We'd constantly distract and mess each other up when we bumped into each other in the woods, as we were inclined to race each other more than watch our navigation. Those were good, seemingly simpler days.

0-1 Since the cut through for the trail bend was cluttered, I decided to go into the woods earlier than planned, from the bend. I somewhat contoured around and was a little lower than expected at the end.

1-2 I went left of straight to use the trail but got a little confused. I crossed the trail, think the control was higher. I saw the railroad ahead and came back down. This cost me maybe 20 seconds. I spike the control later after crossing the paved trail on the dirt trail.

2-3 I used trails to the left and attacked from the mail trail after cresting the bend. I was surprised it came up so soon.

3-4 Running the main trail, I went basically to attack from the trail north of the control (I cut the corner a little). I almost got past the control by misreading and staying on the trail too long thinking the control was farther up.

4-5 The control was in one of the more detailed parts of the map and I realized that I had not worn my glasses at this point. After following the reentrant out of #4 and crossing the stream, I was a little low initially but I figured it out.

5-6 I went down to the main trail, then attacked from other trails to the east of the control. I could remember the look of the double ditches so I was smooth getting there.

6-7 I used trails mostly and spike the control. The feature didn't quite look like what I thought it would and the control was low. It was odd needing to stand on the branch that it was tied to reach it but fun none the less.

7-8 I ran down the left side of the stream initially, then got into the high hitch-hikey wet grasses. I was glad that at least some others had traipsed through that before me. It seemed to make it easier. I climbed up later to run the curving hillside and work my way to the control.

8-9 I initially planned to go the trail west of the control but I angled out more northward. I decided to take the main trail and used the easy running to read ahead on the next few controls. It seemed like it was taking a long time to get to the koldasak and I suddenly realized that #9 was not the control furthest west. I knew where I was so I headed due south to get to #9. I had to scramble up the steep rocky and sometimes slippery slope. I dislodged a rock and didn't worry about it but later well after the rock stopped I could hear someone coming up behind me--perhaps this was Rick Feliciano who later told me that I passed him near #8 without realizing it.

9-10 I went south through the field and thought better of hugging the fence on the intermittent trail. Instead, I took the trail just north of the fence until it bent, then across to the next. Rather than cross the reentrant at the end, I followed the trail around to save energy and have a lower risk route.

10-11 There was almost a trail leaving #10 and going down to the main trail. I saw the small knoll, then went in after passing it.

11-12 I got back to the main trail, then onto the next one that went south. I cut left quickly, then ran across the woods when it curved away from the SE direction that I needed to go. I did choose to be safe and use the trail intersection, and even the next trail going further south before I attacked at a not so well defined attack point. I had realized that I was farther from the reentrant than I expected, and had to go in more to see the reentrant. I spiked the control but probably could have had a straighter route.

12-13 I ran straightish and didn't use trails much. I did follow along the stream a short way and decided to cross just before seeing the trail going north. That ensured me that I was in the right place and I was.

13-14 I didn't bother trying to read the many trails that carefully. It would be slow with or w/o my glasses. I ran in the general direction and knew I'd bounce off the railroad to the west if I got off too much. This worked and I got there just after two others did.

14-15 I didn't put a lot of thought to this. I ran trails toward #8 and got on the main trail. A more southern route might have been better but looked complicated and with more climb than needed. Before I got on the main trail, I did have to cross some unpleasant low vegetation that was higher than I though--up above my waist. It seems no one else thought this would be a good route to #15. I hit the control a little high after leaving the main trail and there were a couple of others leaving it as I came in.

15-16 I ran up to the main trail, then basically crossed it to trails taking me near #6. I cut south at an intersection and left that trail at a bend. I crosses a small reentrant and went up a spur to the next trail and a control that wasn't mine. A quick check and I could see that I just needed to go through the dense vegetation to find the control in the reentrant.

16-17 I ran loosely to the SE and recognized the trail paralleling the railroad. I hugged the railroad on this trail until over a hill, then spiked the control from above.

17-18 I thought it odd that the course direction would go almost 180 backwards but it made sense after doing this leg. I followed the railroad on the trail I'd just come out on; going straighter across the big reentrant would have been unnecessary climb and I'd have less of an idea of where I was. I followed the hillside around and pause a bit. I think there was an extra trail here but I'm not sure... Reading the map, I realized the pit was above a trail so I climbed a bit more to find it.

18-19 I hesitated a lot on the direction. Again, I couldn't see the detail well without my glasses and the map was harder to read where it was green. I went north before going east to get around the marshy reentrant and fence. This got me to the main trail quickly enough where upon I could move well. I kept looking for a good place to attack from that wasn't too green so I got a little past the control. I should have read the control description along the main trail because I wasn't sure if it'd be on top or at the base of what looked like more of a reentrant than a ditch on the map.

19-20 I ran to the right and crossed the main trail rather than run it to the intersection. This was going well until I ran smack into a thick vine that hit me at the neck. I came to a dead stop but luckily wasn't dead. I ducked through the fence around the paved trail, then up to the dirt trails. Finally I dropped into the control.

20-21 I went down the trail moving well but I heard someone coming up behind me quickly. It might have been someone that I passed along the way down. I picked-up the pace and before I got to the main trail, I saw Valerie coming the other direction. My momentum carried me close to her but I had been aware and didn't think I'd crash into her. I ran the run in well, trying to keep balance.

Red - Splits

Washington, D.C.; From C Street NE, & 7th Street NE..to Stanton Park, to the Union Station Metro. I felt tired and my foot callus hurt.

From the Silver Spring Metro Station, to 2nd Ave. to Grace Church Rd., and following the Georgetown Branch Trail over the road portion, (Talbot Ave. Pennsylvania Ave., Kansas Ave. and Stewart Ave.) to the unpaved portion, to Woodmont Ave. in Bethesda, to the Bethesda Metro Station. On the way to his run, while changing trains at Fort Totten, I was socially sneak attacked from behind on both sides. Patti and Mark Mace tapped my shoulders as I was reading and waiting on the train platform. It is always nice to bump into or be bumped by friends in strange places. They were headed downtown to a festival on H Street. I started my run making sure not to push hard because of starting out tired and carrying more than usual in a backpack. I kept a fairly steady pace and had tailwinds from the approaching rain.

From The Bethesda Metro Station to Northfield Rd. I was tired but it felt good to cool off on bicycle.

From Northfield Rd., Bethesda, MD, to Madison St. on my road bicycle with Max on his bicycle, then back to Northfield Rd. towing Max's bicycle, then to the Bethesda Metro Station.

Washington, D.C.; From 12th & Independence Ave., SW, up Independence Ave., and along The Mall to the Capitol Reflecting Pool, then across the Capitol Building grounds, to Maryland Ave.to Stanton Park, to C Street NE, to 7th Street NE. It was a bit more humid today but still fairly pleasant. I ran with a backpack again. The setting sun was casting good light on the Capitol building and off of the Reflecting Pool there. Let's hope it was a good omen for next week.

From Northfield Rd., Bethesda, MD, to Madison St. on my road bicycle with Max on his bicycle, then back to Northfield Rd. towing Max's bicycle, then to the Bethesda Metro Station.

From 12th & Independence Ave., SW, Washington, D.C. Down The Mall 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. A big event was setup with a lot of tents on The Mall. I didn't feel all that well starting out but got better before slowing it way down after a few miles. I was just weak enough that the uneven places in the trail in the dark made worry about stumbling. It was in the low 70s F. I weighed-out at 177.

From The Bethesda Metro Station to Northfield Rd. I was full after eating burritos with Peggy and Max.

From The Bethesda Metro Station to Northfield Rd. I was full after eating burritos with Peggy and Max.

From Northfield Rd., Bethesda, MD, to Madison St. on my road bicycle with Max on his bicycle, then back to Northfield Rd. towing Max's bicycle, then to the Bethesda Metro Station. It was 52 F. Max wore shorts and wouldn't admit to being cold.

Washington, D.C.; From 12th & Independence Ave., SW, up Independence Ave., and along The Mall to the Capitol Reflecting Pool, then across the Capitol Building grounds, to Maryland Ave.to Stanton Park, to C Street NE, to 7th Street NE. It was an excellent night for a run with mostly calm winds,+ 60 F dry air. I ran with my rogain backpack and it was very comfortable. Tourists were takinkg pictures off of the water. It is funny seeing how open to pedestrian trFfic is around the Capitol Building when so many other places of lessor stature are walled or fenced off. Maybe this reflects a government of the people though that assertion seems challengeable these days. I can't remember the last time that I ran up Capital Hill--perhaps in the last decade.