Training Log Archive: Nadim

Seneca Creek State Park, Lake Clopper Area. Starting from the King Fisher parking lot, I did a loop and set out controls for a line-o training event. On this loop, it turned out that I hung one control too high. It was above a ditch junction about 10-15m. The junction wasn't that distinct and where I hung the control further up the ditch was better defined. I guess I was rushing. I also inadvertently hung out one more control than I'd planned--that happened because I was tying my shoe at one point feature in which the line-o turned sharply, and I'd got it in my head that I needed to hang one there.

Seneca Creek State Park, Lake Clopper Area. Starting from the Quail Ridge parking lot, I did a second loop and set out controls. I could see a few places where I didn't quite capture all of the vegetation. For some of those I ran around the vegetation to get a GPS track to add it to the map. There was also a rootstock drafted on the map in error.

Seneca Creek State Park, Lake Clopper Area. Starting from the Bluejay and Nuthatch parking lot, I did some field checking. I covered the area between the park road and west to the power line ride. The woods were nicer than I thought they'd be. The contiguous area that I mapped to the north and east were mostly some very unpleasant green shades. I found that the extent of that unpleasantness was much less than I had been worried about. I found a few rocks/cliffs, several nice rootstocks, and some scattered bushes. Some of the area had stilt grass too.

I almost got to the Great Seneca Hwy. bridge over its name creek before having to call it quits before the Summer Short Series (SSS) event start time. The SSS was well attended (about 26 people) and lots of people seemed to genuinely enjoy it. I think Ken Walker Jr. was the only one to discover all 14 of the controls (on the Long 5.4K loop) including water stop and the one that I had put out inadvertently--that one wasn't even on the master map that I showed people after they ran, and I'd not realized it needed to be counted when Amber finished first). Most found all 4 controls on the Short 2.1K loop. I didn't get a lot of map comments except for a lot of people enjoying the terrain and the relative abundance of rock detail (for a QOC map). Maybe that meant that people felt I did it correctly. I probably was not entirely consistent with the vegetation mapping--I found that more difficult to do when doing field checking in the summer). It was difficult assessing and defining which woods were White, and what else was green. Don Fish brought back one control. After the SSS and others finished, Don & Sarah Fish hosted a nice dinner party for the group at his home.

From Northfield Rd. to Ayrlawn Park, with Max on his bicycle, then back towing Max's bicycle. It was Max's choice whether to ride or drive, and he chose riding. It was also nice and cool. After this, I spent an hour cutting and tying-up sticks that fell during recent storms and am hoping that the garbage collectors will take them this time.

Seneca Creek State Park, Lake Clopper Area. Starting from the Quail Ridge parking lot, I did a loop and set out controls. I'd gotten a delayed start because of needing to sign some documents. I was intending to do more but had to cut it short for an appointment in Virginia. I felt okay but not particularly strong on this. I hit all of the controls well. I was carrying enough for the whole loop in my right hand and the strings all got into a Gödelian Knot. That took more time. I noticed a few potential map corrections.

C • documents 1

From Northfield Rd. to the Bethesda Metro Station. After dropping Max off by car since I didn't want to get sweaty in work clothes, I switched. It was nice and cool and breezy.

From the Bethesda Metro Station to Northfield Rd. Rushing home to meet a contractor, I sliced through the gridlock near the metro station and pedaled back. There were some headwinds and I didn't feel that strong. I was surprised to have had to work that much for this slower than average time.

From Northfield Rd., Greenwich Park, to Old Georgetown Rd. to Beech Dr. to to Singleton Dr. to Bulls Run Pkwy., to the trail along the school to Bradmore Dr. to Folkstone Rd. to Hartsdale Ave. to Heampstead Ave. to McKinley St. to Garfield St., to Roosevelt St., to the trail at Jefferson St. to Northfield Rd. I hadn't run late much recently and some could say I haven't been running much at all. However, it was a nice cool evening and about 61 F when finished. It wasn't so hard getting out the door. I started good, slowed a lot getting through the park where clouds and tree cover made for a very dark park. I stumbled a few times on the speed humps in the roads, not seeing them so well. I got going good again and felt I was running better than I had been for a long while, since putting in more cycling miles. It just wan't much faster in reality. I'll need to focus more on running with a lot of orienteering coming up.

From Northfield Rd. to Ayrlawn Park, with Max on his bicycle, then back towing Max's bicycle, then to 13th and C St. SW, Washington, D.C. It was cooler this morning and Max rode faster. Though I wasn't alone on the CCT, I broke wind the whole way with another cyclist behind me a long while. There were initially some headwinds but later this became a tailwind.

From 12th & C St. SW, Washington, D.C. to Falls Rd., Bethesda, MD. There was a modest headwind and I rode alone and moved fairly well. I stopped to see Max's new team's first soccer practice.

From Fairfax Rd., to Denon Rd., to Exeter Rd., to Northfield Rd. I rode home after Max's soccer practice. Peggy took my backpack so I had what's becoming a rare ride without a backpack. It felt easier climbing but I was already sort of sore from the earlier ride.

45 sit ups. I worked late and it was stormy when I got home.

Washington, D.C. From 14th and Independence Ave., SW, down the Mall past the Lincoln Memorial, onto the Rock Creek Trail to National Zoo Dr., up Olmstead Walk to Connecticut Ave, NW. to the Cleveland Park Metro Station. Like just before July 4th, I got blocked as I tried to run along the Reflecting Pool. This time, instead of firework show preparation, they closed the way because one of the old trees had gotten knocked over in the late afternoon thunderstorm. It was sprawled falling away from the pool, and blocked the southern pathway. I took the detour past the WW I memorial. I was running better than I have been though most of this was in the first 2 miles. I was a little angry at some end of the day bad news and that might have gotten me going. I did however, feel lighter too. It was very humid out but the temperatures were in the 80s F somewhere. I climbed through the zoo slowly and was dripping wet upon reaching the metro station. I stretched and my calves were feeling tight. On the train, standing in one place I left a sizeable wet spot on the carpet from continued dripping.

From Northfield Rd., to Elm St., then to Norfolk Ave., then back to Northfield Rd. I rode with Max to the theatre, then to have some dinner. I was warm when we started but pretty nice coming back.