Training Log Archive: Nadim

SVO: Oregon Ridge. Having felt better over the last week I gave the Green course a try. It was a +80 F day but that didn't bother me much. I wore shorts and gaitors. Mostly I was feeling out of shape, and injured. Going slowly, I thought I could be clean but I wasn't. Going slowly across the flatter areas of the Oregon Ridge plateau, it was easier to drift.

S-1 - I ran around on the grass to the left. I figured I'd cut through near or between the buildings but fencing seemed to block that off. I cut back on the road briefly to go around the playground, but my few steps on the road was where I re-hurt my left calf. I thought about stopping soon after that, to prevent worse injury from ensuing as it's happened a few times over the last winter. I kept going but needed to walk up hills. The left side of my lower back, as well as the left calf, hurt. Even that was hurting me (eventually it got a little better). Coming up through the reentrant, I saw the control from far away. I've never been able to identify the distinct tree that is mapped near this depression.

1-2 - I went straight but did drift left a bit. Nearing the last big reentrant before the control, I realized that I was left so I corrected and spiked the control on a curving climb.

2-3 - I contoured to the right but cut left on top. I left from a trail intersection. I was a little low near the control but corrected after seeing it 70 m away.

3-4 - I went straight but I was not recognizing the contours that well; maybe I should have used the trails a little. I started to think I was seeing a reentrant I wanted so I cut to cross it. I ended up on a broad spur. Coincidentally, there was a large rootstock at about the right height above the reentrant, and with a trunk pointed in the right direction. Finding it to be the wrong one, I tried to contour over but wasn't careful about how far I'd gotten. To be safe and quicker, I dropped to the trail, then came up.

4-5 - I started out bearing left of straight so I wouldn't have to cross the larger parts of 2 reentrants. Walking, I got further left than intended. I hit a trail-ride intersection. I got across the upper portion of the last reentrant confident of my bearing. I could see a fence corner to the left, and the house behind it. Looking down the reentrant, and lining up with the fence, I was in the right area but didn't see the control. I ran down it a little and still didn't see it. I looped back up, then down again, and finally saw it. I felt that the control was on a dot knoll, but probably on the lower of the 2 in the area, not the higher one where the control is shown on the map. I didn't stay long to be 100% sure of that, but I should have spiked it when I saw the fence corner initially.

5-6 - I went straight. Crossing a small dry dam confused me but later, Tom Nolan reminded me of the intermittent trails that I didn't see. I concluded that the small dam must have been where the trail crossed the reentrant. Getting through the mapped deadfall was really easier than I had thought it'd be. The logging that was done was selected rather than clear cut. I was able to get around the patchy branches that were left over pretty well. Coming over the last ridge, I realized I was off to the left a little. At the end, I curved up to the right slightly to get there.

6-7 - I went straight mostly. When I crossed the first trail, it wasn't bending in the direction expected so I kept straight though the scattered deadfall. Where it was flatter and past the second trail, I could run. I wasn't focusing on the pipeline ride and trail but I might have saved some time using them.

7-8 - I ran left of the trail initially. At one point I crossed a trail thinking it was the intermittent trail, but I wasn't entirely sure. It seemed too well worn. I went on my bearing partly because of not being sure. I got onto the next very briefly through to a bend, then went on bearing again. Reading the reentrants to my right and seeing the lake ahead, I thought I was good but I passed the control and hit the trail along the rim of the drop-off. I cut left a short way, the found the trail uphill a little on my left.

8-F - I jogged along the rim trail to the grasses (while avoiding tripping on the roots. I took the diagonal road and passed one guy before the end. I couldn't tell if the control on the tree where I stopped was the finish, or the shelter--it was the shelter. I think my official time was 1:22:?? but my watch had the right time--perhaps someone didn't do the math correctly.

From Northfield Rd., Bethesda, MD, then to 13th & C St. SW, Washington, DC. I took it at a calm and steady pace but still managed to pass everyone. It was fairly nice out, in the upper 50s F, and with a moderate headwind.

From 13th & C St. SW, Washington, D.C. to Northfield Rd., Bethesda, MD. I had a tailwind most of the way. I had to stop along the way to give a walker directions to get over Chain Bridge. I was glad that I was able to ride without too much effort. I took a comfortable pace but my lower left back was aching sometimes.

From Northfield Rd., to the Bethesda Metro Station.

From the Bethesda Metro Station to Northfield Rd.

From Northfield Rd., to the Bethesda Metro Station.

From the Bethesda Metro Station to Battery Ln.

From the Battery Ln. to Northfield Rd.

From Northfield Rd., to the Bethesda Metro Station.

From the Bethesda Metro Station to Northfield Rd.

From Northfield Rd., to the Bethesda Metro Station.

From the Bethesda Metro Station to Northfield Rd.

Event: QOC Gunston Hall
 

Seneca Creek State Park, MD. Not being up for competitive orienteering, I thought it better for me to get some field checking done. From Game Preserve Rd., in the power line cut, I continued field checking areas I'd started last week. I covered more of the strip of forest that I'd started before, then did another; the one between the power lines, and the pipeline. The forest between the cuts was rather unpleasant. It wasn't so wide so if this area gets used for an actual course, crossing it won't be that bad. The places between the power lines and Game Preserve Rd., were better but still predominantly green. I did get inside the fenced area that I'd been stopped at earlier. It had useable scattered rough open vegetation and some distinct islands of green. I re-checked the area of ruins that I'd tried mapping previously. I think I got a better feel for it this time. Looping back to finish, I was in the best forest of the day--wide open with some rocks--it was small compared to everything else, and the Greenway Trail ran through it.

The good thing for today was that I was able to walk about and get exercise without seeming to tweak my left calf again. I did feel some lower back pain when I got into the car to go home.