Training Log Archive: Nadim

I was traveling all day. The trip from Kansas City to home isn't so long and I was out the door by 7:30am, CT. Another co-worker and I dropped off the first of our group to the airport. When it was our turn to arrive, we found that our flight had gotten cancelled. This is the second time in a row coming back from Kansas City that my flight had been cancelled (the last was for high winds in the DC area). I didn't get into my house until just after 9pm, ET.

Bethesda, MD. With rain and being busy, it had been a while since I last got Samantha out for a bicycle ride. She'd just been getting her ability to ride and was being more confident back then. She eventually overcame the mental challenge of getting started again--I had to not let her give-up before she got started, and then again a few times on our first loop around a block--Madison St., Heampstead Ave., and Hartsdale Ave. She was nervous about getting started, using her brakes, and stopping on her own. Walking and jogging along side, I was there to catch her and I had to do a bit more than encourage her at times--waiting her out was needed. Fortunately for my back, I didn't have to catch her much. The second time around this block she was able to ride the whole thing without stopping. We branched out after that, covering McKinley St., Garfield St., a small paved trail between blocks, Folkstone St., and Irvington St., mostly without stopping. The few stops were for when a car or pedestrian was nearby/passing and Samantha had trouble keeping to the right. I told her to lean her head in the direction she needed to go and the rest would follow, and she improved! This was the farthest she'd ever gone on bicycle and something for her to be proud of--I think she was.

From Northfield Rd., Custer Rd./Park Ln. to Battery Ln., to Woodmont Ave., to Wisconsin Ave., to Jones Bridge Rd., to Jones Mill Rd., to Beach Dr., to the Rock Creek Trail, to Viers Mill Rd., to Twinbrook Pkwy., to Chapman Ave., to Bou Ave./Nebel St., to Old Georgetown Rd., to Executive Blvd./E. Jefferson St., to Panera Bread. Having been away all week for work, I needed to get some exercise. My legs were sore on hills; probably from trying to run. It was sunny and humid; there were prevailing headwinds and it was generally uphill. The Rock Creek Trail was damp, mossy, puddled, and muddy in places. I would have gone further but needed to meet Peggy and Samantha. I actually intended a more direct route but had it in my head from an earlier plan to meet them near Old Georgetown Rd.

Kansas City, MO. In Mill Creek Park off J.C. Nichols Pkwy. at 46th St. (the Plaza). I did about 2 1/2 loops around the park. I wasn’t sure if I could do it. My left leg is week and my toes numb and tingling for over a month. I’d been feeling better lately; walking around isn’t nearly as hard as it was several weeks back. However I’ve also been getting used to the weakness and tingling in a way that I don’t think is good in the long run. This run was my first in a long while. An older guy passed by before I started and I watched him pull away when I got going. Getting going was good enough. I did the looping close to my hotel so that I could return if I had to. I felt okay but awkward. I got a little faster as I went. It was warm and sunny. I felt okay afterwards but walking I still felt my left knee on stairs.

C • Hey Nadim - any good trails... 2

From Northfield Rd., to Folkstone Rd., then back. Samantha scootered while I rode. When climbing hills, I could feel my left knee being a little sore from riding a lot last weekend.

From Woodland Beach, MD (near Annapolis), I rode home after dropping Max off at a summer camp. This was fun! I used to ride these roads often when I lived in Greenbelt, and Bowie. It was also just good to go for a long ride again.

I rode from near the intersection of Rte. 214 and Rte. 2 on Rte. 214 toward Bowie, MD. Beards Point Rd. got me to Riva Rd., and Governor's Bridge Rd. I had been worried that the bridge over the Patuxent River, would be closed. It'd been closed and open on various occasions in the past so I pushed toward it. Sure enough there were some barricades but I could get around those and got across the bridge just fine. Immediately on the other side, the road dipped to the low point. There was drying mud ahead and I had to chose quickly. I went a little to the right and found it to be about 1 inch deep over the pavement. It was slick so my balancing skills came in handy as I got across about 25m of it without falling.

From Bowie, I got onto Rte. 197 and rode that all the way to Powder Mill Rd. Crossing the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center (BARC), very near where I'd been yesterday was nice again--memories of the Washington's Birthday Marathon I did there in 1976 came to mind and it really is a nice rustic setting with wide views. I finally took a break about 28 miles into the ride with a cold Gatorade.

Getting onto Old Gunpowder Rd., Briggs Chaney Rd., and Fairland Rd., brought back memories of starting out my solo bike tour of MD, VA and WV--800 miles in 7 days. I got a bit confused after crossing Columbia Pike--that highway was much wider than it was when I used to ride there, and the Inter-County Connector (ICC) wasn't built back then. I ended up going north on Old Columbia Rd., when I should have kept going straight to get to Randolph Rd. I also tried to get onto the ICC hiker-biker trail when I crossed over, but there was no access ramp. I got back onto Briggs Chaney Rd. taking it to New Hampshire Ave., then south. I got the bright idea again when crossing the ICC to try to get onto the trail, and this time I was able to. My success lasted less than a mile as the trail suddenly ended at Notley Rd., Sherwood Forest Dr. got be back to Randolph Rd., I rode Kemp Mill Rd., past Wheaton Regional Park, using Arcola Ave. and Grandview Ave. to get to Rte. 193 (University Blvd). I stopped again for another Gatorade at 45 miles in Kennsington.

Taking Summit Ave./Cedar Ln. to Beach Dr., I realized I'd be under 50 miles if I went directly home, so I instead went up Grosvenor Rd., to get onto the Bethesda Trolley Trail, and Rte. 187 (Old Georgetown Rd.).

The weather was pretty good with it being in the mid to upper 80s F. I think the winds were primarily going SE as I was but there were some headwinds. This route started not being so hilly but it got more-so toward the end. I held up my energy level pretty well to the end. I got a bit tired at some hills but recovered. Though I didn't want to, I was feeling good enough to mow the lawn afterward--it was much needed.