Training Log Archive: Nadim

From W. Cedar Ave., the Rock Creek Trail north to the Ken-Gar parking area, then back. I dragged Samantha outside to ride with me. I would have ridden longer without her. As it was, we stopped a lot. Sometimes it was because a hill was too steep to climb. Sometimes it was due to bumps in the trail or a too steep descent. She was a little cold on the way out but going back where it was more downhill, we also had the wind at our back. This was probably the longest she's ever ridden so really, she did pretty well. The temperatures were in the mid-50s F. With all the stopping and starting, I messed-up my GPS tracking.

From Northfield Rd., Custer Rd., to Park Ln. to Wilson Ln. to Aberdeen Rd., to Huntington Pkwy. to Hampden Ln. to Charlcotte Rd., to Northfield Rd. I thought it was time to try to run again. With it being a cool day, I kept it easy and took shorter strides. I started warming-up and feeling better, but still I kept the pace down. I was feeling some pain in my right calf, but not much for a while. I decided to keep it short by staying on Wilson Ln. but just before leaving it, at ~1.26 miles, there was a slight tilt to the downhill road and it was enough to cause me to pull-up even more. I deteriorated the further I went and took the shortest path back. This was disappointing since I'd not been feeling too bad for a few days.

From Northfield Rd., to the Bethesda Metro Station. I had favorable wind and hit the intersections at good times.

From the Bethesda Metro Station, to Northfield Rd. My legs were feeling better today, but at times, my lower back was sore.

From Northfield Rd., to the Bethesda Metro Station.

Washington, D.C. From 12th and Independence Ave., SW, I went to The Mall, then up to 3rd St., SW/NW, and then back down The Mall to 14th St. NW/SW, the back to 12th and Independence Ave., SW. This was pretty much a duplication of my run last Friday. I started out feeling and running better. There were some others runners pushing me a little though I couldn't keep up with 2. I did slow a few times and started feeling more tired toward the last half mile, into a breeze. Like Friday, I was favoring my left leg a lot and in the process tiring it out. I was glad that I was able to get out even just this little. Afterward, I felt a little more sore in my right calf.

From the Bethesda Metro Station, to Northfield Rd. I was a bit tired and had some headwinds.

From Northfield Rd., to the Bethesda Metro Station. After the busy weekend I thought it wise to not push it, and rest.

From the Bethesda Metro Station, to Northfield Rd.

QOC Junior Training Weekend at Prince William Forest, VA, Happyland. The training for the morning was a control picking exercise in which people were to move quickly in and out of a control. I had only 3 beginners since 2 left early. We started out individually with the plan to have everyone meet at control #4. Matayas, the youngest wanted to go first. We started 30 seconds or so apart. I passeed one of our group just before #1 and caught Matayas around #2. I too the trail around to #3 while Matayas was thinking of going straight. Matayas came in behind me as I had already taken off into the forest to getup a hill to a road a short way away. Shouting clues, I helped Matayas slow down enough to see control #2 before he passed right by it--this enthusiastic 8 year old just wants to run and beat other people. I presume Matayas would come behind me, as I went on and found #4. The father of the other beginer who'd started with us, had gotten to #4 minutes later, but then reported that Matayas had gone up the trail from #2. We waited a while before I did a loop back half way to the control. Returning to my 2 beginners at #4, I let them go on, then went searching more for Matayas. I found him just as he relocated near where we'd started. Matayas probably got confused the a second power line. He thought he'd gone to #4 but didn't really. He seemed a little shaken and didn't want to go out again. It was probably a good thing that he had this less than pleasant experience since it might help him slow down enough to read the map and his compass more in the future. Matayas' father went over the course with him afterward. One good thing for me about this run is that I felt better running! Perhaps it was having a pretty good sleep in the cabin that did it. A second good thing was that I was comfortable running without a compass.

QOC Junior Training Weekend at Prince William Forest, VA, Happyland. I continued the control picking session, after leaving Matayas at the start area. I somewhat followed the course backwards. I found my other 2 beginners around control 8 and continued giving some coaching tips to the father while his son moved ahead.

QOC Junior Training Weekend at Prince William Forest, VA, Happyland. The final training session was for everyone. Students ran independently of their coaches. It was a mass start one-man relay. The advanced course had 4 loops. A nice route choice for me starting off, seemed to get me to control #1 ahead of everyone else on my loop. We did get to places I would normally have used a compass at, but I was okay without it. Even where green, the leaves were off and I could see the contours enough to know where to go. I finished my first loop just behind Peggy, who'd been on a different first loop.

On the second loop, I repeated a leg from the night-O where I'd gone to the wrong control--this time it was the right one. Max was ahead of me initially, but staying to the right where the running was better, I passed him. I thought he might catch me as I left #2 and ran to a road. Max stopped at the road while I turned left to get to a junction that was just out of sight. I hit the next control well and saw Max with Wyatt Riley as I was already heading off to #3. I was again feeling good about places where I was able to be pretty efficient without using a compass. I finished the loop with Max somewhere behind me.

Going out on my third loop, someone told me that Peggy was a minute ahead of me. Some loops were shorter than others so it didn't worry me and though I was moving better, I still wasn't moving that well. I did a short loop, and realized that the mapping was not so perfect on one gully that I attacked from a distinct location up high above.

On my last loop, I moved well until control 3 or 4. I was following a stream and stopped early at a stream ditch junction. It was a bit green in this area. Going on, I saw Rick Oliver coming in more directly--a benefit of having a compass. I saw the control first but Rick was closer and punched it first. I took similar routes for the next 2 controls and punched our Go control just behind Rick. There was an obvious route choice to dog-leg on the trail we'd come down, or to go straight. Rick suggested we go different ways and I chose going straight. After cutting through a short bit of forest, I adjusted my route to use a second trail or ride and got ahead of Rick. I then saw Peggy converging but just ahead of me. Family pride was on the line and others were shouting. I picked up the pace. Peggy did too, and warned me not to injure myself running too hard. I was happy to match pace and finish together. It was again a nice exercise and it turned out to be pretty good weather to run in too.