Training Log Archive: Nadim

MCRRC Winter Trails at Little Bennett Regional Park, MD. I was worried about trying this since my left knee had been hurting and recovering all week. By Friday evening, I felt it was worth a try. From the golf course parking lot, we crossed a field initially. The trail runners were much more concerned with that than I so I got in with the second pack of runners. I was fine going their pace for 2 miles. Shortly after Clarksburg Rd., I started falling off. We'd been climbing gradually and I knew that around a few corners there was a steep climb ahead. After the steep climb a pack of 2 women and 2 men caught me. The women were leading and I got behind them. Things were going pretty well though I could have used a bathroom for a few miles. The whole group was planned to do 2 loops of this lollipop route. I knew I was just going to do one due to my knee. We started catching up to the pack that I'd started with near the end of the first loop. It was good to get out early. The temperatures were in the mid 50s F and when we ended it was 60 F.

Serpentine Barrens Conservation Park, MD. It was overcast outside but warm and breezy (in the 60s F). I had to take off my rain jacket since I was getting hot. I spent a while checking my mapping of vegetation and boulders in the green, maze area of the map. I was happy that most of it was correct. I moved onto other parts in the greener parts of the map and had a lot of difficulty getting this onto paper. It's complex and has fewer features to read. One stand of thorns looks like others after a while. I did find some more open forest amidst the green and in it, there were a bunchings of rootstocks. After finishing, I weighed out at 194.5.

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.

From Northfield Rd., to the Bethesda Metro Station. The roads were a little icy from the melting snow the day before. I rode cautiously.

From the Bethesda Metro Station to Northfield Rd.

From Northfield Rd., to the Bethesda Metro Station. I'd planned for this to be a rest day, but my knee and back was also hurting after the orienteering yesterday. My knee was worse. I felt it riding but also when going down stairs and walking. It'be been getting progressively worse since July when I was running in Harper's Ferry, WV.

From the Bethesda Metro Station to Northfield Rd.

Event: QOC PWF Turkey Run
 

QOC: Prince William Forest. Since Max had Junior training at 10am, I got one of the first starts on the Blue course. I had considered backing this down considering running a shorter course since I had a long run the day before, and afterward I'd been field checking for a long while. I stuck with Blue since PWF is one of QOC's best places to orienteer.

S-1 - I spiked this, running down the ride and being a little cautious of the rolling hills. It did come up a little sooner than expected.

1-2 - I crossed the main reentrant directly, then angled up to the control.

2-3 - I dropped down the reentrant and paused to think about crossing the creek. I've done it safe and dry in other events but Gary had said the water was high. I ran around and then spiked the control.

3-4 - I dropped down to run along the water. I passed through the saddle. It looked like more than a formline up. Before the side stream, I climbed, crossed it, and then around the reentrant to the control.

4-5 - I dropped down at the reentrant with a side stream, then the climbed up at the next side stream to spike it.

5-6 - I stayed high initially, to get across the streams, then followed the side stream up. I hit the trails right at the intersection and started to go around the green on a trail. The way looked block so I got confused. I started thinking I was on the wrong trail. I headed toward the houses but realized I'd been correct initially. The blockage on the trail was only partial--I could run around but hadn't seen that possibility earlier. I rounded the green, read the hills, and only got a little past the control before turning around and seeing it. Addie Nolan popped out as I was running to the control and got there in front of me.

6-7 - I chased and gained ground on Addie, while trying to pace myself. W ran the left side of the reentrant and climbed before getting to the right ditch.

7-8 - I decided my route and got running before Addie. I led toward #8, by crossing the big reentrants, then climbing in a smaller side reentrant. Others were there and the way was greener than mapped. I went a straighter route than Addie but because of the deadfall, she got there ahead of me.

8-9 - Addie started off first, going straight. I yelled about using the bridge to get over the creek, then pursued that route. Once across the creek, I climbed and went past the top of the first reentrant. When I got to the gully the control wasn't there. Addie came in not long after. I looked lower, then higher. I walked, then ran back to the first reentrant without finding it there. I went the other direction, passing the correct reentrant, and going to the next (this is close to where it was actually and incorrectly hung). Not finding it, I went back to the correct location and gave up. Ken Walker and his daughter Samantha, and several others came in too. After the event, I heard that Jordan Laughlin had found it, and moved it to the correct location.

9-10 - I was sloppy on this. In retrospect, I should have gone low and around. I'd seen the route along the creek but thought I could stay high enough avoiding excessive climb, and do better. I didn't execute my route well enough and lost contact with the map. I'd drifted left. Relocating at a stream that I need not have crossed, I went directly to the control.

10-11 - I went fairly straight. Jordan had passed me along the way.

11-12 - I went fairly straight again and spiked it.

12-13 - Going up the reentrant got me to the road as planned. Going down the other side, was taking longer than anticipated and there wasn't a lot to read. I cut right after the reentrant opened up, did a small clockwise loop through the green, and was back where the reentrant opened up. I saw Joe Barrett do a similar thing and I may have drawn him off line. I cut right again where the valley opened up, went up a way, then realized where I was. I went directly to the control after that.

13-F - I got on the trail. Another orienteer got onto it before me and was going to the finish too. I kept to my route as we weaved apart and closer together. I used the trail bridge to cross the creek but he didn't. I used the trail and was behind when I lost sight of the other guy. At a trail bend where the rough open areas started. I paused. I thought I was at the T trail intersection. I went straight and actually cut the corner to a trail bend, thus saving me distance and time. I cut other corners but did cross the creek on the bridge. A younger orienteer passed me there but stayed on the trail. I cut up to the buildings near the finish and finished ahead of him. As I was walking back to download, I saw the other guy finish; the one whom I'd started the leg close to.

Blue - Splits