Training Log Archive: Nadim

From Northfield Rd Bethesda, MD., to Old Georgetown Rd. via Greenwich Park, to Oak Pl. to Daley Ln., to Oakmont Ave., to Heamsteadt Ave. to McKinley Ave. to Garfield St. to Roosevelt. Ave. to Jefferson St. to Northfield Rd. Since my orienteering and terrain runs in Wheaton and Prince William Forest last week went pretty well, I thought I'd try some regular running today. I was going to go to softer ground but didn't want to have to drive out for what could have been a very short run. I went slowly, especially starting out uphill. At one point after I'd picked up the pace, I started feeling some warning discomfort, so I backed off my pace, and turned homeward earlier than planned. I rarely go that way when running and took the opportunity to run across Daley Ln., a small pedestrian alley. I was happy to have finished-up the run without pulling my calf again.

It was in the mid 50s F. I ran in shorts and a t-short. Lots of people were outside. Some were no doubt avoiding crowded places in hopes of avoiding the Corona virus. Schools are closed next week, and there have been runs on some grocery items. Overall, people have reacted but aren't yet panicked.

C • Run 2

From Northfield Rd., to the Bethesda Metro Station.

From the Bethesda Metro Station to Northfield Rd. I'd worked late so I was tired starting out. Later, I picked up the pace.

From Northfield Rd., Bethesda, MD. to 13th & C St. SW, Washington, D.C. It was cloudy and in the low 40s F. At Bradley Blvd. where I was waiting for the traffic light, I got passed as soon as it changed. I caught up and drafted the guy for a short while, then we exchanged long pulls. I pulled more and we split after Georgetown. I was definitely slowing down afterward, since we'd come in at a good clip, and the change in direction and coming out of the trees meant I was hitting slight headwinds coming from the east. Had I known that I was this close to breaking 38 minutes, I'd have pushed it in harder. That's a pretty good time for me at this time of the year. I can still feel pain in my left calf when I bend in the right way.

From 13th & C St. SW, Washington, D.C. to Northfield Rd., Bethesda, MD. I had an even better start getting out of work and getting through Georgetown. There was a tailwind initially but after the sewage treatment plant, I had some headwinds.

From Northfield Rd., to the Bethesda Metro Station.

From the Bethesda Metro Station to Northfield Rd. I had intended to try to run again but I left work too late.

From Northfield Rd., Bethesda, MD. to 13th & C St. SW, Washington, D.C. I felt like I had rode quickly over the first 1/3 of the ride, and then slowed down. I'd passed people all the way until just before arriving in Georgetown, where I'd gotten passed. I just about caught up to the guy as we were leaving Georgetown but we split. The winds were basically calm though there might have been a little headwind on Ohio Dr. along the Potomac River. It was in the low 40s F but sunny. When I was taking my shoes off after the ride, I could feel some of the sharp pain in my left calf.

From 13th & C St. SW, Washington, D.C. to Northfield Rd., Bethesda, MD. I had a good start getting out of work and getting through Georgetown.

Prince William Forest, VA. From Warm Springs and Bowmans Folly Dr., I ran down to the newly mapped parts of Prince William Forest to review the mapping. Peggy and I were in the area nearly a year ago to do scouting. When I'd gotten a copy of the map, I was well able to recognize things I'd seen during the earlier scouting. It was much easier knowing where to go this time with an actual field checked map. I was asked to check out the mapping of the green and to be fair about it, I didn't want to get opinions of others who were more involved already. I plunged right in in a few places. Overall the area is going to be challenging for navigation because of the subtle terrain contours and distance between mappable features. I was able to get around and match things up with the map very well. I stopped sometimes to make notes and take phone calls. I have suggestions for some changes though I recognize that the mapping and drafting is incomplete.

It was a great day to be out--already in the 50s F when I started. I was thinking I'd have to do a lot of walking. I walked up most of the bigger hills, but I managed to run most of the time, and better than I had at Wheaton, MD the day before. I even ran up a long forested grade today that neither my knees or my strained left calf felt. That was encouraging. The softer ground and shorter strides probably had a lot with me being able to run. As I got nearer to the Oak Ridge campground I was starting to smell smoke. I wondered if there were a lot of campers having a big cookout or even a bonfire, but once in the campground, I could tell that the smoke was coming from beyond. I wondered about a long while. Even after leaving the park I could see the telltale haze in the air when driving around the Capital Beltway. I had to dig up a news report but eventually found that the Marine Corps was having a controlled burnoff from 10am to 1pm in TA9A. It was supposedly set from the air and intended to burn and disperse smoke quickly, but even back at home at 9pm I was still smelling the smoke in the air outside in Bethesda, MD!