Training Log Archive: Nadim

Event: QOC Seneca Creek
 

QOC: Seneca Creek State Park, MD. We started from the Bluejay Pavilion today. It was in the mid-40s F and raining. There was a surprising amount of snow around the parking lot but none in the woods that mattered for me. The trouble I had was with foggy eyeglasses and I think that was the main cause of a mispunch. Many controls were set close together. 'd just read the feature incorrectly on the one I'd missed, and there happened to be a control where I'd memorized the control to be.

S-1 - The forest near the parking lot seemed to have gotten greener so I ran around it to the right, rather than try to go straight. I spiked it.

1-2 - I was glad to see that the power lines had been mowed. There were some nasty looking thorny vine stalks where I ran across, just below the power lines. It was greener getting into the forest, but not hard. Next were what looked like unmapped long depressions filled with rainwater. I ran around them, saw the biggest rootstock and found the control there.

2-3 - I went between the power lines and was glad to see that a path of sorts got through the green. Staying low in the forest, I ran around deadfall and adjusted bearing after the creek bend to hit the control. I struggled to read the map in the circle but the control was pretty visible.

3-4 - I started climbing steeper than straight to get around the green. It seemed that I had to adjust a bit more to the left to get to the visible control

4-5 - I ran and walked up the hill to the reentrant and the road intersection.

5-6 - I took the road over the dam, left it from the curve, and crossed the reentrant to the visible rootstock.

6-7 - I ran up to the trail, but rather than go over the hill and through the forest, I used the dam spillway and trail along the lake. I'd misread the leg, and went almost directly to control 8 (I had let myself get distracted with a new rootstock near 8, but I should have known it was too far off to the right). I didn't realize I'd missed #7 yet. Next I ran directly to #7. Michael Stasiowski was just coming to it as I'd punched, and yelled out that I'd taken #7 and #8 in the wrong order. I probably lost 3-4 minutes.

7-8 - I ran back to #8 and punched. It helped that I'd been there already.

8-9 - I reversed most of the route I'd taken to #8 from #6 earlier, past the lake and dam spillway. However once overt the road, I was more to the right. I did use the trail for a short while but departed it when I thought I'd gotten high enough. A rootstock close to the trail ahead was distracting me. I couldn't see the one lower where I thought it'd be. Somewhere along that point, I saw Michael Stasiowski coming in from my left. He'd been on the trail longer. He got there first.

9-10 - I took off, as much as I could waddle up the hill, and crested it first. I hesitated, not seeing the control ahead. I read the map and realized more about where it should be. By that time, Michael had gotten ahead and again reached the control before me.

10-11 - I discounted the left route across the bridge over Seneca Hwy. due to the extra climb--I feel slow on climbs. In retrospect, that might have been a better route. Going down through Long Draught Branch and under Great Seneca Hwy. I lead Michael for a while. I thought he'd pass me on the climb on the trail, but he didn't. I kept going and only cut across the last tip of the disc golf course. As I was doing this, I saw Michael ahead and higher to my left. I got back on the trail but cut down quickly to the creek. I hit it at the crossing point for the Seneca Greenway Trail, and Michael was just ahead there. I passed on the other side, already having decided to stay low along the creek. I was surprised to find the trails. It wasn't there when I'd mapped the area. I used the trails to get to the big reentrant leading SW to the power lines. I climbed there with Michael behind me nearby. I walked up to the power line ride at the spur and reentered the woods at the trail head there. Going on bearing, I spiked the control. Michael was nearby just behind me.

11-12 - Though I suspected Michael was running Blue, I still felt the pressure to keep ahead of him. I left #11 quickly but still having a good idea tto double-back the way I'd come, and into the power line clearing. I think MIchael's Blue course finally took him elsewhere, after 5 controls together. I had run well using a different trail to get into the powerline ride. In the ride I was running fast and my glasses were still foggy. I read the control to be in the reentrant so when I saw a control there from the edge of the field, I didn't think anything would be wrong going to it. Other people were nearby and I didn't look back to see if Michael was still on my route so I moved-on without checking the code. I'd been checking most if not all of the codes earlier. Checking would have kept me from mispunching and the control I should have gone to was so nearby, that there would have been virtually no time difference.

12-13 - I stayed low, crossed the creek a few times, and to to the parking lot near Riffleford Rd. I used the trail along the main creek, and left it from a bend. I struggled to cross the smaller side stream because the far bank was steep and muddy. I saw the control on the spur, a family, and others closing in on it.

13-14 - I went mostly straight, and again saw many people coming and going from the spur with the cliff.

14-15 - I thought to go left and use the bridge, but once low, the creek looked not to bad to cross. I got to the observation tower and ran around the right side of the marsh. The trail had been improved with a new boardwalk. I should have stayed along the fence where there is a ride of sorts, but I used the trail until getting past the crescent formline. I did hug the fence approaching the control and attacked/saw it from the small ridge.

15-16 - I struggled with the mud but slowly got under the bridge and into the ditch on the other side.

16-17 - I went straight, staying on the right side of the fallen trees. The light green expanded slightly but was fine going through, especially as I walked uphill. The finish was placed in the wrong spot from how the map was printed but that didn't seem to matter.

I enjoyed going out this day. I wasn't cold when running, and each time I crossed a creek or splashed through icy water, my feet warmed-up again. I wasn't fast running but felt I did okay physically (5.36 miles, 230m climb). The mispunch was disappointing, and again a combination of my glasses fogging in the cold rain, and controls being close together.

Red - Splits

Event: Cancelled - QOC Patapsco Granite
 

From the Bethesda county pool parking lot, the Capital Crescent Trail to the Little Falls Trail, to Massachusetts Ave., to the Capital Crescent Trail, to Dorset Rd., to the Little Falls Trail, to Willet Pkwy., to Hillmead Rd., then back to the Bethesda county pool parking lot. I got a late start, after doing work earlier and then giving Max his first driving lesson. It was dark when I started. I tried keeping an easy pace starting out. In the second mile, I picked up the pace not knowing it. The construction on the Little Falls Trail in the 3rd mile was the same as it had been so I moved slowly on the dirt and rough mulch in the dark. From there until the end it was generally hillier and uphill. It was 46 F when I finished. Since I wore full sweats, I was fairly sweaty when I finished.

From Ray's Meadow Park and the Ohr Kodesh Congregation parking lot (near East West Hwy in Rock Creek Park, MD), I ran up the Rock Creek Trail to the trail intersection with Kensington Pkwy., then ran back to East-West Hwy., then back to the OHR Kodesh Congregation parking lot. The sky had darkened early due to imminent rain clouds. I wanted to get going before it started, even with Max wanting to try out his new driver's learner's permit that he got this afternoon. It was 46 F. I ran in shorts and a sweat jacket, but had no gloves, and was comfortable. My running was not smooth. I felt sleepy tired starting out. That got to feeling a little better but by the last half mile, I could tell my left leg was more tired than my right leg, and I was sleepy tired again--odd. I pushed more with my right leg which is weaker, and that seemed to rest my left enough to rest it and speed up. As I started driving away, the first rain drops fell.

From Northfield Rd. to Custer Rd., to Wilson Ln., to Maiden Ln., to Whittier Blvd., to Woodhaven Blvd., to Bradley Blvd., to Valley Rd., to Temple St. to Ridge Rd., to Ridge Pl., to Greentree Rd., to Heampstead Rd., to Sonoma Rd., to Grant St. to Northfield Rd. It was in the low 50s F, starting out and in the upper 40s when I finished. My arms were a bit cold in a t-shirt and shorts again, but I was dressed appropriately otherwise. I even sweat a little. This route is hillier than most that are local. It may even be understated. Most of the time I moved okay but never felt strong.

25 sit-ups.

From Northfield Rd. to Old Georgetown Rd. via Greenwich Park, to Cheshire Dr.. to Grosvenor Rd. to the Bethesda Trolley Trail at Fleming Ave. to Old Georgetown Rd. to Northfield Rd. via Greenwich Park. Like most everyone else around here, I enjoyed the warmer weather today--54 F as I ran in just shorts and a t-shirt. Almost all of the snow and ice was gone. I felt that I was moving okay most of the time, and not slowing too much on the few hills. I was going to do a shorter route but when I forgot to take the long way around to start it out, I figured I'd make it up on the far end. I lost some time turning around twice when I realized I'd missed the turn. More people were out than usual even though it was dark. I have been feeling some lower back pain again yesterday and today, on my right side, and felt it toward the end of this run.

25 sit-ups.

Samantha and I went for a walk. From Northfield Rd., to Aberdeen Rd., to Huntington Pkwy., to Moorland Rd., to Custer Rd., to Northfield Rd.

From Northfield Rd., Custer Rd. to Wilson Ln. to Glenbrook Rd., to Bradley Blvd., to Kennedy Dr., to Dorset Ave., to the Little Falls Trail, to Hillandale Rd., to Bradley Blvd., to Arlington Rd., to Old Georgetown Rd., to Huntington Pkwy., to Custer Rd., to Northfield Rd. It was in the mid-50s F when I started. There was a tiny bit of running on leftover ice in places but more wet spots. I still wore sweats but not the gloves or hat. I felt sluggish and weak for the first 2 miles. In contrast to when I ran this route with a tailwind last week, I'd been about a minute faster for the same 2 miles. However, I started feeling better after 3 miles. A few times as I hurried to scoot between pedestrian and/or car traffic I felt my old stride kick-in and it it didn't hurt. I finished 10 seconds slower overall.

25 sit-ups.

From Northfield Rd., Greenwich Park, to Old Georgetown Rd. to Beech Dr. to Singleton Dr. to Bulls Run Pkwy., to the trail along the middle school to Ridge Pl. to Greentree Rd., to to Bradmore Dr. to Ewing Dr./Roosevelt Rd., to Garfield St., to Huntington Pkwy., to Hampden Ln., to Lambeth St., to Moorland Ln., to Charlcotte Rd., to Northfield Rd. Resting my legs above my head last night helped with the blood flow and made my legs feel better after the orienteering, but I was still tired today; even while starting out. I was slowed down by ice and old walked on snow in places. The worst was along Old Georgetown Rd., again, but I did get to use the bike lane eventually, and that had been plowed. It was in the upper 30s F.

25 situps.