Training Log Archive: Nadim

Cabin John Regional Park, MD. From the Tennis Center parking lot, I took mostly the Cabin John Trail along the creek and power lines northward to the trailhead near the dog park and train parking lot; then I came back. It was in the mid 60s F and the trail was dry. It looks so different from when I last ran here since the greenery blocked most of the views. Lots of people were out an most were without masks.

From Northfield Rd., Custer Rd., to Huntington Pkwy., to Old Georgetown Rd., to Maple Ridge Rd., to the NIH grounds, on the grass and dirt to Woodmont Ave., and on the grass more to the Bethesda Trolley Trail, parallel to the Bethesda Trolley Trail to McKinley St., to Grant St., to Northfield Rd. I ran on the grasses and dirt again as much as possible from home, so that I kept it easy on my left knee. The knee was fine. It was marginally harder running on the grass. I saw Ken Walker, Jr. on his run just as I was finishing.

It was a nice day in the upper 60s F when I ran. After stretching and finishing-up watering plants, I saw my first live cicada of the season. It was just out the ground apparently (after 17 years). It crawled and hadn't molted to show wings yet. There will be millions of them soon.

C • Cicadas 1

From Northfield Rd., to the trail at Jefferson St. to Roosevelt St., to Garfield St., to McKinley St., to Heampstead Ave. to Bradley Park, twice around Bradley Hills ES on the grass, then to Heampstead Ave. to McKinley St. to Garfield St., to Roosevelt St., to the trail at Jefferson St. to Northfield Rd. I had an unexpectedly big lunch as Max and I tried ordering from BIBIBOP. It was in the 60s F again.

From Northfield Rd., to the trail at Jefferson St. to Roosevelt St., to Garfield St., to McKinley St., to Heampstead Ave. to Bradley Park, twice around Bradley Hills ES on the grass, then to Heampstead Ave. to McKinley St. to Garfield St., to Roosevelt St., to the trail at Jefferson St. to Northfield Rd. After having a rest day, I wanted to try more running again. To avoid more left knee complications, I tried to keep on the grass as much as possible. My knee seemed to do well with this. I was feeling bloated before going out and the run made me feel better. The temperatures were in the mid-60s F.

Bull Run Marina, VA - Here for the QOC orienteering event in Fountainhead Regional Park, I hiked to the start while talking with Dave Pruden. Max and Maggie were walking just ahead.

QOC: Fountainhead Regional Park (West). Vido Alexsiev set some fun courses today. They were steeper than anticipated from the listed climb but he later explained that he generally picks the middle between routes going straight, and those going around reentrants. I made a few baubles but nothing big. Unfortunately I was just starting to make one when I ran into my very lost son Max and I incorrectly told him where we were (just further up a reentrant than I pointed to on the map). It was his first full course since getting a concussion in high school football practice and he finished 2 hours for a Brown course.

S-1 - I took the trail, then cut across to shorten the distance. At the trail and in sight of the place it crossed the stream, I paused a while trying to figure out where the reentrant I needed was. I crossed the creek off trail, climbed up and landed in it.

1-2 - I went straight, hitting the trail above where it crosses a stream the second time. I got in the reentrant but was low. Fortunately, I looked right, perhaps being drawn to Francis Hogel at the control and punching.

2-3 - Straight, and I spiked it. I did pause before crossing the stream.

3-4 - I tried going straight but came across to the left. Realizing it, I contoured over to the right.

4-5 - I largely went straight, but paused above the detailed reentrant system. Going left and right a little, I could see the control or the reentrant needed. I crossed and realized it was further up in the next smaller reentrant system.

5-6 - I went straight initially, going down the right side of the large reentrant after the trails. I crossed over after the side reentrant on the left, then contoured in.

6-7 - I started to go around on the left, but decided it was too long for someone moving as slowly as I was. I cut right going up the reentrant, getting almost to the top of the reentrant before heading at the control. I paused looking across the next big reentrant to make sure I knew which ditch to follow. I hit it well, and saw David Onkst and John Baker leaving the control.

7-8 - Straight, with a little contouring at the end.

8-9 - Glad to have a longer leg, I went fairly straight initially. I decided that getting on the ridge would be better to get around the deadfall ahead so I went up, hit the cairn 120m from the control, and attacked successfully. The control was visible more than 50m away.

9 10 - Straight, while keeping track of the reentrants I crossed. Getting into the lst one, I had to correct my mental map from the control being on the right side to it being on the left. No real time was lost but I paused about a second.

10-11 - I went a bit right of straight but deadfall pushed me back to the left. Hitting the trail, I turned right, took it to the bend, then ran down. I hit bottom one side reentrant higher than I thought I had. It felt wrong because it was so quick to get there. It was just after this that Max stopped me and I told him incorrectly where we were. I climbed after this and realized my error pretty quickly. I got back on track following reentrants down and contouring at the end. I lost at least a minute.

11-12 - Straight, and hitting it well.

12-13 - I cut right initially but when I realized there was a small reentrant before getting to the water edge, I cut left. I worked my way up to #13 going somewhat straight from the bend of the cove but it was slow. All the going straight up steep hills earlier was catching-up with me.

13-14 - I should have read this leg longer but fatigue was weighing on me and I wasn't thinking that well. I was drawn to the route on the trail to the right, but I took the left one since it seemed more direct. I'd taken the right trail on similar legs in the past. Once I got back to the trail, I left it after crossing the stream and rejoined it later. I eventually attacked the control from the trail bend SW of the control. The circle was hiding on reentrant.

14-15 - I went straight initially. Going more to the right might have been better. I eventually attacked from the trail and saw a guy I'd passed earlier cutting in ahead of me. I'm not sure if he was on the same course as I.

15-16 - I ran most of this off trail, but eventually was forced higher.

16-F - I figured I should take the trail as past races have been better that way. However I tried to go straight after crossing the stream on the trail. I ran into more deadfall than was mapped, then climbed higher than needed to compensate. This apparently lost me 2 minutes.

Overall, not bad. Better training could have me keeping up the pace longer.

Green - Splits