Training Log Archive: Nadim

Summer Short Series (SSS). Mike Dvorsky setup the SSS event for today. He'd made a new map of the Huntingtown Natural Resource Management Area. It was near Kings Landing State Park, and of course Huntingtown, MD. People had the option of a contours only course or a regular map. It was all at 1:5,000. The area is tricky, requiring a lot of attention. I used the contours only map for the training exercise. There were no trails, roads, rides streams ditches or any other brown map symbol. In fact, Mike went too far taking off the index contours too. We had clue descriptions but most of the time, the feature hadn't been printed. A few controls were bingo. It had rained a lot in the last 24 hours and was overcast when we got going. The woods were not bad. There were areas of deadfall but ways around it. Reentrants were plentiful but steep. The streamer for the first control had fallen to the ground, so the early starters bunched-up looking for it. I went 3 or 4 times looking for control #7, but never found it. I did relocate once by recognizing I'd been across the top of one reentrant before. Missing #7, I was brought back on course by Charles Carrick, who had a full map. We were near #10, so I just picked-up the course from there. Turnout was pretty good--just under 20 which is not bad for an event farther away from most, and on a day that was supposed to be rainy (it was not raining as we ran).

From Northfield Rd., to Moorland Ln., to Glenwood Rd., to Old Georgetown Rd., to Kingswood Rd., to Hurst St., to Grosvenor Rd., to Beach Dr., to Broadbranch Rd., NW, to Ridge Rd. NW, to Military Rd., NW, to 27th St., NW/Utah Ave., NW, to Tennyson St., NW, to Summerfield Rd., NW, to Oxford St. NW, to Broad Branch Rd., NW, to Brookeville Rd., to Bradley Blvd., to Glenbrook Rd., to Wilson Ln., to Custer Rd., to Northfield Rd. After another not so great Friday working, I blew off some stress riding. At first I felt stronger and faster. There was no wind except what I made for myself and the temperatures were moderate. I made sure I was spinning and perhaps slowed a bit after 5 miles. I was surprised not to get passed. I even caught some people at traffic lights and other places, and then stayed ahead. Two riders I passed like this were obviously in better shape. I'd seen them ride together before. They chatted a bit behind me, sometimes getting closer on inclines. Turning away, I started off the climb back to Bethesda by going up Ridge Rd. with a commuter ahead of me. He may have been close in age and initially moved just slower than my pace. After the first rises, I passed him and opened up a good bit of ground. I recovered better on this ride, being able to push more at times.

From Northfield Rd. to Rugby Ave. with Max. We ate lunch at a new Gyro place that friends recommended.

From Rugby Ave., to Northfield Rd. via Auburn Ave. Max went off to see a friend and I went back home to work.

From Northfield Rd. , Moorland St. to Glenwood Rd. to Old Georgetown Rd., to the Bethesda Trolley Trail, to Fleming Ave., to Grosvenor Ln., to Old Georgetown Rd., to Tuckerman Ln., to Falls Rd. to Glen Rd., to Piney Meetinghouse Rd., to River Rd., to MacArthur Blvd., to Wilson Ln., to Aberdeen Rd., to Aberdeen Pl./Garfield St., to Northfield Rd. I'd wanted to do some version of this ride for a while but I thought it was going to be pretty hilly. It turned out to be not so bad. There were climbs but most were not steep. Going in the direction that I did, I was mostly going against traffic and with steeper downhills. I went out without really checking the weather since it had been clearing-up all afternoon. It was humid and eventually I saw dark clouds. I was rained on lightly in the last 1.5 miles. Starting out, I was sore but eventually that abated. I went a little easier to compensate and that turned out to be good, since I didn't need to stop except at traffic lights.

From Northfield Rd. Custer Rd. to Huntington Pkwy., to Old Georgetown Rd., to Glenwood Rd., to the Jefferson St. trail to Northfield Rd. I needed to walk to help my digestion.

Arlington, VA. From Courthouse Plaza, 15th/14th Street to Arlington Blvd. to the Iwo Jima Memorial, and to a spot near the Netherlands Carillon Bells. From there, Peggy, Max, and his girlfriend watched the national fireworks for the Fourth of July Celebration. The show was short--only 18 minutes this year. However it was pretty good and I got to practice some photography. We'd seen a movie and had dinner before the show. The crowds were big, but not very bad. We were able walk back, then drive all they way home in just 63 minutes after the fireworks ended. Earlier in the day we'd seen my cousin Saji, for a cookout at her place.

From Columbia, Md., I rode home to Bethesda, MD. Peggy and my sister Rubina dropped me off after we had visited our daughter Samantha, and after we had lunch. Samantha was tired and less talkative but she got more awake later.

The route was from a shopping center on Old Dobbin Ln., north to Tamar Dr.., to Hayshed Ln., to the Elkhorn Branch Trail., past Lake Elkhorn, to the Patuxent Branch Trail, to S. Carlinda Ave., to Shaker Dr. to Seneca Dr., to Martin Rd./Harriet Tubman Ln., to Cedar Ln./Sanner Rd., to Guilford Rd., to Pindell School Rd., to Scaggsville Rd. (Rte. 216), to Lime Kiln Rd., to Browns Bridge Rd./Ednor Rd., to New Hampshire Rd., to Randolph Rd., to Kemp Mill Rd., to Arcola Ave., to Lamberton Dr., to the Sligo Creek Trail., to the Sligo Creek Pkwy., to Forest Glen Rd., to Beach Dr., to Joyce Rd., NW (Washington, D,C,), to Ross Dr., NW, to Ridge Rd., NW., to Glover Rd., NW, to Military Rd., NW, to 27th St., NW/Utah Ave. NW, to Tennyson St., NW, to Western Ave., NW to Summerfield Rd. (MD), to Oxford St., to Broad Branch Rd., to Brookville Rd., to Bradley Blvd., to Glenbrook Rd. to Wilson Ln. to Custer Rd., to Northfield Rd.

I in my memory the route from Columbia to Bethsda was +40 miles. I'd shifted some roads from what I did about 3 weeks ago. However, the ride 3 weeks ago was really only just over 30 miles. I could see that I'd be short of my goal for the day (+40 miles) so I added on going down Rock Creek Park to add-on. There was some flood and storm damage there. I climbed out of the valley on Ross Dr., which is very nice and looks like a mountain road. Starting in the middle of the day again, much of the ride was hot. Every now and then I'd hit shaded downhill places which were great. As teh sun got lower, the ride got nicer too. I was surprised to see Peggy walking in Bethesda with about 2 miles to go. My right knee was hurting a bit for the last few miles.