Training Log: Nadim

Event: QOC Balls Bluff
 

QOC at Balls Bluff Regional Park, VA. I was cutting it close with the end of the start window quickly approaching. Though there was word out on the QOC website when I checked in the morning, I hadn't set my departure time from home expecting not one, but 2 bus rides. I also had a meeting coming up about the Mid-Atlantic Championships so as soon as I got out of the bus to the start, I registered my epunch and got started. Rick Oliver was on the bus but he was helping his son get ready, so I got a bit of a head start.

S-1 - I realized I didn't bring gaiters so I decided to avoid some potential green and hill climbing by going left from the start. The woods were wondrous--it looked like someone had gone through cleaning up leaves and sticks. There was a pretty good wind blowing and it was about 50 F. I got myself across a reentrant and climbed mostly on a trail. I came in from the west and didn't think I'd lost any time until seeing Rick's time after the race.

1-2 - I went straight, thinking it not worth going right to the trail so that I could get around the green near the road. I did have to zig right to get through, and then a little left once across the road. I ran straight along the ridge from there and into the reentrant to spike it.

2-3 - I went straight and was happy to see the end of the reentrant coming up.

3-4 - I went straight again, rather than follow the reentrant, which was less risky. I spiked it. I usually do run pretty straight in terrain as open as this was. The leg being downhill helped.

4-5 - I ran straight again toward the road. I saw Rick Oliver going to #2 and as I told him to enjoy it, I wondered if he'd catch me. I didn't want to get caught-up in the light green before the road. I cut left a bit but wasn't sure if I was in the green (where there was distinctly more tree leaf at low levels) or not--I saw a narrow clear way through it and took it. Where I hit the road, there was a trail intersection so I knew where I was. I basically kept straight off trail, but got one one briefly, and used the place where that trail dipped at a reentrant as an attack point to spike it.

5-6 - I ran a bit to the left, but not so far as to get stuck above the cliff line. I planned and took the low route along the river. I didn't feel that I was running that fast. The leaves still being green, made it hard to see the cliffs at first. When I did see them, it was only briefly but it was enough to tell me to go further. When I cut in, I was just past the control by a hair. It was much lower than I'd initially thought it'd be.

6-7 - I thought about backing down the hill and going around to the left but I went up. Down and around was probably faster. Going over was much greener than expected but not bad. I got on a trail that took me to the bottom and then I followed along the stream. I climbed up to go around the rootstock.

7-8 - I'd messed up a similar leg here in the past, but this time I just took a slow route by crossing the stream to where the running was better. I almost ran through the stream which was at bedrock, but I just didn't want to get wet at that point. After the trail crossing, I crossed back over the stream and counted reentrants. After the second, I started climbing, expecting the control to be higher. In the reentrant, I was half way up before it ended; I came down to it. I think the control was hung a little low.

8-9 - I crossed the creek right away and got on the trail. After the trail intersection and at the bend, I kept going straight to the reentrant junction. I walked/ran on the left side of the one on the left, all the way to the control past the saddle.

9-10 - I took the big reentrant to the junction of 2 big reentrants, then climbed, ignoring the trail. I kept a bit to the right instead of going over the formline hilltop, and then on the right side of the next reentrant. I again ignored the trail. To be safe, I aimed off to the left and then turned right into the control.

10-11 - I read this as up the reentrant, turn left and turn right. I hesitated a little at the end because I hadn't seen the slight left bend and other on the left reentrant at the end, that the control was in. That reentrant seemed more pronounced than the map shows.

11-12. I immediately went left so as not to have to cross the reentrant I'd run up. This got me around another person. I ran over the broad spur to the junction of many trails and streams, and got on a trail. There was a slight bend to the right of how the trail is mapped and I wasn't completely sure I was on the right trail at first--my compass wouldn't line it up well. Another guy was ahead but I wasn't gaining on him much. Across the saddle, I recognized the forked reentrant on my right and planned to cut over from there. A downed tree was in the way so I stayed on the trail a little longer. When I dropped, I landed in the reentrant that the leg line is on, so I climbed the last hill confidently, ran past the rootstock, and into the reentrant with the control.

12-13 - I ran straight. I saw additional rootstock but ruled some out as too soon. The big one was a little soon too but I ran past it. it being newer was an additional clue as to not being the right one. I was happy to see the mapped rootstock just ahead, and on the hillside.

13-14 - I was getting tired. I didn't workout enough the last week, and I'd stayed up too late, too many nights, working on some map drafting. I ran fairly straight to I had to correct my bearing after the open park playground, so that I didn't run into the houses. I cut left to get across the second reentrant because it was green in the steep parts. When I crossed the last spur, I spiked the control.

14-15 - I didn't really see the trail option but it would have been slower for me. I went almost straight, with some adjustment for the hills. I corrected my bearing on the last hillside, then instead of climbing early, I contoured--that was partly because of #8 being low.

15-F - On the run-in, I initially had a bad bearing; rushing too much. I wasn't that fast either.

I was fairly pleased with my run. I didn't make a big mistake for a change, and I ran with a good sense of presence almost all the way. I didn't think I lost any time except at #8 where the control seemed to be hung low in the reentrant. It was fairly satisfying even though I'm out of shape. I didn't remember the woods here being so open as they were today--nice oak forest land!

Green - Splits

From Northfield Rd., to the Bethesda Metro Station. There was traffic.

From the Bethesda Metro Station to Northfield Rd.

Seneca Creek State Park, MD. From Germantown Rd., Rte. 118, I spent most of the time in the uplands where it is wide open. I was checking and fixing the alignment of point features. It was fun to be in the forest on such a nice day. I only saw 2 people and 2 dogs. The 2 dogs were somewhat friendly though one kept wanting to jump up on me with claws; I got a slight scratch. The dog wanted to stay with me despite the owners calls from 60m away. The owner eventually came and asked the usual questions about what I was doing--she knew of orienteering and seemed slightly interested in the upcoming orienteering event. She told me of a 50 miler that was to come through the area soon. The only other person I saw was just as I was leaving. He'd parked behind me and was headed into the woods as it was getting darker with his bow.

From Northfield Rd., to the Bethesda Metro Station.

From the Bethesda Metro Station to Northfield Rd.