Training Log Archive: Nadim

Event: QOC Fountainhead Regional Park Sprints
 

Fountainhead Regional Park, VA. Warm-up w/Dave Onkst around the parking lot.

QOC Sumer Short Series Fountainhead Sprint 1: I started in the middle of the pack and caught people through much of it. Running in dim light at Great Falls on a 1:15,000 map earlier in the week helped. The light was almost as dim and the 1:5,000 map made it much more readable. I was doing well up to #9 where I caught Peggy. She seemed to be going straight on the long leg toward #11. Maybe that got me thinking about going there instead of 100m 90 degrees to the left to #10. I passed her and didn't look back but DQ'd for not going to #10. I only realized it while looking over the map and checking my splits afterward. Except for this, I was relatively pleased as it should be good training for Patuckaway later. Had I not mispunched, I would have won by a couple of minutes. The distance reflects the controls I went to.

Fountainhead Regional Park, VA. From the Sprint 1 start/finish to the Sprint 2 start/finish with Dave Onkst leading the way. Dave went out of his way to let me know that the guy I had been waiting to check back in from the first sprint, had already come in.

QOC Summer Short Series Fountainhead Sprint #2. It was 6:36pm under cloudy skies and like dusk with fog in the forest. Dave Onkst started 2 minutes ahead of me. Many seemed to be having trouble with the darkness. The fact that we were using streamers added to the challenge especially as Dave pointed out, where some of the streamers got pasted against the trees by the rain. I had some slight bobbles early, then used poor judgement at #9. At #11, I got into the wrong reentrant. Leaving #11, the lack of numbers to confirm where we were tripped me up enough to start me off heading in the wrong direction. Overall, I had fun. Again, I think this was good training for Patuckaway in a couple of weeks. I came-in beating Dave Prudent's 2nd place time by about 50 seconds.

Sprint #1 - Splits

Sprint #2 - Splits

From Rosedale Ave., Battery Ln. to Old Georgetown Rd. to the Bethesda Trolley Trail to Executive Blvd. Just a few easy miles to loosen-up, then a noodle dinner w/Peggy.

From Rosedale Ave., Maryland Ave. to Jones Bridge Rd. to Rockville Pike, to Cedar Ln. to the Rock Creek Trail, to the Georgetown Branch Trail to Kentsbury Rd. to Rosedale Ave. I was loath to start running and tired much of the day. I went faster than I thought I would. Splits on the RC Trail were 6:50 and 6:45 (slightly downhill) It was about 80F w/dry air. My left knee hurt slightly but my muscles from cycling seem to take some of the strain. I tired on the hills finishing up.

Great Falls National Park, MD. Starting from Falls Rd. I did a practice course that Peggy had setup for us a couple years ago. I ran it backwards and in failing light (starting after 6:30pm). Right from the start it was hard to read the 1:15,000 map, especially in thick areas. I wasn't very efficient but got better. I got off track at one point not realizing the control was a boulder because I couldn't see it on the map. I relocated going to the next control.

From Rosedale Ave., Bethesda, MD to C St. SW, Washington, DC. Nice cool dry air going into work today and a partial tailwind. It feels like I have to work much harder on my commuter bike which is normal but it seemed less so a year ago.

From C St. SW, Washington, D.C. to Rosedale Ave., Bethesda, MD. I felt like I was going much faster. When commuting, I still struggle more on the flats than climbing. I got passed on the flats by a non-commuter who towed a mountain cyclist and me for a short way before I eased back.

From Rosedale Ave., Jones Bridge Rd. to Beach Dr. to Forsythe Ave., to Newcastle to Seminary Rd. to Dale Ave. to Piney Branch Rd. to Sligo Creek Pkwy. to Sligo Creek Trail, to Arcola Ave. to Kemp Mill Rd. to Glenallen Ave. to Randolph Rd. to Connecticut Ave. to Jones Bridge Rd. to Maryland Ave. to Rosedale Ave. I intended to take it easy but feeling better than I thought I would, riding the rolling hills of Dale Ave., trying to keep pace with traffic, and sprint starts after stoplights got me going. Time includes many traffic lights.

From Warrenton, VA , I did the Blue Ridge Views ride from Chuck and Gail's Favorite Rides. This was rated V on their scale and had almost continuous rolling hills 50-200 ft. vertical. Fortunately, my bike ran smoothly which is unlike earlier rides this summer. The only thing lacking was that my computer only showed elevation. The ride headed out into the wind the first leg of the somewhat triangular course. It passed throught Orlean, Flint Hill, Viewtown and Rixeyville. It had been a several years since I'd done it last. The views of the farmland, horse country, orchards and the Shenandoah National Park mountains were great--development seems only to have reached N and E of Warrenton. I'm still not in as good a cycling shape as I used to be and stuggled with some hills while doing okay on others--level 3.5. I still think getting in the shape I used to be (under 3 hrs for this ride) is a reasonable possibility given consistent training. A late 12:40pm start (poor weather forecast for rain in the morning) meant starting out at 90F in the sun. It got hotter. My weight as always was from the morning. I ate lunch before starting, had 34 oz of Orangina, 16 oz. of Gatorade, about 1.5 liters of water on the way and a large coke and more water afterward yet still weighed out at 163. Time includes a few traffic stops but not the 2 store breaks where the cold drinks, like the ride, were savoured. My back hurt a little after 20 miles but got better. My left knee hurt a little after this.