Training Log Archive: Nadim

Most of the day was taken up visiting my parents. There were too many yummy things to eat too. I skipped dinner and eventually hopped-on my bike while watching more of the Winter Olympics.

45 situps. I didn't have time to workout. With it busy at work and taking Max to my parents house for a sleep-over, I was beat.

45 situps. Working late wreaks-havoc with my training.

From the Grosvenor Metro Station, Tuckerman Ln. to the Bethesda Trolley Trail, to Beech Ave. to Singleton Dr. to Bulls Run Pkwy., across N. Bethesda Middle School grounds, to Bradmoor Dr. to Roosevelt St. to Garfield St. to Aberdeen Rd., to Wilson Ln. to Moorland Ln. to Clarendon Rd., to Edgemoor Ln. near the Bethesda Metro Station. I started out tired on this one and finished that way too. I think my legs were tired from the run on the balls of my feet last night; I woke this morning feeling tight in my calfs. Snow continued to make the running slow on Bethesda Trolley Trail segments over I-270 and I-495. There was snow across the Bethesda Middle School property too. After that the hills toward the end kept me slow.

From Northfield Rd., Jefferson St. to Garfield St./Oneida Ln. to Sonoma Rd. to Hempstead Ave. Johnson Ave. to Burley Dr. to Beech Ave. to Singleton Dr. to Bulls Run Pkwy. through North Bethesda Middle School, to Bradmoor Dr., to Bradley Rd., to Huntington Pkwy. to Garfield St./Aberdeen Pl. to Aberdeen Rd. to Wilson Ln. to Hampden Ln. to Overhill Rd. to Moorland Rd. to Custer Rd. to Northfield Rd. I'd intended a run from work but worked too late to make that work. I finally got outside after watching more of the Winter Olympics on television. Several dog walkers were out and I had to react when two of them lunged at me in the first mile. Fortunately their masters yanked them back. There were a few slow spots with snow covered trails. Having left my usual running shoes and other running gear at work for another possible run tomorrow, I ran in my less cushioned trail shoes. I guess reading Born to Run has been rubbing off on me. I ran most of the run on the balls of my feet. I was surprised that it felt fine--I figured that it'd take more building up first (I still expect that it will). I'd had known about this style being used by elites since 1980 and even achieved using it myself at times when I was in really good shape but I hadn't known about the potential for it reducing injuries.

I did a quick spin indoors while watching the Winter Olympics. I was averaging a cadance of about +70rpm. It was rainy out and I'd worked late.

Event: QOC: Wheaton - Canceled due to park conditions.
 

William B. Umstead State Park, Raleigh, NC. Driving into the park late, I rushed a warm-up from the car to the start, then went back to the car for my epunch and the back to the start--again. For the 3rd time this weekend it was not a good way to start. Fortunately, Peggy took my start time and I was able to take hers 4 minutes later.

William B. Umstead State Park, Raleigh, NC. BOK: Sycamore Scramble Classic. My rush to the start line hadn't put me in a good frame of mind. I felt pressure to get going fast and it got me into trouble right away. On the first, short leg, I knew to look for the first control on the right, at the end of the reentrant that I'd dropped down to out of the start, but I ended on the left side of it. Going slower through green areas to #2 and #3 just heightened my sense that I wasn't doing well and needed to go faster--I was tired from the day before and lacked spring in my legs. I climbed more than needed to #4 (to the right) and converged with Peggy's more direct route there, just ahead of her. In a continuance of a well documented frequent occurrance, I proceeded to make an error going to #5 after running away from her at #4. The 1:15,000 scale had thrown me a bit; when I angled up a hill instead of taking it more directly, I had expected to cross a trail and never saw it. This convinced me that I'd made an error when in fact, I hadn't gone far or straight enough. I doubled-back as a result and took a while to relocate. From there I compounded the error staying low along the main creek instead of going more directly. I was still a bit off leaving #5 but I hit #6, #7, #8, and #9 pretty well. I was happy running down a long reentrant toward #10, expecting to see more water and a junction before the control. At a reentrant junction, I thought I was at a higher one so I went on, only catching myself when I checked my bearing. I doubled back for another minute loss. I missed the nice road route option to #11. I nearly spiked it going through the geen but even Peggy's pace on the road route was faster than my more direct and difficult to navigate way. Confusion continued when I didn't see a road intersection on the way to #12 but I hit #13 and #14 well.

This wasn't such a good run for me. I really need to improve my technique and self control because I continue to have 1-2 big errors/race, the cause of which is usually rooted in running too fast. I probably had 7 minutes of time loss today and ran over 9K on this 7.3K course. At the awards places were given for cummulative times over all 3 races. I wasn't initially called-up because on the results printout my times had oddly shown-up on two different rows. It had something to do with the way my epunch was in the database for the Middle Distance race on Saturday though there was no apparent problem after that race. After the system correction, I was awarded first in M45+ but I was very fortunate that others didn't have better runs. I'll need to work much better to place in future A-meet events and even local events.

Red Classic - Splits