Training Log Archive: Nadim

Greenway Trail Run: Watkins Mill Road to Black Rock Mill

MCRRC Greenway Trail Marathon and 50K Training Group. We ran the middle section of what will be the race course in March. It was in the low 30s F starting out. Other than not running the last 2 days, I hadn't prepped much. This came partly from being more confident that I could do this type of run than last time, and partly because I wasn't very disciplined. Though that was the feeling going into the run, the lack of running the last 2 days, as little as it is, also spurs some fears of not being ready.

Starting out, I had trouble finding a comfortable pace that wasn't too slow. I unexpectedly found myself not far behind the lead runner. That person was not running that fast but was running strong and steady. I let myself go downhills and shuffled up them trying to conserve energy. I carried some Gatorade and this bounced around a bit in my belt pack. It was enough to open the zipper and almost lose my phone. I wasn't feeling that energetic so I wondered if I'd be okay finishing. At about 3 miles in, one guy moved up then dropped back again. At 5 miles after entering the Lake Clopper area, he (Jordan) passed. Not long after that I was surprised to see Jon Pifer in the powerline cut, running the opposite direction. When I checked Jon's AP log last night, it said he'd been injured and was going to take some days off. It was good to see him out there.

Up until this point, I'd been debating whether to go around the lake or not. After the first few miles, I'd found a steady enough pace doing 8:33/mile or so, but slowed going up the hill to the lake. I decided I felt strong enough. It'd been around +10 years since I'd last been around Lake Clopper. They'd moved the trail to higher ground so it seemed there were more ups and downs. I had some Gatorade and kept moving. It refreshed my energy level. After the lake, the detour for the section of washed out Greenway Trail was a little more clearly understood--snow had covered up a key portion 2 weeks back.

At Riffleford Rd., we got onto a new trail--the Seneca Ridge Trail. This parallels the Greenway Trail (the historic course stayed on the Greenway Trail except for the lake). Down to Blackrock Mill the Greenway Trail is on the west side of the creek and the new Seneca Ridge Trail is on the east. The section of the Greenway Trail between Riffleford Rd. and Rte. 118 is extremely flat in comparison. I had a short break at the trail head where there was a water, cookie, and pretzel stop provided by MCRRC. The new trail is pretty nice. It seemed designed more for mountain biking than running with the way it contoured hillsides. As it's name would imply, it's higher up but it could have more accurately been called the Seneca Hillside Trail as it rarely was on top of anything. It would be great for the orienteers in an orienteer vs. runner race because of the extreme curviness; more gratuitous in distance and sometimes climbs too. The woods were second growth stuff near the shooting range and not so good but by far, the majority was white and open (relatively few features). I passed some of the slower runners who'd gotten ahead by not going around the lake. I had a Gu on the run as my energy drooped and finished the last of my water. There was a spot on this relatively remote trail where someone had taken 3 deer skulls and put tiny hats on them. I stopped a short time later to snap a shot of the creek below too. The windy trail got more windy and hillier in the last 2 miles. My left calf started feeling a bit tight. Reaching Black Rock Mill, I cut right on the road and finished at the Greenway trailhead.









It was a nice run and I regained some confidence in going the distance at my own pace a month from now. However, today, I really only went half the distance that I'll need to go on race day.

45 situps. I was kind of worn out and again short on time after work.

Working late disrupted my plan to run after work. I let myself get too lazy later.

Spinning comfortably while watching old Monty Python (1st season) episodes on DVD. The noise while riding is too loud to hear at volume levels appropriate for the night time--I usually use closed caption but this DVD didn't have that option.

Washington D.C. From 14th & Independence Ave., SW, over the 14th St. Bridge into Virginia, then on the Mt. Vernon Trail to Key Bridge, then on the C&O Canal Towpath through Georgetown to the Rock Creek Trail, then to Connecticut Ave. and the Woodley Park Metro Station. I wasn't feeling so energetic as yesterday. I knew it before the run and confirmed it in the first few hundred meters. I was just under 8 minutes for the first mile. There were lots of bicycle commuters for the first half of the run. A few runners were out too. I suppose all of us were enjoying the 60 F weather in what is traditionally one of the coldest parts of the year here. My quads were tired. I wasn't getting the lift out of my stride. Going up the big hill at the end, I felt just about as strong as on flatter ground. That's a sign of being tired.

Washington, D.C. I ran yet another variation of the loop I call the Memorial Tour. From 14th & Independence Ave., SW, to Lincoln Memorial Circle via the Reflecting Pool, across Memorial Bridge to the Mt. Vernon Trail, to the 14th St. Bridge,. to Main Ave. to D St., SW, to 13th St., SW, to C. St. SW. My legs felt okay and my newer shoes felt pretty comfortable except at the toes where the toes are still a little sore from the long trail run 2 weekends back. It was in the 40's F with some headwinds going out toward Arlington Cemetery. The construction crews were still working on the Lincoln Reflecting Pool basin--the have poured concrete in some portions but this work has been going on for a year now. A sidewalk detour extended the normal route slightly. Across the river, I saw a guy ahead of me. Partly trying and partly just wanting to keep my pace, I slowly gained on him. I was working more than I wanted to on hills. I passed the guy on the 14th Street Bridge. When finished, I was fairly sweaty. I stretched for a while.

Event: QOC PWF South Fork
 

Prince William Forest, VA, at Pine Grove. Back and forth from the parking lot to the Visitor Center a few times before going out for QOC's event.

QOC: Prince William Forest, VA, Pine Grove. I anticipated a slow race but I felt pretty well most of the time. Perhaps it was my lighter shoes, two good nights of sleep and a lighter workout yesterday--probably all of it combined. Having done some mapping, vetting, and just plain racing in this park, I was pretty confident most of the time. The woods and terrain were fun and we didn't even use the best parts of the park. I still managed to do some silly things but it probably didn't affect my place on the finish list. The worst was stopping after #17 at the finish (this cost me 3:44). The course actually went through the finish almost dead center on the leg to #18 for another short loop. See the split list for descriptions. I take back some happiness that my leg speed is appearing to come back while my endurance is improving. I wasn't so strong on hills but moved well most of the time. It was fun racing people (Brian Mayer, Tom Strat, and I shifted positions a lot) but I have to get better focus on navigating in such situations.

Blue - Splits