Training Log Archive: Nadim

From the stone arch bridge at MacArthur Blvd. (near Wilson Blvd.) to the C&O Canal Towpath, to the Angler's Inn parking lot through Great Falls Park, to Falls Rd., to River Rd., to Seven Locks Rd., to MacArthur Blvd and to the stone arch bridge. It was getting late in the day so I took Peggy's advice again and ran from the stone bridge. This way I was not going to get locked-in from my usual starting area at Carderock, on versions of this loop. I felt not so great starting off but with the temperatures in the upper 60s and low 70's F, I got it into gear. My left toe felt better using my road shoes but sometimes I felt the injury from my long run 6 days earlier. For the initial 5 miles, I focused on my running form. I slows on the small climbs at the canal locks but moved well on the long flat stretches. After a restroom break at the Angler's Inn parking area, I moved much slower. The hill is steep and the footing not so great in places but I was just tiring too. At the top, the route was more rolling and I wasn't able to hold my pace. It took some good mental stamina along running on the trails along Falls Rd. and River Rd. It was truly dark by the time I got off River Rd. The hills on Seven Locks were really slowing me down. The last stretch on MacArthur Blvd., was better and it's always fun running across the stone bridge where I finished, knowing that it was once the world's longest stone arch.

From Northfield Rd., to the Bethesda Metro Station. As I neared the station, I could feel my tires being softer than they should have been--after all, I'd just inflated the tires yesterday. I slowed down on the bumps and curves so that I wouldn't crash on a flat tire.

Today marks my 37 year anniversary of training to be a runner. I'd run a few races before then in school, but 9/5/75 was the day I went to Cross Country practice with a friend. It was the second or 3rd day of 9th grade school for me. Others on the team had been training together for almost a month. Today was also my kid's first day of 4th and 7th grade and it'll be interesting to find out what they get involved with that might shape their lives.

From the Bethesda Metro Station, to Northfield Rd.

From Northfield Rd., to Norwood Park, then to downtown Bethesda. I pulled Samantha and Peggy rode too. We ended up finally buying a replacement dishwasher (to be delivered later). Afterward we tried a new restaurant--expensive with a sort of small serving size, but tasty and supposedly nutritional. By the time we rode back it was dark but I did take it really slowly. I was giving Samantha more practice at multiplication and wanted her to finish a set before we got home--I did small loops to make it work out.

From Black Rock Mill Rd., the Seneca Creek Greenway Trail to the Long Draught Trail, to Thurgood Marshall ES, to Riffleford Rd., then back to Black Rock Mill Rd. via the Seneca Ridge Trail. I need more longer runs to be ready for the long orienteering races in the fall. I hadn't done a variation of this route since before I'd had surgery on my back. The temperature started in the mid 70s F and dropped to the upper 60s F, when I finished. It was also humid from previous rains.

Parts of the route are hilly though there are flat stretches too. Going out it was initially hilly so I wasn't surprised by slow mile times. At MD 118, a sign indicated that a bridge was out somewhere before the next road and that the way was impassable. The lack of bridges doesn't usually stop an orienteer and I knew the trail didn't cross the main creek where it could really be a problem. With the bridge out, that had seemed to decrease the traffic on the trail. The grasses had grown up making it slower, even though there was evidence of someone having bushogged the trail probably 3 weeks ago. There was water on the trail in some places but it wasn't to bad to run around. There was also a detour into the fields at one point. Where the detour returned to the main route, I found the washed out bridge and got across using 2 boards someone had laid over a gully. Slip marks in the mud showed some had trouble crossing, but I got over easily and without slipping.

As I got to Riffleford Rd., I expected to be at about 4 miles, based on my previous runs. However, my GPS was reading 3.6 miles at 44 minutes--I can't ever remember running trail that slow, so I suspected something being off with my GPS. The track for this run looks okay but the GPS track from an October 30th run in 2013 had me at over 4 miles at Riffleford Rd. I did another +2 mile loop past Riffleford Rd. so I'm calling this run 12.5 miles.

Past Riffleford Rd,, circled Thurgood Marshall ES and saw a few people. These were the only people I'd seen not in cars at road crossings, since initially starting (Some hispanic families picnicking and swimming in Seneca Creek were in areas near Black Rock Mill where I started). The trail conditions were good the whole way back. I'd mapped about 1/2 of that way so it was interesting seeing it at this time of year, from a trail running perspective again. Past where I'd mapped, the woods look quite open so I hope to add that field checking sometime. The dearth of anyone else being on the trail was almost disconcerting as my strength slowly drained away. Perhaps some combination of the socks I was wearing or my toe nails being just long enough made it unpleasant when I ran downhill--I had to crunch-up my toes to keep from smashing them and still it hurt. I was strong enough to run up all but the last serious hill, and only where it got too steep.

It was good to get this under my belt and I hope it'll help make other long runs easier. I weight-out at 183 lbs.