Training Log Archive: Nadim

Event: QOC PWF Spring Weekend
 

QOC Junior Training Weekend at Prince William Forest, VA, Turkey Run. I was a trainer for a group of relative beginners. One was only 8 years old but he was enthusiastic After surveying what they knew, we did legs individually and talked them over after each control. I had a small group. They were pretty good and enthusiastic. We talked about and practiced things like reading along the way, and aiming off. Our course was structured to get people off trail a bit. I really didn't feel like I was moving well whether on trail or off. My injured calf was part of it but not all of it. I had to lend out my compass and extras to two trainees who didn't bring any. I was fine reading things without one. This area had lots of trails and our course was primarily on trails anyway.

QOC Junior Training Weekend at Prince William Forest, VA, Turkey Run. The afternoon exercise was for technical compass bearings. We went control to control on bearing. It was setup to be run with partners where one person had a full map, and the other could only see part of the map on each leg. The people in my group were okay and did this well. They even managed to find controls when there were things making them hard to see like 4 feet of stacked deadfall right at the control. Some drifted a bit but mostly they were good. Since we had a short course, we did a true point feature as an extra bit of training--it was a depression on a plateau on the other side of a reentrant system. We got to that too after I helped. Unmapped new features were making it difficult.

QOC: Prince William Forest--Happyland. I went out on the Short Advanced course. Glancing at the course starting out, it looked a bit easy. In the forest, it turned out to be more difficult. This was mostly due to changes in vegetation that the map didn't show. There was a lot of deadfall that made even simple legs hard. The deadfall from what was a new storm at the time, was reason for cancelling this same event in 2018. I hadn't felt good earlier but by the time I got going, I was feeling a bit better. I used my nice headlamp and put it at low power most of the way. Low power was sufficient for all the dense woods. It helped a little in some open areas.

S-1 - I headed straight to the control but pulled away just short of it when I saw a reflector to my left. The reflector was from a control set for Sunday training exercises. After checking the other control, I turned back and hit the control I needed, well.

1-2 - Since experiencing the thickness of the forest, I went out to the road on the shortest route. I turned left and ran through the junction. I was slow. Leaving from before a road bend, I found a patch of white forest to get into the nicer terrain and spiked it.

2-3 - I ran back out to the road (It would have been nicer to have another control in this part of the forest like the long advanced course did but Gary said he wanted to shorten the Short Advanced course. As it was, the control for the Advanced Course had gotten set on the wrong marsh) and turned left. I took the left fork which had a shorter route but a longer distance through forest at the end. In retrospect the longer route out of the forest was faster. Though I didn't make any mistakes following a stream from a powerline ride, deadfall slowed me again.

3-4 - I left #3 going to the cabin roads. Turning left, I thought to cut some distance on a short stretch across the forest. I really didn't know what I'd really done until looking at my GPS track. I made a complete counter-clockwise 360 as I tried to make my way around deadfall. I came out close to where I'd started at #3, and then took a while with a incorrect explorations to figure out where I was. Best that I can guess, I had at some point held the map at 180 degrees which is something the beginners that I was coaching to day were worried about doing. Finally I relocted myself on a road bend and proceeded straight to the control on bearing from far away. I had a little help at the end when I'd seen some headlamps across the road where I was heading--they were from Matyas and his father--I'd been coaching Mayas earlier in the day so it was good he didn't see me making my horrible 6-7 minute mistake.

4-5 - I went off straight but drifted left in some deadfall. The vegetation here wasn't as bad and I was being more careful than my last leg. When I hit a stream ditch, I realized it wasn't the stream closer to the control that I was aiming for. I had been aiming off a bit and I followed the stream to a junction and until I was in sight of the control. Someone was closing in on me

5-6 - Initially I headed off straight. I realized after going that I would have to cross the stream so I cut left more to get across and not have to climb. I was going to come down the stream on the other side of the ridge but I kept getting pushed back by deadfall at the top. I ended up following the ridge until it ended, then following an intermittant trail along the creek to the next stream junction, and to the control.

6-7- I thought the intermittent trail going along the creek was okay so I dog-legged back the way I'd come. This also seemed better than crossing the creek twice--I thought it looked deep. The vegetation started getting rougher and once around the creek bend. The trail completely disappeared where there were big trees that'd fallen amidst mountain laurel and thorns. I picked my way through climbing and descending a few times. The area mapped open with a trail on one side was completely green too--saplings had grown-up in it. Only after hitting the flat ground did it open up. I ran past two people who recognized me but whom I couldn't verify. I spiked the control but this felt very slow. I heard from some who had crossed the creek who did better and some who also found thick vegetation.

7-8 - Instead of following the creek a ways, I took a bearing straight and ran it to where I started climbing. I come see a slope to my left and thought it was the reentrant. I didn't descend into it so I wasn't sure if it was the one I needed or a wider one along the main creek. I climbed higher to see if I was going to get to the ridge top. Using my bright light for the first time, I could see a mess of vegetation that was still climbing, so I dropped back down into the correct reentrant. It still seemed a long way to get to the control but I stuck with the reentrant until finding it.

8-9 - I headed out straight across instead of angling toward the road. I crossed the stream and hit the road soon after. Jody was running along the road so after a slight bobble, I eventually passed him getting into the field. I didn't feel the need to go to the corner of the field so I went straight in. I misread the control being lower than it was--the circle coverd-up a contour but I probably should have known better. After getting too low, I climbed up to the control.

9-10 - I angled back to the field and past the backstop onto the roads. I read everything well on the roads and trails I used getting to a cabin above the control.

10-11 - I went straight, eschewing the longer trail route to the right. Initially this was okay. I got to a road at a powerline junction right where I wanted to be, without much trouble or really bad vegetation. However, going across the next reentrant was different. I hit big tree fall and drifted right. I came out into the field without hitting the trail I'd intended to, which would have gone to the control. I ran around the cabins until I got there.

11-F - I was not far behind someone who'd come up the trail. I tried to catch him but only closed the gap.

It was fun to do night-o again but this wasn't so great a place to do it any more. I was happy that all the climbing over deadfall seemed to loosen what'd been bothering my calf to an extent. I finished running better than I had earlier in the day. After the run, my stomach didn't feel right and I'd passed some blood again.

Night - Short Advanced - Splits

From the Bethesda Metro Station, to Northfield Rd. I had some headwinds but it was warmer and I felt better.

Washington, D.C. From 12th and Independence Ave., SW, I went to The Mall, then up to 3rd St., SW/NW, and then back down The Mall to 14th St. NW/SW, the back to 12th and Independence Ave., SW. Starting out, I walked a short way, and then broke into a jog. I figured it'd be better on the gravel parts of the Mall would be easier on my right calf. Whenever I tried to pickup the pace, I'd feel pain and would have to back off. There's almost a concrete under the new gravel that was put on The Mall when it was rennovated. I was surprised that I was able to keep running but the 75 F sunny day may have had something to do with that. I felt self-conscious going slowly but it was better than doing nothing.

From the Bethesda Metro Station, to Northfield Rd. It was nice out.

From Northfield Rd., to Folkstone Rd., then back. I went out pulling Samantha's bicycle as I rode. On the way back, Samantha rode her bicycle as I followed along. It was a nice warm +70 F day and the first time Samantha had ridden her bicycle home.

From the Bethesda Metro Station, to Northfield Rd.

From the Bethesda Metro Station, to Northfield Rd. It was pretty warm outside. I felt like I was cutting through thinner air. I had thought about running at lunch but ended up meeting a friend instead.

From Northfield Rd., to Woodmont Ave., via Bethesda ES. After getting home I went to pickup Samantha. It was so warm that I wanted to bring her bicycle so that she could ride home. She had similar thoughts, suggesting that we bicycle somewhere to get dinner. Samantha had never done this previously, while riding her own bicycle; she'd only done it on trail-a-bike with me. It started okay but as it was still during rush hour there were more than the usual cars on the residential streets. She stopped for one car to pass and was slow descending into intersections. However, by herself, she did look ahead and moved to a sidewalk on the narrow Park Ln. where there was an approaching car. She maintained good control and balance in areas that I've seen bug adults who are not so used to riding in traffic. Max didn't want to ride slowly and met us there, where we had dinner.

From Woodmont Ave., via Bethesda ES to Northfield Rd. Max took off as soon as we started and we lost him at the first traffic light. Samantha rode a steady pace and enjoyed her ride. It'd turned dark out so she got to make use of the lighting I'd setup a long time ago. This was her first bicycling in the dark. She did well again on the harder to see bumps.

Kansas City, MO. I walked around The Plaza, from Summit St., and W. 47th St., to Jefferson St., to Nichols St., to Wyandotte St., to West 47th. St., to the JC Nichols Pkwy., to 47th St., to Summitt St. It was cloudy out and I ate dinner before walking back in a windy rain.

Event: QOC Mason Neck
 

QOC: Mason Neck State Park, VA. I was signed-up for doing Beginner Instruction at noon, so I had to run early. Rather, I planned to walk the whole course since I'd had trouble trying to rune yesterday. With Max waking up slowly and walking our neighbor's dog I didn't get to the start until just after 11:00am.

S-1 - I dutifully started a brisk walk and it felt pretty slow. I planned to go as straight as possible to save time. I entered the woods just past the house and got a little hung up at the first ditch--it was filled with a lot of water. I backed-up to go around it. I did go straight from there to the trail, hitting the intersections, and proceeding on the trail to cross the stream. I left from a reentrant with a control in it and went straight to the marsh.

1-2 - I went straight out, crossing the road to the trail. I felt like I'd pulled to the right. It seemed harder to keep a bearing walking at my slower pace. I ran the trail a little to the big bend. I walked straight toward the control and saw the green on my left. I also spotted the new trail which was also on the map. I decided it safest to use the trail and attacked successfully from the bend; it'd nearly been visible from the trail.

2-3 - I went straight, still walking. I'd site a bearing to a tree and go to the tree sometimes. That let me go around deadfall or thicker areas at my walking speed. I did start warming up so I snuck in a jog for a few steps sometimes. I was a little surprised at the amount of water when crossing the second reentrant. I sighted side reentrants and figured I was on target--I was, and I spiked it.

3-4 - I went straightish, moving around some green at times, and looking for the reentrant.

4-5 - Leaving #4, I was well on target. I paused at the reentrant (+30 seconds), descending into the flat area. When I got to the other side, I found my bearing climbing the spur hill, instead of being on the right side of it. Dropping, I was okay crossing the next reentrant. I ran up a spur, then on the side of it. Before I got to the control, Florence and another guy were crossing my path leaving it.

5-6 - I could see control #6 from #5. I ran straight across the big puddle of a marsh. My feet didn't sink much into mud.

6-7 - I thought about staying in the long curving reentrant the whole way but still felt I was moving too slowly for that. I felt skilled enough to go straight. I was okay initially. I read the green on my right and edged around it. At the first side reentrant crossing, I still felt good, but perhaps I stopped reading my bearing. I climbed out and found things looking too flat ahead. I decided to cut left. I could see what I thought was the reentrant ahead. Getting closer, I figured I'd see the control in it, but I didn't. I next overcompensated and cut left more, perhaps even backward a little, to check the next reentrant to the west. When I figured that reentrant wasn't it, I doubled back to the other reentrant that I'd seen, and this time I could see the control. I probably lost close to 2 minutes.

7-8 - I ran straight across the big reentrant and up a spur to a knoll. I kept going straight (checking side reentrant to be sure where I was) and gained on Florence and the other guy I'd seen at #5. I passed the other guy but didn't quite catch Florence.

8-9 - I ran straight, checking off a side reentrant as I climbed out of the big initial one. I kept straight, to the next reentrant system, then went around the fingers, to the control.

9-10 - I ran straight checking off reentrants along the way. At one point, I felt like I was losing count. Fortunately I hit the ditches SE of the control. I made a slight correction there, to spike it.

10-11 - Going straight, I saw the wooden foot bridge crossing the marsh so I cut left a little to use it. Trails took me to the road from there. I pretty much kept my bearing, but was a little to the right when I saw it. A tree had hid it in the direction I was coming from.

11-12 - I ran straight and ended up hitting the trail near the bridge over the stream that I'd used on the way to #1. I used the trail a little but cut more left up a reentrant as a troop of scouts were filling the trail. That got me to the parking lot. I stayed on the paved trail until crossing the first reentrant. From there I cut left, crossed the next reentrant and found the control. I was a bit hesitant at the end, as to whether the control should be nearer the tip of the reentrant or not.

12-F - Going straight, I hit the green just before the circle. I got hung up in the thorns a little. A straight route might suggest hitting the trail so either I executed it poorly, or #12 had been deeper down the reentrant that mapped.

I felt happy about the run despite the problem at #7. The happiness was largely from being able to run instead of walking the whole way. The warm-up walking, and the soft and flat ground probably helped.

There was only one couple needing beginner instruction on my shift. Jim Chapman told me that his scout numbers were down but that he'd been seeing growth in Islamic Boy Scouts, from other regions. He sent a group of them to me for course review that would help them earn a merit badge. They were a great bunch of kids. Half of them had gone out before, but it was the first time for the rest of the group I talked with. They surprised me by completing the Brown course! Plenty of long-time orienteers have a lot of trouble on advanced controls in this park and these newbies did it smiling at the end! I was heartened to see new people with similar backgrounds as my own, having fun with, and being interested in the sport. Knowing the challenges of growing up in their parent's culture and living in this country, it made me happy to see them having fun.

Green - Splits