Training Log Archive: Nadim

QOC - Rosaryville State Park, MD. I just spent a long while writing-up what happened but literally on the write-up of the last leg, I clicked incorrectly and lost the write-up. That's about how my day went orienteering here. I went 6.35 miles on this 8.3K course. AP has me at 271m climb instead of the 180m optimal course description. I made mistakes on #1--not reading the details in the circle and not liking the mapping of the fence (better eye glasses would help), #3--getting on the wrong trail and looping extra distance, #4- just a slower route crossing the creek initially, #5--being a little left at the end, #6 not trusting my reading of the vegetation at the end caused me to make a small loop, #7-bad route choice not using the road because I assumed incorrectly that it was out of bounds, #8 reading the wrong leg line (#10-#9) about half way there, #9, not attacking from the trail because I thought I was reading the green vegetation correctly (4 minute error), #12--overshot to the right and didn't read that the trail was in a ditch (didn't like that mapping), #15 - drifted to the right and then hesitated and used the spur rather than the trails. The rest was mostly speed. A couple of good notes--my right leg held up well and I didn't re-injure myself, and my endurance held up well. I look forward to redemption at PWF.

Red - Splits

Great Falls, MD. I woke up with my lower right back being a little sore and when I walked with my right leg forward, I could feel some strain going into my hamstring, reducing the forward motion. Peggy and I started out together and I did the Goldmine loop starting out. I was going to extend it going up the old road past the loop, but at the first stream crossing, there was deadfall and no bridge across the gullied stream. I went down to the canal on the road before getting back onto the lower part of the Goldmine Loop. Once back to the parking lot I needed to add-on to get over 4 miles. I moved slowly, but more so when I put my mask on near tourists. I crossed at the Tavern lock bridge, went down to lock 18, then back up to Lock 19 so that I could loop around the Tavern and the restrooms and get back to the parking lot. This was a slow easier effort run but I still felt it. It may have loosened me up for tomorrow. I stretched a while longer than I usually have been doing after runs. I saw Ken Walker and his daughter in the parking lot when starting out.

From Carderock Park, C&O Canal Towpath north toward Great Falls to Mile Marker 13, then back. It was 63F so I ran in shorts and a t-shirt. I had a buff style mask around my neck so when I came near the many cyclists, runners and walkers, I could pull it up. Nearly everyone was wearing a mask as they passed each other on the towpath. Some were doing like I was, pulling it up and down, but others seemingly had theirs on all the time. Running in the sunshine again was nice. My first mile was faster than expected, and so were the next 2. I knew I was slowing down on the 4th. The further I went, the more my mask was getting soaked in sweat, and the more I felt the need to breath hard. It got to the point after the 2nd mile, that I'd quickly go into oxygen debt and I'd slow down. Breathing to run would pull the cloth partway into my mouth, and exhaling would blow it into a bubble--it was like getting the benefit of interval training without moving my legs fast. At the end, I was please to see that I'd run a relatively fast time. The flatter ground helped.

From Little Falls Pkwy., the Capital Crescent Trail to Dalecarlia and the Little Falls Trail, forest trails, then back to Little Falls Pkwy. via the Capital Crescent Trail. I'd plotted out this run 2 days ago to be 4.3 miles, but past the turnaround on the Little Falls Trail, a bridge was closed. I might have climbed over the fence a crossed the creek but in the dark that didn't seem safe, and I wondered if other bridges would be out for repairs too. There was a dirt trail that allowed me to detour back to the Capital Crescent Trail, rather than double back and make my run longer. Since it was dark, I started to walk it but there was enough moonlight and the trail seemed clear of debris, that I could manage a slow jog on it. I resumed a normal effort once back on the pavement, but I was not fast on the long and somewhat monotonous railroad grade trail. Months ago, I used to be on that trail running and cycling a lot, and was mentally more prepared or just less slow on the long straightaways. Both before and after this run, my right leg and lower back felt weak and generated tolerable pain. I'm probably compensating with my left leg. I think it's what's holding me back from getting back up to the kind of moderate pace and endurance that managed a year ago.

From Northfield Rd., Greenwich Park, to Old Georgetown Rd. to Beech Dr. to Singleton Dr. to Bulls Run Pkwy., to the trail along the middle school to Bradmore Dr. to Folkstone Rd. to Hartsdale Ave. to Heampstead Ave. to McKinley St. to Garfield St., to Roosevelt St., to the trail at Jefferson St. to Northfield Rd. It was a little above freezing when I ran. I was having a hard time figuring out how fast I was moving except at some mile marks. It turned out that I was running faster than expected. As I ran turning through the streets, I was mentally trying to figure out the rotation of the earth relative to the moon, Saturn and Jupiter which were all close together. My quads were tired and my right leg was dragging as I walked cooling down.

From the intersection of Elmhirst Ln. and Elmhirst Dr., to Elmhirst Pkwy. to the Elmhirst Trail, to Cedar Ln., to the Rock Creek Trail, to Old Spring Rd., and back. It had turned a good deal colder and was windy outside when I contemplated running--it was 41 F but dropped into the upper 30s F later. Going through the usual neighborhood routes seemed unpalatable. I drove over toward Rock Creek Park, MD to stay out of the wind in that valley. The starting point was convenient since the usual parking had been closed off for people to use both Beech Dr., and the paved trail through Rock Creek Park. It was fully dark starting out. I had to stop to tie my shoe a few times. I felt that I was running slowly but couldn't really tell. I was still tired. I put more effort into the return trip. I'd seen few people; one walker and one cyclist. I also startled the same deer going and coming as it was only a few feet off of the trail. At least I didn't have a collision with it like Peggy's unfortunate brother Paul did with another deer this same day--his car got totaled but he seemed to be okay. After the run, my lower right back and right leg were achy and feeling strain when moving my right leg forward

From Northfield Rd., Custer Rd. to Wilson Ln. to Glenbrook Rd., to Bradley Blvd., to Arlington Rd., to Old Georgetown Rd. to the Huntington Pkwy., to Custer Rd., to Northfield Rd. It was in the 50s F and dark when I ran. I felt good getting up the initial hill and slowly faded after that. I was definitely feeling the drag from the longer effort yesterday. Afterward, my right leg and lower right back were achy and feeling strain when moving my right leg forward.