Training Log Archive: Nadim

MCRRC: Winter Trails., at Great Falls Park, MD. From the Angler's Inn parking lot the group set out for it's last run of the season. Most of the group will run the Seneca Greenway Trail Marathon or 50K. I'm not quite up to that distance yet. but I do feel that I've been improving somewhat. The routes MCRRC sets up are marked with streamers and they hand out maps via email or paper. The streamers have been known to get pulled down by people before the club's run has commenced. The run today was to be a taper and was scheduled for only 10 miles. We were supposed to do an odd figure-eight with an out and back extension along the river. It looked like it'd be short to me. We started up the Berma Rd., and the Valley Trail which parallels Falls Rd. At the top we were supposed to go right and left to do a portion of the Gold Mine Loop. I was in sight of the leaders as they turned left. The group I was with followed. I figured it didn't matter since we'd be short anyway. We ended up doing a loop through a reentrant a couple reentrants over from the Valley Trail. It brought us rather close to the Angler's Inn again. As the leader's figured this out, they were seen ahead coming back up and we all turned up the Angler's Inn Spur Trail, which parallels the Valley Trail, but is on the ridge. I got them onto the Gold Mine Loop, and they managed to get to the Overlook Trail okay. I was slow on the climbs but passing people and catching-up to the leaders on the downhills. The leaders turned left on a dead-end spur that overlooked Great Falls. This time of year, the views from there are very good, even though one sees the falls through the trees. I paused but went on the designated route. I found other MCRRC people doubling back--these were people who hadn't done the extra loop that I'd done with the leaders--it turned out that part of the Overlook Trail had been closed-off. From there, I made my way past other MCRRC people to the Tavern area. There was construction and the towpath near the observation deck was closed off. I crossed north of the deck on a temporary bridge but didn't see a trailhead for the River Trail, until I'd run a long way up the towpath. I didn't see an obvious turnaround point ahead that would fit the 10 mile run but eventually turned around where I saw a creek merging on the other side of the canal. I took the River Trail back to the construction area. The River Trail and especially the part getting up to the construction area, was often muddy. Finishing-up, I climbed up to the Trolley Loop and got on the Gold Mine Trail. I was seeing club members running in all directions so they all seemed to be trying to get their 10 miles in. I did walk up the steepest parts of some hills and added on myself after getting to the top of the Valley Trail again, by doing a very short stretch on the Berma Rd., and towpath that took me to the start of the Billygoat B section Trail head. I kept moving okay through this run but the hills did take it out of me. I chatted with folks afterward, got some food, and needed a nap once I got home. Even in bed, I was chilled and hungry at home for over an hour. It was fun to get this run in and to have the group to help motivate these fun weekend runs in general. Peggy missed this one since she had to do vetting for the Jr. Nationals.

This run, with the earlier orienteering, gives me 33 miles for the week!. It also puts me at 132 miles exclusively running miles for the year. That's 2 more miles of exclusively running, than I did in all of 2018.