Training Log Archive: Nadim

45 sit-ups. I planned to run but it didn't work into the schedule.

45 sit-ups after another long day.

From Northfield Rd. I ran up to Custer Rd., to Wilson La., to Exeter Rd. to Glenbrook Rd. to the Bethesda Trolley Trail, to the NIH grounds, to Maple Ridge Rd. to Georgetown Pike, to Huntington Pkwy., to Custer Rd. to Northfield Rd. Having had dinner with Peggy, Max and Bob Angell, I was loath to get out so I was finally ready rather late, even for me. At least I ws motivated to run. Like in January doing this same run, my legs felt fine for the first 350m, but after that they were dead. This time it was residual tiredness from my long run on Sunday and just not enough sleep. It was 28 F. The +1" snow that fell in the morning was all but gone after the sunny day.

45 sit-ups. Busy again at work.

45 sit-ups. I was planning on running but had to work late.

From the Ken Gar Palisades Park parking lot, up the Rock Creek Trail to the Lake Needwood Park parking lot and back. I was once again looking for pavement since running on wooded trails now would be icy, muddy and slow, and probably not as good for me right now. It was nice running through the park and being able to see off into the woods. I don't run or bike through some of these parts of the trail a lot any more and when I do, the leaf cover hides things. I felt pretty good starting out; better than when orienteering yesterday. The pavement probably had much to do with that. My pace went up and down according to the hills on the route. I worked harder toward the end and my left knee ached a little afterward. There were some short icy parts and a few areas with standing water. Starting out it was 48 F and cloudy but it was 62 F and sunny at the end.

Event: QOC Cabin John
 

Cabin John Regional Park. Warm-up near Popovich Field for the start of QOC's event.

QOC: Cabin John Regional Park, MD. Russ Damtoft set a short Blue course which was fine with me. The woods had plenty of of melt water and mud. It was an encouraging sunny and as high as 62 F. I felt pretty slow just about from the start. The course was fine but had a lot of short legs; control picking style. This is a fairly easy park to navigate with lots of trails and on top of that, it's fairly thin. I had mapped it because it was close-in to the population center; it's the closest map to my house.

S-1 - Before I started, 3 other Blue runners got going ahead of me. I ran down the trails and angled-up when I could see the edge of the ball fields above. I'm not sure that the control was on the root stock that I mapped but it was close and others were there punching to give it away.

1-2 - I ran up to the ball fields and took trails to the powerline ride and passed one of the guys I'd seen at the start. I angled across haphazardly and didn't cross the other side where I'd intended, above the gully I had to cross the gully and get through some thorns. From there I angled up to the control but I probably should have stayed on the trail and attacked from below because I got a little too high.

2-3 - I went up to the train tracks and ended up hopping the fence on the other side. From there I crashed through the woods to the road intersection The control was higher upstream than expected. Actually no stream was mapped; just a ditch that at this time of year was wet.

3-4 - I crossed the road and spotted the control right away. Not much time lost waiting for cars.

4-5 - Going straight and along the creek I crossed the creek on a fallen log, then ran to the semi-open area. I had mapped the feature as a stone-wall, small though it was. The clue was stony ground. Right next to it should have been a root stock which is much more prominent on the map but I didn't see it going through. I didn't look close but it should have been to the right a short way away.

5-6 - I went straightish getting through the green. I could have gone around the ridge on the trail but I went over, attacking off of the mapped campsite.

6-7 - I went a bit to the right to get around some green. I used the trail after crossing the dirt road. Leaving from the trail bend near the campsite, Going a little left around some greener terrain, I passed John Baker who I had seen pausing a few times ahead of me earlier on this leg. I saw the control and went right to it. Unlike last year when Peggy had set the courses here, the control was in the right place this time.

7-8 - I took the road around to the left, turned left at the footbridge and angled up from there. I felt slow. Slushy ice on the road was part of it but I was slower climbing.

8-9 - I took the high route on the trail to the right but have doubts about it being the right route. the lower trail would have required a climb at the end but might have had less climb overall. The control was fairly visible soon after leaving the trail.

9-10 - I used the trails to get close but in retrospect, I should have kept to the right until the end to avoid more green. After using the trails, I backed up a few steps to go around the green instead of following the wet and light green ditch to the end.

10-11 - I hunted a bit along the shore to find a decent crossing. Eventually I plunged across and it wasn't bad. After crossing, I climbed up along the reentrant before the control, walking the steeper parts of the hill.

11-12 - I angled downward intending all along to use the trail below. I wasn't on it long before angling up again. At the end I was worried about being too high and started to descend. I had to climb a little again.

12 - 13 - I angled downward for the trail, then found another fallen log to cross the creek. Once across, I just angled up the hill. I climbed too high and had to descend at the end. I think the control leg being short and green kept me from keeping better control of exactly where I was going. This happened throughout the course.

13-14 - I used the trails across the flat marshy ground before angling to cross the creek. I could see #10 and the orienteer whom I'd passed on leg 2. Once again I crossed the creek on a fallen log. It was not so easy to do this time with branches and flotsam on it. From there, I angled up the hillside into the reentrant, around the final green, and to the control.

14-15 - Angling down to the trail, I followed it until I could see the control. I guess the woods were nice and it setup the next leg.

15-16 - I used the trails, crossing the stream at the bridges. I went straight over the hill but in retrospect, going around to the left on the trail would have been faster. As it was, I got too close to the shopping center parking lot. The smell of food (chicken burritos?) was making me hungry.

16-17 - I ran the trail until I could see the control below.

17-18 - Straight. I saw the control as I was crossing the road and didn't have to wait much.

18-19 - I went to the right around the fence, the got on the trail that descended to the gravel road. Crossing the powerline ride, I stayed along the creek, using the trail for a short way. I left the trail and ran toward what had been a prominent root stock earlier when I mapped it. I was going to attack of it but had to go further around to the left to get around some green. Ahead some seasonal ponds that I'd never seen before were blocking the way and pushing me more to the right. Seeing a root stock, I got close enough to see it wasn't the one I wanted. I crossed the marsh to the left, glad that the ice held me most of the time and saw the control on a smaller root stock.

19-20 - Some legs one just has to push through. I crossed the stream and got on top of one of the fallen logs rather than fight my way through the green on the ground. The log got me to the rocks where I could cross remaining logs. I ran up the intermittent deer trail that I left off the map; I wanted to stay far enough away from the condo buildings and back yards. After crossing the hilltop and reentrant on the other side, I rounded the fences near the basketball court and construction. I knew the control feature was actually an intermittent trail that probably needs to be taken off the map. Russ had mistaken the short black line for a rock feature and clued it as stony ground. Fortunately, there was some stony ground just under the trail. A girl running a shorter course was hunting just above where the trail was but I clued her in.

20-21 - I just ran high until the reentrant, then angled down to the creek. Following the wet ditch, I got to the control. Another guy was there but he didn't seem to punch it.

21-22 - I walked most of this tiring leg but did managed some running once in the white woods. The control was visible a long way off.

22-23 - I felt much better running level and downhill. I got through the green by zig-zagging the fallen logs. Dan Do and others were hunting in the area. I turned to the left just where I thought it should be and Dan was just finishing punching there.

23-24 - I wasn't sure of the best way across the creek. The bank near #23 was too high. I ran further north, ducking under some of the fallen logs I'd passed on the way to #23, then saw one log crossing the creek. It was actually mapped but the control circle for #23 was hiding it. Once across on the log, I took trails to the hill and climbed toward the saddle, then more left to the knoll.

24-25 - This was a somewhat cruel leg near the end of the course. I ran down the knoll for #24, and pulled myself up the next steep hill.

25-26 - I angled over toward the control. I found an animal track that got me down to the gully but was able to cross it on a fallen log. From there it was up to the trail and to the fence.

26-F - Around the fence and through the mud. I was pretty tired so the mud made it harder. I tried to keep out of it where I could.

Overall, I enjoyed getting out. The short legs kept me from making errors.

C • "Unlike last year..." 3

Blue - Splits

45 sit-ups. It was another busy day and a bit rainy too. I didn't get to run during lunch as planned.

From Northfield Rd., to the Bethesda Metro Station. I was feeling a bit queasy in my stomach at the time after the preparation for a routine colonoscopy/upper-endoscopy. All was fine. He did say I didn't need to come back for this again for 10 years. I didn't quite feel right in my stomach later in the day so I didn't run.

45 sit-ups.

45 sit-ups. I would have run but didn't have enough time.

Washington, D.C. From 12th & Independence Ave., SW, down Independence Ave. and the Reflecting Pool to the Lincoln Memorial, to Ohio Dr. to the Rock Creek Trail, to Calvert St., to Connecticut Ave., Van Ness St., to Wisconsin Ave., to the Friendship Heights Metro Station. It was warmer (unbelievably 57 F officially starting off--it didn't feel that warm) than it had been but was cooling off fast. I was worried about being overdressed in tights and a light jacket. I felt comfortable the first mile and not pushing it, the feeling mostly kept up. That's so much better than a lot of runs I had earlier in January and February. At the Woodley Park Metro Station I was already planning to go on. I passed the Cleveland Park Metro Station and kept going too. There was a second good climb going up to the Tenleytown Metro Station but once there, I figured it was mostly downhill to Friendship Heights. There were icy areas both in Rock Creek Park, and on the sidewalks in the city but a lot of clear ground too. Street lights were on in Rock Creek Park; perhaps it was the snow but it seemed the brightest I could remember it in the dark. I wonder if they changed something like the NY Times says the Newark, NJ airport did :)

45 sit-ups.

Blue Knob State Park, PA. Peggy, Max and I had been thinking to go Cross Country skiing this weekend. Late yesterday we decided to go for it and I'm glad we did. The Lennon family were also able to go with us. It was a nice sunny day at about 20 F when we started out. The last time I'd been to Blue Knob had been a few decades back and they didn't have XC skiing then. They have a small Nordic Center which rents skis and that was what we needed for Max. The terrain was a mix of golf course fairways and vehicle track. It wasn't very complicated and not at all technical. It didn't have a lot of vertical change either. Going out, we perhaps dropped gently about 200 ft. over about 2 miles with some up and down. The area was rather scenic with good views most of the way. Of the many trails around, most hadn't been groomed or used since the last snow. The main loop was groomed or well trodden so we enjoyed it. The snow was just right, right from the start. We moved casually, moving ahead, then waiting for the kids. On the way back, Max had more trouble climbing but stuck-it out without too much complaint. Other adults went for an out-and-back on the one hill that amounted to a good run (Max had successfully gotten down it with minimal falling). Instead of doing the out-and-back, I went directly back with Nicole and Max. The adults caught us later.

Rock Creek Park, MD, at Meadowbrook Stables. David Onkst and I went to the park to take advantage of roadway that had been plowed of snow, and which was mostly clear of traffic. Of course the lovely surroundings were appreciated too. I felt weak initially; sore in the quads again. We went out and back on Meadowbrook Rd. and Beach Dr., and the Rock Creek Trail, to Tilden St., returned the same route but kept going up to East-West Hwy., then went back past the stables to Candy Cane Village, and finally ended-up back at the stables. The soreness in my quads got better in that I felt almost stronger on the return trip. Plenty of other runners were out. Some we caught and passed slowly, other went by us moving well. I was fortunate to have 2 bathroom stops situated at the right places. David and I continued some discussion about our rogaine training plans. It was 40 F but it felt colder with lots of melting snow and a slight wind.

National Institute of Health (NIH) grounds. After dinner, I went XC skiing while Max went downhill sledding. We had the place to ourselves. There were lights. I initially skied short 200m loops so that I could stay near and keep an eye on Max. Later, I increased the loops to about 400m. It took about 4 loops to get the crusty-on-top snow/ice to be nice. Once done, it was good. I had trouble staying in my tracks when I took the loop to a darker area behind trees but that was a nice stretch to ski. It did seem like some people had tried to ski in the area but what could have been tracks were completely walked-on. When I got my speed up on short downhill stretches, it was hard to turn or stop because of the ice.

The snow in the driveway was what plows had pushed-up. It was partly melted so very wet and heavy.

From Northfield Rd. I ran up Custer Rd., to Park Ln., to Battery Ln., to Exeter Rd. to Denton Rd., to Fairfax Rd,. to Wessling Rd., to Glenbrook Rd. to Cornish Rd., to Honeywell Rd., to Wilson Ln., to Hampden Ln., to Charlcote Rd., to Northfield Rd. After the snowfall yesterday, things warmed-up a lot and most streets got plowed. My street was apparently one of the last but a second plow was chasing me up the road the first quarter mile. My quads were tired for some reason. I'm not sure why I had e sudden weight gain today either. I basically felt weak and slow most of the run. It got better where the road was cleared of snow but the hill on the return trip kept me slow too. It was warm enough starting out but it got cool quickly.

Spinning and watching a movie. I felt pretty good compared to the last time I rode rollers. I think the running over the last few weeks has been getting me stronger. I would have run today but with of one foot of wet snow on the ground t was probably better to ride.

45 sit-ups.

From Northfield Rd., Greenwich Park, to Old Georgetown Rd. to Beech Ave., to N. Bethesda Middle School to Bradmore Dr. to McKinley St. to Garfield St., to Roosevelt St., to the trail at Jefferson St. to Northfield Rd. After a long day, I still wanted to get outside. There was already about an inch of snow on the streets and sidewalks. More was falling steadily. It was blowing into my eyes on the way out, making it hard to see. I felt tired from the run yesterday, getting out late, and slipping on uphill strides through the snow. My right hip was hurting a little, as it used to. This at least is a little different from the sciatica I'd felt most of January. However, I've always liked running in new and falling snow and tonight was no exception. I shoveled some of it of our driveway afterward but much more is on the way.

One benefit of being busy is that the pushing back of lunch makes me less hungry for dinner and even sometimes less hungry for lunch. That helps bring the weight down.

From the Grosvenor-Strathmore Metro Station to Tuckerman Ln., to Rockville Pike to Beach Dr. to the Rock Creek Trail, to Susannah Ln. to the Georgetown Branch Trail, to Woodmont Ave. to Edgmoore Ln. I worked late but was looking forward to running. I hadn't run from Grosvenor in a while, mostly because it takes a little longer overall. The first 4 miles were mostly downhill so it was worth it. I ran on the moon shadows from the gibbous moon--they were almost sharp and like camouflage on the ground. The trail conditions were pretty good; hardly any ice. It was 25 F with a slight wind.

45 sit-ups. I did some stretching and upper body mobility too. I watched a lot of Olympic skiing and didn't get around to doing some planned roller cycling.

Event: QOC Manassas
 

Manassas Battlefield Park, Stuart's Hill. I warmed-up around the parking lot for the QOC meet. It was somewhere below freezing. I was stiff from running 10 miles yesterday but got a little bit better.

QOC: Manassas Battlefield Park: Stuart's Hill. I enjoyed Tom Strat's course; a mix of short and long legs using the best of the park. I ran 7.77 miles for the 10.5K course. I ran with my eyeglasses today so it was much better than last week without them. The course was rated at 190m climb but my GPS only tracked 75m. I got moving okay to #1, but true to the course notes, getting through the grass to the first control slowed me up. The grass was like straw and when knocked over it clumped making the footing harder. Often it has been mowed when we orienteered in the park previously. The grass condition made one think twice about the best route since it wasn't always straight across the open terrain areas.

For control #2, I opted to go somewhat straight across the grasses. It wasn't so bad. Once across the fields, I followed the deadfall vegetation to the control, coming around it to the right. Though it isn't usually wise to navigate off of vegetation, it worked well on this and most of the other legs today.

For #3, I went straight, and adjusted left when I hit the lake. #4 was more or less straight too, though I did read things half way there until I saw the control. Leg #5 looped back sort of toward #2. I ran pretty straight but used the field at the end.

For #6, I went south (left of straight) initially to get around the deadfall. I got onto the ride which is parallel to the north of the creek--don't think I've used it before. When it ended, instead of cutting left in the field to backtrack on a trail that would have taken me to another that I wanted to be on, I angled across the creek and forest. I felt that I was angling sufficiently to hit the trail but I never did. I probably lost some time pausing in the forest to make sure I was doing okay, and then coming out in the tall grass away from the trail. Ultimately, I did get to the trail that I'd wanted, then followed it all the way up the hill to come out above and southwest of #6. I was going to angle across the slash in the forest but it didn't look encouraging enough. This was perhaps a loss of 30-40 seconds on top of the mishap with the trail earlier.

I left #6 on a bad bearing, continuing northward the same way that I'd approached #6. I corrected within 50m but had already dropped downhill. I climbed back, then got a little closer to the road than was optimal. Hitting #7 at the pond was easy after that. My error was probably a loss of 25 seconds.

For #8, I ran the left side of the pond, then crossed the stream at the road. I didn't see the control until past the second pond.

Leaving #8, I expected to see a pylon marker on the map since I ran past one. It is on the map but the leg line obscured it. At the control, being only about 37 minutes into the race, I didn't feel the need to drink. I'd been carrying a Gu in my hand too since there's a hole in the pocket the orienteering pants. I ended up carrying it in my hand the whole race.

I ran straightish toward #10 noting the control was in a reentrant. I saw it long before getting there.

Going to #12, I chose the left route through the light deadfall and around the thicker deadfall. The right route looked too far. I was glad that the vegetation was close to the mapping. I do think the corner of the thicker deadfall west of the control extended further west than shown. I had to hook to the right a little at the end.

Going to #13, I must have taken a bad bearing off to the right. I suppose that I should have just followed the ditch down initially but the upper mapping didn't seem to show bends in the ditch much.

I again didn't take a straight bearing leaving #13 for #14. Unlike the last leg, I realized it soon enough and corrected to the right. Other people were around the control.

Someone left #14 shortly before me and appeared to be contouring around via #12. I went straight at #15, seeing #12 to my left about when I hit the stony ground, but not #13, I had to adjust a little bit to the left at the end but spiked #15.

Going to #16, I went left around the thick deadfall, and hit the field right at the corner. Following the edge, I passed the intersecting field on the right and I was glad that there was ice in some of the marshy parts that I could run on. I think it was there at the field intersection that I saw Victor Lin running the other direction. That confused me into thinking he was running another course. I thought I'd lose time going straight along the stream so I went up to the trail and to an intersection for an attack point. I moved though the lit slash pretty well but ran into a wall of what would be better mapped as green right before the control. I punched through a little to the right and was happy to see the control.

Heading to #17, I went straightish over the creek and hill but crossed over the creek again before the next stream intersection. I went up along the stream to the dam of the pond and along the shore to the control.

Getting out of #17 to go to #18, I meant to go more around the green areas but I found ways through that I could keep to a decent pace on. I ran down the field where I'd seen Victor earlier; not going the same direction as he appeared to be going. In the larger field, I shifted my bearing to use areas where the grass wasn't as thick. This brought me off my line. I hit the lake to the left of of the control and had to correct.

Going to #19, I got confused by the intersecting leg lines and thought the control was going to be where #5 was. After a pause, I got going and just went straight to the control though the mostly open land.

After I'd punched #19, I had to pause. Both of my shoe laces had been taped and tucked at the start but moving through the grasses unravelled them. I had on Sealskinz gloves which are skin tight and not so easy to remove. The gloves made it harder to re-tie my shoes. It seemed longer but my GPS track seems to show about 1:15 minutes before I got started again. After that, I ran straightish, a little to the right, and followed the stream up similar to what I'd done to get to #17. Following the edge of the deadfall, I cut left but did it too early. I got past the control (#20) and had to come back. I should have known it since I was not near enough to the visible road.

I ran straight at #21, feeling good physically and nearing the end of the course. I passed some people who were off to the right and spiked the control.

Still feeling good, I ran down the ridge toward #22 thinking I'd go straight the whole way or try to use a mowed lane across the grass. At the creek I saw a log to the right near the reentrant so I used it. Once across, I hit the pond then went to the parking lot. Using the mapped trail, I proceeded NE until getting past the trees on the ridge. Cutting left I struggled across more un-mowed grass and went around the deadfall to the control. Dan Do was apparently hunting for it too, the control was further down the reentrant than expected.

After punching #22, I again had both shoes needing to be re-tied. I had trouble doing it with my gloves on again so I only did the one that was completely untied. This must have taken about 45 seconds. I left the control going SW the way I'd come to it. Nearing the field and pond, I saw Victor Lin again, going to #22. I went through the fields and spiked the control, #23, visible from far off.

Going to the Go control, #24, I got around the fence and pushed through the tall grass. I moved right of straight to reach mowed ground. I felt I moved across the field well but my my leg speed just isn't there right now. I was feeling my run from Saturday. I could see where to go and others converging there too. I got there just before one couple who were walking.

I pushed in to the finish, more able to, with the downhill.

C • Climb error 2

Blue - Splits

From Norwood Park, to the Little Falls Trail, to the Capital Crescent Trail, to the Georgetown Branch Trail, to Stewart Ave., to Brookville Rd., to Warren St., to Linden Ln., to Ament St., to the Rock Creek Trail, to Susannah Ln., to Jones Mill Rd., to the Georgetown Branch Trail, to Falls Rd and the Little Falls Trail, to Norwood Park. With our schedules finally converging, I got to do a rare run with David Onkst. We moved smoothly and somewhat easily on a cool (27 F) morning--I enjoyed it. Promised snow showers never materialized for us. I felt like I could do more and David actually did by running all the way home another 3.5 miles. I felt that my training is progressing and covering this distance with ease helped my confidence. I often push myself beyond what I'm ready for and think I'm going too slowly but pacing with David helped.

From Northfield Rd., to the Bethesda Metro Station. It was about 24 F.

From the Bethesda Metro Station to Northfield Rd. It was a bit warmer--39 F.

From Northfield Rd., Charlcote Rd. to Hampden Ln. to Wilson Ln., to Maiden Ln., to Whittier Blvd., to Wilson Ln., and Pyle Middle School. I stopped there for a while to check-in on Max and a friend. Peggy was just leaving as I got there. There were a bunch of Bingo crazed kids, some hoping to win homework passes--times have changed! After a while there, I ran back down Wilson Rd., to Aberdeen Rd., to Aberdeen Pl., to Northfield Rd.

From Northfield Rd., to the Bethesda Metro Station. It was about 25 F and finally both dry enough and not too cold. I didn't sleep very well last night.

From 14th & Independence Ave., SW, Washington, D.C. to the Mall via Madison Dr., NW, around the Washington Monument, to the Lincoln Memorial, then around going clockwise, to Ohio Dr., to the Rock Creek Trail, near the volleyball courts, along the river heading south to E. Basin Dr., SW, to Main Ave., SW to the Portals complex over the footbridge near the railroad tracks, to D St., SW, to 13th St., SW to C St., SW. I did the same lunchtime run that I did last week. I had just enough time to do it and get something to eat at my desk during the next meeting. I thought I was moving okay my first mile but it was a little slower than expected for the effort. The third mile was faster and I thought that was moving more slowly through that. The wind direction might have made a difference but probably not.

From the Bethesda Metro Station to Northfield Rd. As I exited Bethesda, the cars were in gridlock. I didn't see why but Peggy told me that there were some lane closings. It was nice to be able to move between the cars.

45 sit-ups. It was another busy day at work. On the way home, trains had gotten backed-up as someone got hit at the Dupont Circle station resulting in it being closed. I walked across part of town from Metro Center, intending to walk to the Woodley Park station, then I decided to stop to eat. The walk was invigorating with relatively mild temperatures in the 30's F and the wind kicking-up. However after getting home I got too lazy to go out for a run.

45 sit-ups. It was a busy day.

Washington, D.C. From 12th & Independence Ave., SW, down Independence Ave., to 17th St., along the Reflecting Pool to the Lincoln Memorial circle, to Ohio Dr. to the Rock Creek Trail, to Calvert St., to the Woodley Park/Zoo Metro Station, to P St., NW., to 20th St., NW., to the Dupont Circle Metro Station at Q St., NW. I felt that I ran better for the first 1.2 miles or so, then I felt pretty dead again. It was 37 F with about a 10mph wind. The rains which were heavy in the morning and went lighter during the day had stopped. It took the ice on the trails, and salt away--a good thing.

Lake Clopper, MD. From Kingfisher Overlook, clockwise around Lake Clopper, then up the Greenway Trail to the park entrance area, to the Old Pond Trail, back to the Greenway Trail, then following an intermittent old road trail back toward the parking lot. The trails were muddy and icy today. Some of the trails had been relocated for erosion control. I felt alright for about a half mile, then I starting feeling slow and tired from the running yesterday. This kept up for the rest of the run. Hills especially took it out of me and there were plenty enough of them. I would have run longer but had to get back to pickup Max from a birthday party where he was playing Laser tag.

I should really get started mapping the area. I dont think it would take long to field check. Looking at what I passed in the dead of winter today, the areas were just about wide open. It would be good for more local events. It would not however be very technical. There was an almost dearth of features in a lot of areas, except for the contours. Even the contours were rather general. There was more to map along the steeper hillsides of Seneca Creek. In the Old Pond area, there was a small area of nicely scattered large boulders. I know from other runs that the Long Draft stream valley has more features too.

Event: QOC Greenbelt
 

Nadim in the field. Greenbelt Park, MD.

QOC: Stumble Bumble, Greenbelt Park, MD. Running the equivalent of the Blue handicap course, I ran the full course that David Onkst set for QOC. It was fun. The new map painstakingly produced by Diana Todd is an improvement. The woods were the same.

I had trouble right at the start. Being a little rushed, I had done everything for pre-race except to remember to wear my glasses. I realized it seconds before the start. Sooo..., I had trouble right off. At the mass start, a lot of the crowd got out in front of me. The direct route appeared to be getting jammed so I kept in the field longer, then attacked from the backstop. This got me around a lot of people and I punched about close to where I thought I ought to be.

For #2, there was still more stumbling as the crowd tried to cross the creek with some earth banks blocking the way. Getting around them to the right, I lost my focus on the map; a better description would be that I lost attention to the map because it was a long while before I felt I was getting any focus on it w/o eye glasses. I planned to do the window in BCAD order but plunging across the road and into the woods behind others, I ignored the trail. I just didn't read it. I was expecting the control to be much closer too. I went straight across the light green woods parallel to trails, eventually popping out on one near the apartment buildings. By then I realized I'd gotten off track for control B, and better head to A. Even on the trail, I had trouble seeing the trail bends and contours which were printed thin, light, and were very difficult to see when in green areas. With a few pauses, I read the trail and the vegetation (it helped to align with the tall apartment buildings). I jumped off the trail a little early, passed the control, then had to come somewhat back. Dave had warned that controls would be inside pits and not necessarily visible from afar--that was the case with this one. I got there behind Tom Nolan, Mihai Veres (actuall Sirbu per Tom's comment), and a few others.

For the next control, I thought going to B would make sense but as I got around greener areas, I got off bearing. Others pulled me over to C first. From C, I finally did something right and spiked B. I ran out across the slash green eventually getting to the trail but once on it, I again couldn't read the contours. I passed an optimal attack point, neared the T-intersection past it, then paused. I went back and the in frustration, went back again to the T-intersection to attack from a trail bend that I could see and which was closer to the control. Almost there, I got distracted by a control to my left which was on a regular course (not mine), and drawn off line). I corrected. Altogether, I probably lost 3:30 minutes on this window.

For #6, I made good time getting to the trail and attacked from a trail bend. There were several in the area who'd already punched when I got there.

I passed a bunch of people going down to #7. It was a little too easy being off the trail at the bridge over Still Creek. I guess it was just to encourage us to use the bridge.

For the next window, I planned EGFHI to cut down on climb and bad vegetation. I executed it pretty well for the most part, except for control I. Starting out, I passed Peggy on the way to E and considered going straight through the woods on the edge of the map to E, without actually doing it. I used the trail. I couldn't actually read the rootstock symbol on the map--the symbol size was too small, and like the contours, the color was too light. I figured however that the tall rootstock just on the right side of the trail would have to be it and I was right. I popped over to G after that, with Ted Good just ahead of me. Like myself, Ted had made some errors in the first window (he'd forgotten to wear eye glasses too). I ran low along Still Creek from G to F. Ted had paused at a trail intersection so I was ahead of him. I later paused to note the sewer near F and used it as an attack point. Ted went past me there. As we got close, I said aloud, "there it is" but Ted must not have heard me. He kept going past the control. I punched and moved up the hill.

For H, I made my way to the Bluebird Trail, and went to the right bend to attack. The control feature was a pit and it turns out the control was in it too. I had trouble seeing the control or the pit even though they were very close to the trail. After a little searching, I finally saw them about 15 ft. away. I ran up the trail again, going to the higher trail bend to be closer for an attack. I couldn't read the reentrant/gully detail on the map, and there was much more than even the printed contours actually showed. I paused high, and eventually came down to the lower reentrant. I left being unsure if the control was in the right place. With the troubles at H & I, I probably lost another 2 minutes.

Leaving the stumble window, I chose to angle up to the road rather than try to get to it ASAP. The meant that I got hung-up in the thicker woods further ahead, and it may have cost me time. I popped out on the road finally just 20-30m away from #13. My route probably cost me time but I'd spiked the control.

For #14, I left the road and crossed the woods to the campground. This worked very well.

For the next window, I reasoned that less climb was better for me. I took it in NKJLM order. I had no problems other than getting through the green when spiking L. I passed one person.

I left control M for #20, so this meant just running a straightish line. The woods weren't bad. When in the right reentrant system, I didn't find the control where I'd expected to but going up through it, I soon enough was at the right place.

I enjoyed going from #20 to #21. The mapping and contours hadn't been so good in this area in the past. It was mapped light green this time but even then, there was good runability. I almost got fooled by the first reentrant when I hit it and didn't see the control. I quickly realized there were 2 to cross, even though I was not really seeing it well on the map. I didn't spike it but very nearly did; I had to go up the hill a short way along the reentrant.

I left #21 and planned to do the window in QPROS order. This seemed best because it allowed easier running. I executed it well, seeing Vido for the first time in the race. After doing control O, I climbed the road to S. S was just off the road in what is now an unmapped ditch (shown as a reentrant). Vido popped out of the woods just ahead of me and punched.

Heading to #27, I caught and paced Vido for a little, then pushed up the hill more recovered, and going faster. Vido gave a push then and pulled even with me before fading near the top of the hill. I hadn't been feeing very strong all day (tired from working out more this week). I cut left at the intersection, then plunged right. I recall setting a control in this area in what was a very similar leg so I was confident that my attack from the left was better than the attack from the right which required more crossing of reentrants. I spiked the control.

I moved out toward #28 on bearing but needed to shift slightly for some deadfall. I passed Patti Mace, and spiked the control.

Going to #29, I angled my way through the white woods, eventually popping out near the trail intersection on the other side of the road. I crossed the creek on the road, then passed Keg Good next before plunging into the woods. Shirley (Florence Nolan's sister) was sitting near the control which was in a stream gully. I didn't realize it but she'd hurt her ankle, perhaps in the drop to the control.

Out of habit, I climbed the east side of the stream when going to the next window. Along the way, I realized that I wanted to hit the control on the west side first. The running on the east side was better so in hind sight, I made the right choice. I pause a little along the way however, to make sure I was reading the contours on the left correctly. I was a little unsure till near the end. I crossed the creek and angled up the hill to spike T. In hind sight, an even more left route using the road would have been okay on this leg. I dropped to U, again crossing the creek; this time I used a log. I had earlier thought that going to V first and hitting U next would be good but when I was so close to U leaving T, it made sense to punch it. This also let me use the trail to go to and leave V. As I left V, I saw Vido approaching it. I left the trail, dropping down to W in an optimal way.

Leaving W, I was a little surprised to unfold my map and see only one more control left, control #34. I worried that I'd accidentally skipped a window or something but I confirmed that it wasn't the case (setter David Onkst later said that windows using other parts of the park would have made the courses too long). I soon decided to just push my way in. As I approached the first trail crossing, I came to a quick halt. I guess I'd spoken too soon earlier in the day when I'd told Peggy that it had been a long time since I was wrapped-up in a thorny vine. I remembered doing this often in Greenbelt years earlier so I was conjecturing that I'd gotten better at spotting them. The one that caught me just before the trail crossing was brown and old but still sharp. I got nasty multiple scratches across my chest and on my arm at the inside of the elbow. I spun it off, just like I used too, and gritted onward. I passed Amy after crossing the road, then ran on up to the control.

In the field, I saw that Andrew had punched just ahead of me. Andrew is about the same age as my son Max. He was well ahead of me but not moving as fast. His father who'd been shadowing him hadn't reached control #34 when I had. I yelled up ahead to Andrew to run harder. He looked confused, then did. His dad yelled for him to do the same too but this slowed him up as he turned around, not really hearing/understanding the words. In the end, I passed him, just in the last 10m. I was pretty slow through the race, still tired from the previous week of running but it was good to be done.

C • First window 2

Driving out with Alex and Howie Weinstein, we picked-up the far controls and water in the south. Most of the controls were on stands so these got a little heavy near the end. I'd not intentionally meant to do it but I went without my compass. I'd left it in the van. It didn't matter. I was going slow enough and had basically been to all of the controls. Most of them were only a short way off trails. #I which I'd been unsure of the placement did seem to be a little far down the hill but not enough detail was on the map to be sure of it. I also still didn't have my eye glasses.

As we often do, we ate at Atlanta Bread Co. afterward and had a good time. In the evening, Peggy and I had dinner with my college roommate Ralph Keith who'd come up from Richmond. Max saw the first Spiderman movie at a friend's house.