Training Log Archive: Nadim

Event: Billygoat
 

The Billygoat. Nottingcook Forest, NH. I had prepared a bit by running a few longer runs in the last two weeks. I didn't feel quite prepared but was a little more confident. Fortunately this was to be a short race.

The Billygoat, Nottingcook Forest near Bow, NH. I started out feeling rather winded and used the crowd for the first few controls. Though I had no plans to stick with anyone in particular, I found myself around people more after that--through about two-thirds of the race. It wasn't until I let Kristin and another guy leave the aid station w/o me and decided to skip #15 that I was alone. Through much of the race I had not been very confident. I was concerned about the poor run I had on the same map when the first A-meet was held on it. I knew there were some light green areas where the map showed white woods. I also probably felt that I was running faster than I would have navigated on my own in places. I think being in better shape would have helped with that though I'd of probably run faster and beyond my navigation skill that way too. It's kind of natural for most of the people running the Billygoat. I ended up making pretty good choices most of the time, going on the left route choice to #4, the left fork at #5, not skipping #7, and skipping #15. I would have liked to have done the leg to #12 over again but a bright spot was some good navigation to #20. I got sloppy going to #21 figuring it was near the end and would be easy so I lost some time there. I finished 19th overall which is not bad for the physical shape that I'm in. See the Split List.

Billygoat - Splits

Derry, NH. After flying up with Peggy, Max, Dave Onkst and Ted Good, we didn't know what to do with our time. Peggy suggested seeing the Robert Frost Farm since it was not far from Manchester where we flew in. While she toured the farm house, I hiked a little path. Using a brochure given to use by the ranger, Ted and I separately walked and read about numbered features that were described by excerpts of Robert Frost's poems and other comentary. I walked very slowly while reading about the natural surroundings. Max was going to come with me but when I tried to explain to him about staying away from poison ivy that the ranger warned us about, Max got scared. Peggy said he was very patient and happy to tour with her in the farm house.

North Salem, NH. After the Frost Farm, we still had some time to explore. I used my car GPS and learned that America's Stonehenge was very nearby. I had heard of it before and was curious enough to check it out, while dragging everyone else with me. We only had a half hour to rush the hike or risk getting locked into the parking lot according to the teen who sold us our tickets. Max enthusiastically charged up and down the trails. At one point he started climbing a structure and we had to stop him. There were multiple pointer stones placed in an elongated oval shape on a forested hillside and in the middle were several stone structures including small chambers. From a central platform, one could see most of the pointer stones as the various astronomical alignments passed through the center. Some of the structures didn't look so old and were perhaps altered in the 1950's when the place was popularized. The pamphlet we got indicated that the construction was 4,000 years old--the oldest know in N. America. Dave Onkst, a Ph.D. candidate historian, doubted that very much. It was still fun for me to see it. Some of it reminded me of structures Peggy and I saw on our honeymoon in Ireland. At the end of the hike we passed some Alpacas in a pen.

Washington, D.C. From 12th & Independence Ave. SW, down The Mall past the Reflecting Pool to the Lincoln Memorial, Ohio Dr. to the Rock Creek Trail, to 24th St. NW, up to the Woodley Park-Zoo Metro Station. After 3 days of rains and busy work kept me spinning, a 4th day of working late and rains almost got me to skip the run again but the rains stopped as I was ready to leave work (because I have to carry a wallet and other things, then ride the trains the rest of the way home, I don't want to run in the rain). I dressed quick got going. It was humid out. I noticed more ducks on the puddles in the grasses than in the normal waters. Approaching Georgetown near the Kennedy Center while crossing under the T. Roosevelt Bridge, I could notice an air barrier. The temperature was cooler on the other side and the Potomac River had fog added to cover the flotsam. It was obscuring some of the view of Georgetown. Perhaps because I was passing other runners very quickly, I had the odd sensation that I was running fast without a lot of effort while at the same time being aware that I might not be going so fast. I did however, start to slow the last 1.5 miles. I was much stronger than before when climbing the steep hill at the end.

Once on the metro train after the run, stood and again was self concious about sweating. It was then that I also learned that my legs were still tired from the earlier longer runs--various muscles that I hadn't noticed no the run, then felt sore. At Bethesda, I charged up the escalator pretty good.

Another planned run was foiled by working late, some errands, tiredness and the rain storms. I just spinned late in the evening while watching a movie again.

With more rainy weather and working late, I did some spinning again. I felt stronger.

I just did some easy spinning while watching a movie.