Training Log Archive: Nadim

From the Glenmont Metro Station, Georgia Ave. north to the Matthew Henson Trail, to the Rock Creek Trail, to Cedar Ln. to Rockville Pike, to Commerce La. to the Bethesda Metro Station. I last ran this route on a much wamer and humid day on July 29th. I remember pacing myself then since I hadn't run the distance in a long while. Today I had no such worry. I actually got going too fast the first 1.5 miles. However, once I hit the Matthew Henson Trail, I toned it down. I had been anxious about starting right at the official sunset for the area. My watch had gotten left in my orienteering bag so I timed using the metro station clock in Glenbrook and the time in my van in the parking garage in Bethesda. I subtracted out some breaks for traffic lights. I felt I was cruising pretty well but I also knew I was slowing down by the time I hit Ken-Gar. The darkness slowed me in a few places too. For now I'm not as used to running in the dark as I used to be. The leaves being on the trees and some damp spots on the trail contributed to the difficulty. I guess I was lucky after all the recent rains with only 2-3 significant puddles to get around in the dark. I felt pretty strong overall but going up Rockville Pike, my left knee was hurting on the climb; one time a little sharply. I also passed some blood. I may have been overdoing it with the last 3 days of running. With it being a short week I wanted to make the most of it. I finished about 8 minutes faster than the last time so I guess I did.

Event: QOC South Fork
 

QOC: Prince William Forest, VA., Southfork. The DC area weather finally improved and the woods were comfortable. I enjoyed Sandy Filibrown and Valerie Meyer's courses but they were humbling. Sandy told me before I went out that she loves these woods. However, she also told me of Ken Walker's impression being that of a lot of green with debris to go over or around. She attributed the difference in opinions being that of relativity. Sandy's most recent run was in thicker woods in DVOA-land and Ken's was like mine--in the open fast Harriman State Park, NY.

Due to time, I didn't warm-up before starting out. My being used to more open woods was pretty evident on the first leg as I came off a spur and had trouble focusing on the map while pushing branches with pretty full leaves out of the way. I crossed a larger reentrant and pulled up short for a little bit of lost time. It sort of set the pattern for much of the rest of the course. I managed to be fairly clean on legs, #2, #3, and #4. I went around a reentrant and dropped into another far before I'd intended to but got to #5 okay. I spiked #6, #7, and #8. I was too wishy-washy deciding a route to #9 and executed it poorly. It was so poor, that when I got to a control, I punched, stopped for water and a Gu, and only then realized it was the wrong control. I took another 8 minutes relocating and getting to the right control. Sandy's/Valerie's setting had me rather hesitant on the final approach to #10 but I hit it well after running fast initially up the hill. The control circle had obscured a contour there that would have helped. Going to #11, I was feeling stronger. However I misread the control location somewhat. It was on a ridge and because of the parallel nature of curving contours on both sides, I'd interpreted the control to be on the slope. That cost me another 3 minutes or so. I knew it was risky to try to make up time but I tried anyway. The course after #11 was downward sloping but relatively flat so I picked-up the pace. The woods also seemed better. I had some less than direct routes but spiked #12, #13, #14, #15, and #16. It was just too little too late. I still felt this was good training. It highlighted some of the things that I need to do next week even though US Champs terrain in Wisconsin will be vastly different.

Blue - Splits

With some of our planned activities cancelled, I was able to put an end to the laziness. Though it was still cold and raining, I got out my Gortex suit and went for a comfortable run. I felt a bit slow from early on. The suit was catching some of the wind and was getting heavier the longer I was in the rain. I ran from Northfield Rd. to Old Georgetown Rd. to W. Cedar Rd. to the Elmhirst Trail, to the Rock Creek Trail, to the Kennsington Pkwy., to Connecticutt Ave. to the Georgetown Branch Trail, to Bethesda Ave. to Exeter Rd. to Battery La. to Park Ln. to Custer Rd. to Northfield Rd. The Rock Creek trail was flooded in some places so I detoured onto Beach Dr. briefly. I had initially intended to return via Jones Bridge Rd. and the Bethesda Trolley Trail but I decided to forego the up and down on the concrete sidewalks and add-on. I'd forgotten it was happening but in the downtown Bethesda part of the route I was fortunate to get a glimpse of the Bethesda Arts Festival which was soggily proceeding--it looked like there was a lot of nice stuff and I would have liked to have seen more.

I had another busy evening and slug-worthy night. The continued cold rains had some to do with it. I probably should have just gone out and run since I had some trouble sleeping.

45 situps. I wanted to run but with cold rain falling and it being late before I got a chance, I stayed inside and worked on making updates to the Great Falls, MD map from the notes and GPS tracks that I took earlier in the week. My soreness from the Hudson Highlander is pretty much gone. Earlier in the week, I had felt soreness whenever I straightened out my legs after sitting for a long while.

From Northfield Rd. to Maple Ave. via the Georgetown Branch Trail with Max in his trailer, then after dropping them off I rode to the Bethesda Metro Station via the Air Rights Building tunnel. It was in the 50's F this morning. Max wanted us to bicycle and he made race car sounds the whole way.

From the Bethesda Metro Station, to Maple Ave. to pickup Max's trailer, then to Northfield Rd. via the Air Rights Building tunnel. It was dark going home and a light rain was falling. It was a somewhat rare failure of the National Weather Service's short range forecast which in the morning had predicted the rain to start after 2am at night. It started at around 2pm. I need to remember to start charging up my headlamp, though I had good lights for the rear and side for today.

Great Falls, MD. I ended up taking the morning off to wait for an HVAC repair person. When he was done, it was too late to go to work so I spent time in Great Falls, MD to update the map. I mostly worked on vegetation which has changed wildly in places. However, I also found several decent point features to add. I also updated a trail for what will be a beginner course if the park service approves it. I jogged a bunch but I was feeling tired and a bit dehydrated the last hour. Altogether I recorded 3.75 miles of GPS tracks. My left knee was also feeling like a better rest would help.