Training Log Archive: Nadim

From Northfield Rd. to Maple Ave. with Max in his trailer, then to C St., SW, Washington, D.C. via the Capital Crescent Trail and Ohio Dr. My thought was to take advantage of the nice weather and cycle in to work. My left foot had some aches and pains (arch and ball) from the races yesterday so the idea of a no impact workout sealed the decision. I hadn't been able ride last week when my bike was in for repairs and later when it was so rainy. It took a while this morning to get going. It was our turn to bring the week load of snacks for Max's class so I had an extra +25 pounds in the back of his trailer. After the bike repair job there were still some issues (though less) with chain slippage and my bike computer sensor was loose. The sensor occasionally would bang the spokes. I timed with my watch for part of the way but overall I had to estimate the time.

From C St . SW, Washington, D.C. to Northfield Rd., Bethesda, MD. I hadn't ridden home since daylight savings time started; it was completely dark right from the start. I brought my light charger to work but was missing a crucial piece. I was happy to make it home with full light. The ride was busy along the whole way. I suspect the warmth brought out a lot of people who wouldn't be dissuaded by the darkness. I need to work on the angle of my headlamp which mostly points down as I ride whether I'm tucked or not. I'd come up on cyclists fast and with the leaves (they were wet in the morning) across the trail it was hard for all to share the trail riding a bit under 20mph. At one calmer moment a scene from Blade Runner came to mind in which a trio of in-line cyclists riding close together passed quietly through the night. I did pickup several drafters and one of them shared the load. I was happy not to have to pickup Max's trailer. Peggy rode over and retrieved Max with it earlier.

Event: QOC Oregon Ridge
 

Mid-Atlantic Championship, Oregon Ridge Park, MD. The inaugural use of the new map of Oregon Ridge was quite fun. Francis Hogle did a pretty good job with the mapping and course setting though as with any new map, there were a few things slightly off. I ran Blue since I thought QOC was pretty well represented on Red and I tend to do better in longer events and open woods like those that were predominant in the park. The hardest thing for me was the climb. I didn't feel very good right out of the start. After climbing to #1, I was a bit disappointed to be lower than the start at #3. There were big climbs to #4 and #9 too. After the increased road running that I've been doing, I felt slow through much of the run. I totaled about +4 minutes of errors. Most of this was at #10 where I lost about 3 minutes according to my GPS track. I lost time at #4 and on the Go control too. It seemed to me that the finish placement didn't match-up with what was shown on the map but that didn't cost me much time. Overall, I was happy and mostly pleased with my overall 5th place. Of course some of the Mid-Atlantic regulars didn't run or didn't run Blue. My heart rate during the race registered an average of only 117 but it's likely that this was more of a sign of battery/mechanical failure rather than an actual measure. I know from looking at my GPS track that there were some gaps in the track. See the Split List for more.

Mid-Atlantic Championship, Oregon Ridge Park, MD. QOC had several teams put together hastily. Peggy, Ted Good and I made up one. Peggy started off for us and brought us in in around 3rd or 4th place. I took off with cheers from Tom Strat who was chasing closely behind me. Most of the time I was running near, ahead or behind Sergei Fedorov and Allison Campbell from DVOA. I closed some distance on Sergei in the first two controls and Allison trailed closely behind. Going to #3, I didn't read the map well enough. I could have taken the nice field route that I used in the Blue course to get there fast and easy but instead, I set in to going out the direction that Sergei did. Near the control, I didn't read well enough to understand that the control was behind a junk filled depression. I got behind both Allison and Sergei as I sorted this out. I made-up some ground in the field and then moved ahead on the steep climb to #4. Leaving #4, I didnn't want to drop down too much so I ran up the reentrant before cutting in the direction of #5. Once over the initial ridge, I didn't readajust my bearing enough to account for running up the reentrant. I found myself too high and in the light green. Allison and Sergei were well ahead by the time I got to #5. With that being the case, I again didn't think and got into chase mode. I made-up a lot of distance quickly, then trailed a bit until we got to some trails. I should have left #5 going more directly rather then following both Allison and Sergei down the reentrant to the lake. At the trails, I took a left route around the deep reentrant. Allison followed but Sergei went a lower slightly more direct route the less climb that I didn't see. I got to the control a bit behind Sergei and Allison was right behind me. I figured it'd not be likely that I'd catch Sergei before the finish but going to #7, he must have figured the control to be lower rather than on the side of the knoll. I had a more direct route so I got there just ahead of him with Allison right behind me still. I zig-zagged through the green similar to my finishing route on the Blue course and managed to stay ahead of Sergei and Allison. My sprint in to the epunch and to tag Ted wasn't stellar (I was tired) but it was good enough to have our team in first.

Unfortunately, I didn't give Ted enough of a lead. Perhaps if I made fewer mistakes and had a better route to #6 it would have given him enough of an edge but Vadim Masalkov and Greg Ahlswede were just running too fast. We got third. Ted would have needed around 10 seconds to take second and about 50 seconds if we were to take first. Though we were tired and could improve our physical shape, we had fun. I can see the need to do more speedwork and practice sprints if I'm to make better decisions in races that are this fast.

Blue - Splits

45 situps. I did more shopping and playing with Max. Some of that involved running.

From Northfield Rd., through Grenwhich Park to Old Georgetown Pike, to W. Cedar La. to the Elmhirst Trail, to Cedar La. to the Rock Creek Trail, to Beach Dr. to Grosvenor La. to the Bethesda Trolley Trail, to Old Georgetown Rd. and to Northfield Rd. via Grenwich Park. I started this run rather late in the evening--~11:30pm. I cruised along pretty comfortably for most of the way and felt pretty good. It was in the low 50s, F. The Rock Creek Trail was puddled-over in places but I could see well enough to run around them without getting too muddy. As I started up Grosvenor Rd., I saw a guy putting up real estate sale signs. I saw the same guy again putting up signs along Old Georgetown Rd. and I think he was surprised to see me again too because he was hustling. In the dark, I misread my watch and thought I might have a chance to get in in under 42 minutes so I pushed the last mile or so.

From the Shopping Center at the intersection of Tuckerman Ln. and Seven Locks Rd. I ran along side of and into Cabin John Regional Park and looped back. I had dropped off Max for time at the a gym class. I'd had taken the day off and spent most of it visiting my parents. When I got out running, I'd been full from a heavy lunch with them. I also was over-dressed with my Goretex rain suit (the rains had prevented me from doing any mapping again). I started off running off-trail but found a path much more quickly than I had expected it. It ran along the edge of the woodlands and through some grassy areas. After following it to the end at Heatherton Ln. I ran back a ways until plunging into some more off trail running. It was 5pm when I started running so it was already past dusk and in my rush to pickup Max from day care, I'd forgotten to take a headlamp. After getting past some hilly green areas, I got back on the new portion of the Cabin John Trail (seemingly built for mountain bikers) and was able to follow it in the dark. Reaching Tuckerman Ln. I headed east and to the playground looking unsuccessfully for an open bathroom. I returned along Tuckerman Ln. to the shopping center.

45 situps. Instead of getting some field checking done, I got rained out and had a busy day of errands and mostly shopping.

From Northfield Rd. to Old Georgetown Rd. via Greenwich Park, to Cheshire Dr.. to Grosvenor Rd. to the Bethesda Trolley Trail at Fleming Ave. to Old Georgetown Rd. to Northfield Rd. via Greenwick Park. I last ran this route on 9/21/2009 and did it then in 39:00. It was around 10:30pm when I got out this time. I was a bit tired but I found myself moving along right around 7 minute pace at the first mile. It was warm too--in the 60's F. I had a long sleeve t-shirt on and felt over dressed. As I was finishing up the last mile, I noticed and passed another late runner going my direction on the other side of Old Georgetown Rd.